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The term "Master Gunner of the Artillery" (Afrikaans: Meesterkanonnier van die artillerie) was introduced in 1982 as the overall head of the artillery. The origin^[1]^[2]^: 43 of this term, and it's particular prestige, can be found if you trace the history of the Royal Artillery's Long Gunnery Staff Courses, War time Gunnery Staff Courses (LGSC) amongst others. The crossed guns were originally called Gunnery Instructors (IG)(Officers) with other ranks known as Assistant Instructors Gunnery (AIG) from 1979–1990. In 1990 the nomenclature was reversed and the head of the artillery was henceforth called the General of the Artillery. Holders of the crossed barrels in turn became known as Master Gunners. When the first ADA officer was appointed to the post of General of the Artillery, it was changed to General of the Gunners. When General Koos Laubscher was appointed to this post in 2002, he again changed it to General of the Artillery, but when General Roy Andersen was appointed in 2006,^[3] he changed it back again to General of the Gunners.^[4]^: 3

The identification badge for the General of the Gunners ( General of the Gunners) cannot simultaneously be worn with the Artillery No. 1 badge ( Artillery No 1).^[5]^[6]^[a]^[b]

Appointment of Master Gunners

The system of choosing who will be invested with this honour is a complicated one. It is as system administered and controlled by the South African Artillery Corps Council whose chairman is the GOC the Artillery Formation. The Corps Council is nowadays composed of full colonels serving within the Formation, the Formation Warrant Officer, RSMs of Regular Artillery units, The GOC, Regular Officers Commanding, Weapon Systems Managers, Directorate Army Acquisition Project Officers and the Secretary. Any other senior gunner officers, serving in common posts in the SANDF, may be co-opted if the Corps Council so desires.

When new appointments of Master Gunners are discussed, this will take place in closed session (Latin: in camera) attended solely by those already bearing the badge. No minutes of deliberations are recorded and the only thing reported by the closed session is what decisions have been taken.

Investiture of new Master Gunners is held at irregular intervals every few years. This usually occurs in Potchefstroom, the Mecca of the Artillery. At the investiture ceremony, newly minted Master Gunners are presented with a Master Gunner's tie, a Step Out badge, a Mess Dress miniature, an A3 certificate signed by either the General Officer Commanding Artillery Formation or The General of the Gunners.

Appointment to the post of General of the Gunners must be sanctioned by the Chief of the Army, even though the first appointment was signed by the Chief of the SADF and Director: Artillery in 1982.

Prior Appointments

Historically, any gunner who completed the specialist Gunnery Staff Courses were automatically recognised as Master Gunners in the 1970s. The three "long gunnery courses were presented in South Africa in 1965, 1968 and 1972 and were known respectively as courses No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3. Any graduates of these courses automatically qualified as a Master Gunner and the authority to wear the badge.

In 1984 the then Korpsraad introduced the rules as can be seen on the badge criteria to this day. Typically it works similarly to how a merit medal is awarded, that is that someone writes up a citation, or recommendation in this case, which is then presented for consideration. The citation can be approved or disapproved without any reasons being given either way.

When the GOC is not a Master Gunner himself, the award can only be conferred by the next junior rank who is a Master Gunner.

The Nominal Roll of the recipients of the Master Gunner Badge is proudly displayed within the Headquarters building of 4 Artillery Regiment. Nominally the reason it is there rather than at the Formation Headquarters is for reasons of space. This is credited to the Commander 4 Artillery Regiment, Lt Col Victor Khasapane, and his RSM, WO1 J. Bernie van Zyl MMM.

There is a short list of people who completed the Royal Artillery's Long Gunnery Staff Courses at Larkhill in Great Britain. They are not listed in the nominal roll, but are generally acknowledged to be Master Gunners by right. This list includes Maj Gen Boet Stapelberg, Maj Gen Jan Robbertze, Maj Gen Bob Meintjies, Brigadier "Greyvie" Greyvenstein, Brigadier Leisegang, Brigadier Jack Hawtayne, Brigadier Helm Roos and Brigadier Willie Kotze.

Being invested with the Master Gunner's Badge is a coveted source of pride for all gunners within the South African Artillery fraternity.

