Before the unification of Union of South Africa in 1910, units were largely left to invent their own battle honours.
Battle honours for World War I (1914–18) were authorised for the UDF and South African Overseas Expeditionary Force units in 1926 and 1927.
[1] In 1937–38, the UDF authorised commando units to bear battle honours for campaigns and operations in which their 19th-century predecessors had fought.
Battle honours for World War II (1939–45) were authorised for the army, air force, and navy in 1957.
As none of the World War II ship names are currently in use, the navy's battle honours are effectively dormant.
[5] The former South African Police (1913–95) had a strong military tradition, which included fielding active service contingents in World Wars I and II, and conducting counter-insurgency operations in southern Africa in the 1960s and 1970s.