A Force Apart In the long and often brutal history of modern warfare on the African continent, few formations have earned a reputation as formidable, professional and enduring as the South African Parabats. From a handful of volunteers trained in Britain in 1960 grew an airborne capability that, at its peak, fielded a full brigade with supporting arms, pathfinders, engineers, artillery and anti-aircraft elements — and that continues today as 44 Parachute Regiment, with 1 Parachute Battalion as its full-time spearhead.

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For Your convenience we have attached the PDF document that records the complete factual history of every major Parabat unit: 1, 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions, 44 Parachute Brigade, and the present-day 44 Parachute Regiment. It details the supporting arms, the legendary Pathfinders, the pipeline that fed South Africa’s Special Forces (the Recces), the extreme selection that produced only a tiny percentage of those who started, the operational record from Ongulumbashe to Bangui, and the ongoing effort to Restore the Glory. It is written so that veterans, serving members and the public may understand why the maroon beret and wings remain among the most respected insignia in African military history — and why international observers ranked the Parabats among the finest light infantry and airborne forces of their generation.

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Please click on the PDF Icon to download the full history.