Master Gunner

Awarding Authority:

GOC SA Army Artillery Formation

Description

Dress No 1 – 3 and 5C

Proficiency SA Army Master Gunner, Artillery, Chrome (Crossed gun barrels)

Dress No 5A

Proficiency SA Army Master Gunner, Artillery, Miniature, Chrome (Crossed gun barrels)

Dress No 4

Proficiency SA Army Master Gunner, Artillery, Black on Thatch beige (Crossed gun barrels)

Master Gunner Badge
(Qualification and Decoration)

Black on Thatch beige, Embossed Crossed gun barrels

Criteria

A serving member of the SAA at the time of the award
An RSA citizen of at least seven years standing
Successfully completed a long gunnery course OR qualified as indicated in the succeeding sub-subparagraphs
Course qualified battery commander or Gun-group Sergeant Major (GSM)
Preferably obtained a first class qualification on all his SAA courses
Occupied the post of battery commander, or unit 2IC, or artillery instructor (School of Artillery, or Combat Training Centre) or GSM for at least one year
His conduct, discipline and bearing must be exemplary and to the satisfaction of the Corps Council
He must have a solid reputation as a capable artilleryman amongst his seniors, contemporaries and juniors
It will be to his advantage to have participated in a specific operation, or to have served in an operational area for a period of at least three months
He must have produced at least one artillery publication which must:
1. Be used in the SAA as reference or training material
2. Be an original piece of work and the result of research and study
3. Be approved by the Corps Council

