Meesterkanonnier van die artillerie (Suid-Afrika)

Die term Meesterkanonnier van die artillerie (Engels: Master Gunner of the Artillery) is in 1982 as die algehele hoof van die artillerie ingestel. Die oorsprong van hierdie term, en sy besondere aansien, kan gevind word in die geskiedenis van die Royal Artillery se Long Gunnery Staff Courses, oorlogstyd Gunnery Staff Courses en ander. Die draers van kruislope is oorspronklik skietkuns-instrukteurs genoem met ander range bekend as Assistent Instrukteurs Skietkuns (AIS) vanaf 1979–1990. In 1990 is die benaming omgekeer en die hoof van die artillerie is voortaan die Generaal van die Artillerie genoem. Houers van die kruislope het op hulle beurt Meesterkanonniere geword.

Toe die eerste lugafweer-offisier as die Generaal van die Artillerie aangestel is, is dit verander na Generaal van die Kanonniers. Toe Generaal Koos Laubscher in 2002 in hierdie pos aangestel is, het hy dit weer verander na Generaal van die Artillerie, maar toe Generaal Roy Andersen in 2006 aangestel is, het hy dit weer verander na Generaal van die Kanonniers.

Die identifikasie-insignia vir die Kanonniergeneraals ( General of the Gunners) kan nie gelyktydig met die Artillerie No. 1 insignia ( Artillery No 1) gedra word nie.

Aanwysing van Meesterkanonniers

Die kiesstelsel vir wie met hierdie eer bekroon sal word, is 'n ingewikkelde een. Dit is 'n stelsel wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Artillerie Korpsraad geadministreer en beheer word, waarvan die voorsitter die Bevelvoerderende Generaal (BG) van die Artillerieformasie is. Die Korpsraad bestaan tans uit volkolonels wat binne die Formasie diens doen, die Formasie-sersantmajoor Regiment-Sersantmajore (RSM's) van Regiment Artillerie-eenhede, die BG, Regiment Offisierbevelvoerders, Wapenstelselbestuurders, Direktoraat Leërverkrygingsprojekoffisiere en die Sekretaris. Enige ander senior kanonniersoffisiere wat in gemeenskaplike poste in die SANW diens doen, kan deur die Korpsraad gekoöpteer word indien die Korpsraad so verkies.

Wanneer nuwe aanstellings van Meesterkanonniers bespreek word, sal dit in 'n geslote sessie plaasvind en mag net bygewoon word deur diegene wat reeds die kenteken dra. Geen notules van die besprekings word aangeteken nie en die enigste item wat deur die geslote sessie gerapporteer word, is watter besluite geneem is.

Die inwyding van nuwe Meesterkanonniers word gereël by ongereelde tussenposes elke paar jaar. Dit geskied gewoonlik in Potchefstroom, die bakermat van die Suid-Afrikaanse Artillerie. Tydens die inlywingseremonie word nuutgemunte Meesterkanonniers voorsien van 'n meesterkanonniersdas, 'n uitstapdrag-simbool, 'n menasiedragminiatuur en 'n A3-sertifikaat onderteken deur die bevelvoerende generaal van die Artillerie-formasie of die Kanonniergeneraal.

Aanwysings vir die pos van Kanonniergeneraal moet goedgekeur word deur die Hoof van die Leër, alhoewel die eerste aanstelling deur die Hoof van die SAW en Direkteur: Artillerie in 1982 onderteken is.

Vorige aanstelling

Histories gesproke is enige kanonnier wat die spesialis Gunnery Staff Courses voltooi het, in die 1970's outomaties as Meesterkanonniers erken. Die drie "lang kanonkursusse" is in Suid-Afrika aangebied in 1965, 1968 en 1972 en was onderskeidelik bekend as Kursus Nrs. 1, 2 en 3. Alle graduandi van hierdie kursusse het outomaties gekwalifiseer as 'n Meesterskanonnier en het magtiging gehad om die kenteken te dra.

In 1984 het die destydse Korpsraad (Engels Corps Council) die reëls ingestel wat vandag steeds by die kenteken-kriteria geld. Dit werk tipies op dieselfde manier as 'n verdienstemedalje wat toegeken word, met ander woorde, iemand skryf 'n aanbeveling, wat dan ter oorweging voorgelê word. Die aanbeveling kan goedgekeur of afgekeur word, sonder dat enige redes aan beide partye gegee word.

