37 Battalion (SWATF)

37/102 Battalion
SWATF 37 Battalion emblem
Active	1978
Country	Namibia,  South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa
Branch	South African Army,
Type	Infantry
Part of	South West African Territorial Force
Garrison/HQ	Opuwo
Equipment	Casspir
Insignia
Part of the South West African Territorial Force

102 Battalion (pronounced as one-o-two Battalion) was a quick-reaction unit of the South West African Territorial Force. The battalion lost 36 men.^{[citation needed]}

History[]

Origin[]

This unit was formed in 1978 as the Kaokoland Company with 48 men. In 1979, after a SWAPO infiltration, it was expanded into 37 Battalion.

Renaming[]

The South West Africa Territory Force SWATF ^[1] renumbered battalion numbers according to their geographical positioning on the border. The prefix 10 pertained to battalions operation to the west of the Kavango River, 20 to the Kavango or central region and 70 to the eastern region. Under this system, 37 Battalion was renamed 102 Battalion.

SWATF Northern Sector Map

Structure[]

By 1979, it had 1100 men in four rifle companies based at Opuwo, Okongwati and Ehoriba.

External Operations[]

• Operation Protea, 1981, one company
• Operation Operation Askari, 1983
• Operation Excite
• Operation Merlyn, 1989

Sector 10 response to the Cuban buildup and SWAPO incursions, known as the Merlyn Forces in 1989 South West Africa

See also[]

• Namibian War of Independence
• South African Border War

References[]

• Snyman, PHR (1989). "Beeld Van Die SWA Gebiedsmag". Archived from the original on November 7, 2014.

Further reading[]

• Helmoed-Romer Heitman (Author), Paul Hannon (Illustrator), Modern African Wars (3): South-West Africa (Men-At-Arms Series, 242), Osprey Publishing (November 28, 1991) ISBN 1-85532-122-X.