List of Master Gunners

List of Master Gunners
Code	Number	Rank	Surname	First Names	Post	Year	Note
A40	40	Captain	Kotzé	D.J.J.	OI - School of Artillery	1972
A49	49	Commandant	Uys	Piet D.	2IC - Army College	1984
A80	80	Lt Colonel	de Jager	Andre S.	SO1 AOT - Artillery Formation HQ	2002
A1005	1005	Brigadier	Leisegang	Carl Sverre		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A105	105	Lt Colonel	Croft	L.D.	SO1 Training & Evaluation - School of Artillery	2017
A48	48	General	Viljoen	Constand L.	Chief South African Defence Force	1984
A24	24	Major	van Wyk	F.J.	DS - Army College	1971
A81	81	Lt Colonel	Kruger	Sarel J.F.	Officer Commanding - 4 Artillery Regiment	2002
A1004	1004	Brigadier	Greyvenstein	Hendrik Jacobus 'Greyvie'		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A3	3	Commandant	van der Walt	P.J.	Officer Commanding - 4 Field Regiment	1972
A116	116	Major	Pokolo	M.	SO2 Operations - 4 Artillery Regiment	2019
A88	88	Lt Colonel	du Plessis	P.S.	SO1 Force Structure - Artillery Formation HQ	2008
A92	92	Major	le Roux	E.C.	SO1 Artillery Project - DAA	2008
A36	36	Major	Bouwer	C.W.	OI - School of Artillery	1972
A76	76	Lt Colonel	Mynhardt	J.P.	SO1 Ctrl - DPSM	1999
A52	52		Unknown
A95	95		Unknown
A33	33	Captain	Human	A.C.	Battery Commander - Medium Battery - School of Artillery	1972
A114	114	Major	Fouché	Gordon D.	SO2 Artillery Project - DAA	2019
A71	71	Colonel	Schalekamp	Maarten A.	Director Artillery	1996
A37	37	Major	van Aswegen	Steve	OI - School of Artillery	1972
A1003	1003	Major General	Meintjies	Bob		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A112	112	Lt Colonel	Kemp	F.F.	SO1 Artillery Project - DAA	2019
A77	77	Colonel	van Dyk	Phillip J.	2IC - School of Artillery	1999
A106	106	Major	Joshua	E.	OIRT - School of Artillery	2017
A111	111	Lt Colonel	Makhele	M.S.	SO1 Ext Training - Army College	2019
A12	12	Major	Veermaak	M.P.H.	Unknown	1970
A53	53	Commandant	Bothma	H.G.S.	Officer Commanding - 14 Field Regiment	1984
A1007	1007	Brigadier	Kotze	Willie		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A15	15	Major	Booyse	P.J.G.	2IC - 4 Field Regiment	1970
A90	90	Lt Colonel	Kritzinger	J.J.	SO1 Artillery Project - DAA	2008
A34	34	Captain	Rheeder	J.L.	OI - South African Coloured Corps - Training Center	1972
A107	107	Lt Colonel	Tshabalala	M.J. 'Joe'	SO1 Training and Evaluation - School of Artillery	2019
A11	11	Captain	van Rensburg	J.J.J.	OI - School of Artillery	1970
A108	108	Lt Colonel	Marx	R.	Artillery Branch Commander - Combat Training Center	2019
A99	99	WO1	Molebatsi	T.J.		2009
A51	51	Commandant	de Villiers	D.J.	Chief Instructor - Loc	1984
A19	19		Unknown
A1006	1006	Brigadier	Hawtaynee	Jack		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A91	91	Lt Colonel	Krugel	C.T.	SO1 Combat Readiness - Artillery Formation HQ	2008
A10	10	Major	van Heerden	J.M.	OI - Army College	1970
A2	2	Major	Nell	A.A.	DS - Army Col	1970
A98	98		Unknown
A109	109	Master Warrant Officer	Mokoena	M.P.	Regimental Sergeant Major - 4 Artillery Regiment	2019
A46	46		Unknown
A18	18		Unknown
A103	103	Colonel	Maso	Jongile G.	Officer Commanding - Department of Defence - Mobilisation Center	2017
A86	86	WO1	Niemand	J.	Regimental Sergeant Major - 4 Artillery Regiment	2000	Awarded later on discovery of an error
A102	102	Brigadier General	Makina	Khaya	General Officer Commanding - Artillery Formation	2017
A101	101	WO2	Gordon	C.	Battery Sergeant Major - 43 Battery - 4 Artillery Regiment	2010
A85	85	WO1	Botha	F.A.W.	Artillery Formation - Warrant Officer	2002
A97	97	Lt Colonel	Steyn	E.C.D.	2IC - School of Artillery	2009
A83	83	Lt Colonel	Schoonwinkel	Dawid B.J.	2IC - School of Artillery	2002
A47	47	WO1	Graham	Robbie	Unknown	1984	Unconfirmed
A87	87	Lt Colonel	Cronje	J.J.	SO1 Training & Evaluation - School of Artillery	2008
A1008	1008	Brigadier	Roos	Helm		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A79	79	Brigadier General	Notshweleka	M.R. 'Abe'	General Officer Commanding - Artillery Formation	2002
A22	22	Major	van der Westhuizen	Christoffel Pierre 'Joffel'	Chief Instructor Gunnery	1971
A115	115	Major	Galane	K.	SO2 Policy & Planning - Artillery Formation HQ	2019
A94	94		Unknown
A25	25	Major	de Munnick	E.O.	DS - Army College	1971
A84	84	Lt Colonel	Claassen	André J.	Chief Instructor - Gunnery (CIG)	2002
A44	44		Unknown
A29	29	Major	Wentzel	W. 'Willie'	OI - School of Artillery	1971
A9	9	Major	Gravett	G.W.	SO2 Manpower - GS1	1970
A64	64	Lt Colonel	Phillipson	Leon	SO1 Personnel - D Artillery	1995
A21	21		Unknown
A89	89	Lt Colonel	Khasapane	L.V.	Officer Commanding - 4 Artillery Regiment	2008
A100	100		Unknown
A5	5	Major	Wentzel	Charles F. 'Willie'	Battery Commander - 1 Medium Battery - School of Artillery	1972
A28	28	Major	Kotzé	A.A.	SO Research & Developmeent	1971
A61	61	Commandant	Coetzee	Theuns J.	Chief Instructor - Gunnery (CIG)	1990
A55	55	Colonel	Lausberg	J.L.	Officer Commanding - 10 Artillery Brigade	1989
A68	68		Unknown
A1	1	Colonel	van den Berg	Frans E.C.	Officer Commanding School of Artillery	1970
A20	20		Unknown
A96	96		-Spoilt Number				96 was awarded to WO1 D Moleko, but he could not attend the investituree on 8 August 2008 and in 2009 another certificate was printed for him with another number.
A72	72	Brigadier General	Roux	Chris H.	General Officer Commanding - Artillery Formation	2001
A59	59	Commandant	Johnson	I.R.	SO1 Log - 10 Artillery Brigade	1989
A17	17		Unknown
A60	60	Commandant	van Eeden	F.J.G.	SO1 Training & Evaluation - School of Artillery	1989
A74	74	Lt Colonel	van Niekerk	C.J.G.	CIRT	1999
A73	73	Colonel	Breytenbach	F.J.		1999	Resigned on 30 September 1997
A13	13	Major	Holm	O.S.	Unknown	1970	Served at THA (Doornkop) and Sasolburg Commando (CF). Resigned from Permanent Force in 1966
A113	113	Lt Colonel	Matimbe	Mimi E.	Officer Commanding - 4 Artillery Regiment	2019
A93	93	Major	Moraka	J.K.	2IC - 4 Artillery Regiment	2008
A16	16		Unknown
A1002	1002	Major General	Robbertze	Jan		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A32	32	Captain	du Plessis	P.R.B.	Troop Commander - 3 Loc Battery - School of Artillery	1972
A69	69		Unknown
A67	67	Captain	Crafford	J. Daniel A.	SO3 Artillery Project - D Artillery	1995
A66	66	Lt Colonel	Laubscher	Carel C.	Chief Instructor - Gunnery (CIG)	1995
A65	65	Lt Colonel	Mills	Ralph Brian	So1 Artillery Support Project - D Projects	1995
A54	54	Major	Cilliers	J.K.	SO2 Res & Data - CD Planning	1984
A39	39	Captain	Bosch	Jack C.D.F.	OI - School of Artillery	1972
A70	70		Unknown
A41	41		Unknown
A8	8	Major	Stempfie	Hugh R.	SO2 Citizen Force - GS1	1970
A62	62	Commandant	Potgieter	J.W. 'Jackie'	CIRT	1990
A31	31	Major	Hurter	Felix Marius 'Baksteen'	OI - School of Artillery	1972	Maj Hurter completed the 3rd South African Long Gunnery Course from the 5 Jun-15 Dec 1972
A4	4	Commandant	Lombard	Paul M.	Officer Commanding School of Artillery	1970
A75	75	Lt Colonel	Oelofse	A.J.R.	SO1 Force Structure - Artillery Formation HQ	1999
A35	35	Major	Puller	D.I.	Training Officer - 1 Field Regiment - Rhodesian Artillery	1972	Rhodesian
A38	38	Major	de Beer Venter	P.C. 'Chris'	Battery Commander - 1 Medium Battery - 4 Field Artillery	1972
A78	78	Colonel	du Plessis	Niek J.	SSO Combat Systems - DCW	1999
A58	58		Unknown
A30	30	Captain	Laubscher	J.A. 'Koos'	OI - School of Artillery	1972
A57	57	Major	Franken	P.	2IC - 4 Artillery Regiment	1989
A56	56	Commandant	Swanepoel	G.H.F.	SO1 Training - 10 Artillery Brigade	1989
A82	82	Lt Colonel	Jacobs	J.J.	SO1 Combat Readiness - Artillery Formation HQ	2002
A27	27	Major	Thomas	J.E.	Battery Commander - 3 Loc Battery - School of Artillery	1971
A110	110	Major General	Andersen	Roy C.	CD SANDF Reserves - CSD	2019
A23	23	Major	du Rand	J.P. 'Jaap'	Secondment to Rhodesian Artillery	1971
A50	50	Commandant	Jacobs	Jacobus G. 'Jakes'	Chief Instructor - Gunnery (CIG)	1984
A45	45		Unknown
A43	43		Unknown
A42	42		Unknown
A63	63	Commandant	Holtzhausen	H.G. 'Deon'	Officer Commanding - 14 Artillery Regiment	1990
A104	104	Lt Col	Botha	W.M. 'Buks'	SO1 Compliance - School of Artilleery	2017
A26	26	Major	van Niekerk	G.J.C.	2IC - 2 South African Infantry Battalion Group	1971
A14	14	Captain	Potgieter	G.I.	Battery Commander - 43 Battery - School of Artillery	1970
A7	7	Commandant	Bisschoff	J.J. 'Koos'	CISD - Army College	1970
A1001	1001	Major General	Stapelberg	JJ		Before 1970	Grandfathered. Long Gunnery Course, Larkhill, Great Britain. Number is assigned for convenience.
A6	6	Major	Linford	Delville	SO2 Training - Western Province Command	1970

