Regiment Mooirivier


Regiment Mooirivier / Molopo Armour Regiment is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation and is headquartered in the South African university town of Potchefstroom.

History

Origin

The Regiment was founded in 1941 as 2 Anti Tank Regiment and re-instituted in 1954 by the first vice-rector of the Potchefstroom University, Professor Fanus du Plessis.
Regiment Mooirivier was re-instituted as 2 Antitank Regiment, South African Army/Active Citizen Force.
During 1955 the regiment was converted to an armoured car regiment and renamed Regiment Hendrik Potgieter. In 1959 the Regiment was renamed Regiment Mooirivier.

Under the SADF

This unit served in South Africa's various internal conflicts as well as during the South African Border War, including duty in South-West Africa and cross-border raids into Angola between 1975 and 1984. The regiment participated in Operations Askari, Modular, Hooper and Packer. The regiment was equipped with Eland 90s at that stage.

Divisional affiliation

82 Mechanised Brigade Division was disbanded, and Regiment Mooirivier was transferred to the new armoured 'type' formation, the South African Army Armoured Formation.

Current equipment

The Regiment currently uses the Rooikat armoured fighting vehicle, equipped with a 76 mm quick-fire gun.

Name Change

In August 2019 52 units of the Reserve Force had their names changed to reflect the diversity of the current SANDF.
This unit had its name changed to the Molapo Armoured Regiment.

Regimental Symbols

Battle honours