Union Defence Force (South Africa)

The Union Defence Force (UDF) was the military force of the Union of South Africa from 1912 until 1957 when it was reorganized and renamed the South African Defence Force.

Establishment
The UDF was established on 1 July 1912, when the Defence Act (No 13 of 1912) took effect, two years after the creation of the Union of South Africa.

The South African Army was created first by merging the existing military structures of the former British colonies and Boer Republics that had become the four provinces of the Union. The formation of the South African Air Force followed in 1920. The South African Naval Service was created in 1922.

Wars and other actions
The UDF participated in the First World War, The Second World War, the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War.