Generals of the Artillery

1 April 1990 (1990-04-01) – 31 May 1992 (1992-05-31): Lt Gen FEC van den Berg
1 June 1992 (1992-06-01) – 2 March 1993 (1993-03-02): Maj Gen PM Lombard
3 March 1993 (1993-03-03) – 1 June 1993 (1993-06-01): Maj Gen PO Du Preez

Generals of the Gunners

2 July 1993 (1993-07-02) – 31 May 1995 (1995-05-31): Maj Gen PO Du Preez
1 June 1995 (1995-06-01) – 25 June 1998 (1998-06-25): Lt Gen PO Du Preez
26 June 1998 (1998-06-26) – 25 April 2002 (2002-04-25): Maj Gen CH van Zyl
26 April 2002 (2002-04-26) – 31 August 2005 (2005-08-31): Maj Gen JA Laubscher [c]
1 December 2005 (2005-12-01) – 12 May 2015 (2015-05-12): Maj Gen RC Andersen
10 February 2017 (2017-02-10): Lt Gen JS Mbuli

Notes

^ NSN-18–187–0476
^ Publication Number - ICC 702/2
^ As General of the Artillery

References

^ "South African Artillery Traditions". The Gunners' Association of South Africa. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
^ "Artillery Traditions" (PDF). South African Gunner. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
^ "Profile - Major General Roy Andersen, CSSA, SD, SM, MMM, JCD Chief of Defence Reserves, SA National Defence Force". Retrieved 3 October 2014.
^ "General of the Gunners" (PDF). South African Gunner. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
^ SA ARMY ORDER: CHIEF ARMY CORPORATE SERVICES (SAAO/C ARMY CORP SVC/CER/317/07) MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING OF DRESS REGULATIONS AND DRESS INSTRUCTIONS IN THE SA ARMY, MEN AND WOMEN. South African Army. June 2007.
^ SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY UNIFORM SYSTEM CATALOGUE. Department of Defence (South Africa). 22 June 2011.