4 Artillery Regiment (South Africa)

4 Artillery Regiment is based at Potchefstroom, responsible for the training of soldiers allotted to Field and Medium Artillery.

History
On May 28, 1945, authority was granted for the formation of 4 Field Artillery as a full-time regiment with effect 1 April 1945.

4 Artillery was the successor to 4 Field Brigade, which had made a name for itself at Combolcia, Dessie and Amba Alagi in Ethiopia. The regiment served at El Alamein under its own name – as part of 1 SA Division – and in Italy as part of 6 SA Armoured Division, notably at Monte Stanco.

In May 1946 the unit became part of the Permanent Force 11 Armoured Brigade. When the latter was disbanded in 1951, the unit continued as 10 Field Battery.

Based in Potchefstroom after the war, it became 4 Field Training Regiment in 1953 with 10, 11 and 12 Field Batteries at Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein and Oudtshoorn respectively. It was disestablished as a training institution in November 1967. The regiment reactivated in 1975 and took part in most operations since Operation Savannah in 1976. It was back in action in August and September 1981 in support of Operation Protea. In 1983 the regiment became part of 10 Artillery Brigade (with 14 Artillery Regiment) and was renamed 4 Artillery Regiment the next year.

In 1985 and 1986 the unit had tours as provisional infantry in Soweto, Thembisa, Alexandra and in the KwaNdebele homeland. In 1987 the regiment took part in Operation Moduler and in 1988 in Hooper, Displace and Prone. In 1989, the regiment was part of the Merlin Brigade based at Grootfontein, returning home after Namibian independence. The Artillery Brigade and 14 Artillery Regiment disbanded on January 1, 1993.

Cavallo transporter with G6 artillery piece.

In March 1973 the unit broke with artillery tradition, which recognises the unit’s guns as its colours, and took possession of a regimental colour, becoming the first artillery regiment to be presented with a regimental colour and claims to be the first to have appointed an honorary colonel.

The regiment is currently organised as a composite unit and has a growth capability for the establishment of added regiments.

Leadership

 * Col (Hon) Johann Oosthuizen 1984 – 2012
 * Lt Col Nick Bierman CBE 1946 – 1947
 * Lt Col Bob Meintjies DSO 1950 – 1953
 * Col Deon Holtzhausen 1994 – 1997
 * Lt Col Victor Khasapane 2006 – 2010

Freedom of the City
The regiment was awarded the Freedom of Potchefstroom in 1984.