Wanneer die BG self nie 'n Meesterskanonnier is nie, kan die toekenning slegs gedoen word deur die volgende laer rang wat wel 'n Meesterskanonnier is.

Die Nominalerol van die ontvangers van die Meesterskanonnier se kenteken word met trots uitgestal binne die Hoofkwartiergebou van 4 Artillerieregiment. Die rede waarom dit daar is eerder as by die Formasie se Hoofkwartier, as gevolg van ruimte. Hierdie prestasie word toegeskryf aan die Bevelvoerder van 4 Artillerieregiment, Lt-kol Victor Khasapane, en sy RSM, AO1 J. Bernie van Zyl, MMM.

Daar is 'n kort lys van persone wat die Royal Artillery se Langkanonnierstafkursusse by Larkhill in Groot-Brittanje voltooi het. Hulle word nie in die nominaalrol gelys nie, maar word oor die algemeen erken as Meesterskanonniers. Hierdie lys sluit in Genl-maj Boet Stapelberg, Genl-maj Jan Robbertze, Genl-maj Bob Meintjies; en Brigadiers "Greyvie" Greyvenstein, Leisegang, Jack Hawtayne, Helm Roos en Willie Kotze.

Om die Meesterskanonnier se kenteken te ontvang is 'n begeerlike bron van trots vir alle kanonniers in die Suid-Afrikaanse Artillerie-gemmenskap.

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)	Meesterkanonieer Kenteken (Qualification and Decoration) Black on Thatch beige, Embossed Gekruiste kannone
Criteria	'n Dienende lid van die Suid-Afrikaanse Artillerie ten tye van die toekenning wees 'n Suid-Afrikaanse burger vir minstens sewe jaar Suksesvol 'n lang artillerie-kursus voltooi het OF gekwalifiseer soos aangedui in die subparagrawe wat volg Kursus-gekwalifiseerde batterybevelvoerder of kanongroep-sersantmajoor. Verkieslik 'n eerste klas kwalifikasie in al sy Suid-Afrikaanse Artillerie-kursusse behaal Beklee die pos van batterybevelvoerder, of eenheid 2IB, of artillerie-instrukteur (Artillerieskool, of Gevegsopleidingsentrum) of kanongroep-sersantmajoor vir ten minste een jaar Sy gedrag, dissipline en voorkoms moet voorbeeldig wees en die Korpsraad tevrede stel Hy moet 'n soliede reputasie as 'n bekwame artilleris onder sy seniors, eweknieë en juniors hê Dit sal tot sy voordeel wees om aan 'n spesifieke operasie deel te neem, of in 'n operasionele gebied vir ten minste drie maande te dien Hy moet ten minste een artilleriepublikasie geproduseer hê wat: As verwysings- of opleidingsmateriaal in die Suid-Afrikaanse Artillerie gebruik word 'n Oorspronklike werk is en die resultaat van navorsing en studie is Deur die Korpsraad goedgekeur is

Lys van Meesterkanonniers

Lys van Meesterkanonieere van die artillerie

Kode	Nommer	Rang	Van	Voorname	Pos	Jaar	Nota
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

Kanonniergeneraals

• 2 Julie  1993 (1993-07-02) – 31 Mei 1995 (1995-05-31): Genl-maj PO du Preez SD SM MMM

• 1 Junie  1995 (1995-06-01) – 25 Junie 1998 (1998-06-25): Lt Genl PO du Preez SD SM MMM

• 26 Junie  1998 (1998-06-26) – 25 April 2002 (2002-04-25): Genl-maj CH van Zyl SD SM MMM

• 26 April  2002 (2002-04-26) – 31 Augustus 2005 (2005-08-31): Genl-maj JA Laubscher SM MMM

• 1 Desember  2005 (2005-12-01) – 12 Mei 2015 (2015-05-12): Genl-maj RC Andersen CSSA SD & Bar SM MMM JCD with 30 Yr Clasp

• 10 Februarie  2017 (2017-02-10): Lt Genl JS Mbuli