Special Service Battalion
| Special Service Battalion | |
|---|---|
SSB Cap Badge
|
|
| Active | 1 May 1933 – 1953 |
| Country |
 Union of South Africa
|
| Allegiance | Union of South Africa |
| Branch |
 South African Army
|
| Nickname(s) | SSB (English)/SDB (Afrikaans) |
| Motto(s) | Eendrag Maakt Mag (Unity is Strength) |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Lt Col George Brink |
Lt Col George Brink
Lt Col CEG (Papa) Brits
Lt Col WHE Poole
The Special Service Battalion (SSB) is a South African military unit formed on 1 May 1933 under the patronage of Oswald Pirow, Minister of Defence. The object was to give training to youths, between the ages of 17 and 23, who, in the wake of the 1929 depression, could find no suitable employment on leaving school.
Lt Col George E Brink was given the responsibility for establishing the battalion at Roberts Heights and was the first commanding officer. The SSB was established to save the youth from physical and moral degeneration caused by massive unemployment due to the Great Depression. The SSB was to teach the young men military discipline, fitness and various trades to enable them to be employed by the Department of Labour and Welfare. The SSB men received a salary of a shilling a day causing the SSB soon to be known as the "Bob a Day Battalion"
In 1934 detachments were also established for 100 trainees at Durban and 150 at Cape Town. Training included elementary military subjects and physical training. After a year of the young men usually found employment in government departments or with civilian employers. By 1936 the output of the SSB totalled about 2000 youths a year. In 1937 the South African Railways established at Roberts Heights a special school to prepare boys for the railways. In 1937 3788 youths passed through the ranks of the SSB. A total of 882 of them joined the Permanent Force.
With the expansion of the South African Air Force in 1937 the SSB provided 248 air apprentices for special training but, with the improvement in the economic situation, the waiting list to join the battalion had dwindled to almost nil.
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Wikipedia