Guides, Patrols, Intelligence and Scouting Units in German South-West African Campaign

Although the purpose of this article is only to provide a listing of the officers and men of the small exclusive Units, it will be essential to give a short background.
At the outbreak of WW1, before the UDF was ordered to invade German South-West Africa (GSWS), the General Staff of the UDF was requested to gather intelligence regarding the German activities on the border between the two countries and the activities of the German Forces within GSWA.
The first intelligence unit under Major CBJ Grobler was formed, consisting of 7 officers and approximately 40 men. This unit, known as Grobler’s Scouts, was tasked to collect information of the German town of Swakopmund and the surrounding areas. Grobler’s Scouts can be considered the first official Scouting unit.
In the same instant another Scouting Unit, Belfield’s Scouts (sometimes referred to Belfield’s Mounted Scouts), was sent to German Tanganyika to collect information about Von Lettow Vorbecks activities. (South African Intelligence Corps History and Insignia, 2020)
The Must-have book for all South African military enthusiasts, “The Armed Forces of South Africa by Major G Tylen” is an invaluable and essential guide. Try to acquire the 1982 reprint as it includes addenda and corrigenda. (Tylden, 1954)

A superb and informative website has been created on SA Intelligence Units and can be found at https://www.freewebs.com/saintcorps/the-world-wars. This website covers WW1 Scouting Units
Another good website to consult is Imperial Research at http://www.imperial-research.net/gswa_oob.htm. A tremendous amount of information on SA Units can be found here.
Scouts, Intelligence Units, Guides and Patrols in GSWA only
A Scout Unit allocated to each Mounted Brigade – both Left and Right Wings
A roll of Scout and Guides Units in the Rebellion and GSWA is as follows: (name, where served and official designation):
Botha’s Scouts (5R/L) 21st Intelligence Unit
Celliers Scouts (4R/L) 6th Intelligence Unit
Collins Scouts (2L) 16th Intelligence Unit
De Brug Patrols part of commandos
De la Reys/Oosthuizens Scouts (1R) 13th Intelligence Unit
1st Rand Intelligence 7th Intelligence Unit
1st Mounted Brigade Scouts
Enslin’s Horse (4L) 8th Intelligence Unit
Glen Patrols Part of the Commandos
Groblers Scouts (1L) Marico Commando
Helgaardts Scouts (3R) 17th Intelligence Unit
Hunts Scouts (3L) 18th Intelligence Unit
Intelligence Staff
Kimberley District Patrols Part of the Cape Commandos
Lemmers Scouts (1L) 14th Intelligence Unit
Midlands Scouts Part of the Cape Commandos
Naudes Scouts Part of the Transvaal Commandos
Oosthuizens Scouts/De la Reys (1R) 13th Intelligence Unit
Prinsloos Guides Part of the Transvaal Commando
2nd Mounted Brigade Scouts
Special Intelligence
Swarts Scouts (2R) 15th Intelligence Unit
Uys’ Scouts (1R) 22nd Intelligence Unit
Vermaas Scouts Calvinia Ruiter/Comdo
The 8th Intelligence Unit merged into Enslin’s Horse
Notes on Mounted Brigades:
1 – 1st Mounted Brigade Right (R) / Left Wing (L)
2 – 2nd Mounted Brigade Right (R) / Left Wing (L)
3 – 3rd Mounted Brigade Right (R) / Left Wing (L)
4 – 4th Mounted Brigade Right (R) / Left Wing (L)
5 – 5th Mounted Brigade Right (R) / Left Wing (L)
The Scouts in Tanganyika and German East Africa will the subject of another article, but in brief, I have seen the following:
Belfield’s Scouts
De Jager’s Scouts
Van Deventer’s Scouts
Their Service Medals (1914-15 Stars)
All men serving in the German South-West Africa Campaign are entitled to the 1914-15 star. The issue of the 1914-15 star would automatically qualify them for the British War Medals (BWM), and Victory Medal as the Star is not issued on its own.
Many of these men transferred to other units later in the war, and their BWM and Victory Medals may be issued to other units. (refer my previous article on WW1 naming).
I have never encountered medals named to the Patrols or Guides and I believe these to be named to their parent Commando.
Scouts in the 1914 Rebellion
It has always been a contention that many of these Scouting units were involved in the 1914 Rebellion. Many years ago the author owned a group including a 1914-15 Star named to Uys’s Scouts who served in the Rebellion. In the Gordon Bickley registers of citations for GWSA, there is a Mention in Dispatches (MID) to a Scouting Unit for an event that took place during the rebellion and not in the GWSA campaign.
A question has always been raised, if a man served in a Scouting Unit in the Rebellion only, did he received a WW1 Trio?
Records held with the SADF
There are a series of Box’s held in the SADF archives relating to WW1 medals. Box no 11 is detailed “Scouts”. The contents thereof are papers and documents relating to:
Bothas Scouts
Celliers Scouts 4th Brigade Left Wing
Collins Scouts 2nd Brigade Left Wing
De le Rey Scouts (previously called Oosthuizens) 1st Brigade
General File – sailings from Cape Town
General Staff Intelligence and others – lists of names
Grobler’s Scouts 1st Brigade Left Wing
Helgaardt Scouts
Lemmers Scouts
Naudes Scouts
Prinsloo Guides
Uys Scouts 1st Brigade Right Wing
1914/15 Star Correspondence
I have found other boxes also contain information on Scouts
Box 2 – Uys Scouts (attached Marico Commando) HS Uys
Box 12 – Calvinia Ruiter (was Vermaas Scouts)
If anyone is interested in obtaining information from these files, please contact researchers listed on my credits page.
The Medals and their naming
The 1914-15 Stars, BWM and Victory Medals, are all named in South African style as detailed in my previous article.
All 1914-15 stars carry the Rank, name and Unit / Regiment the man served in. Thus all medals issued to the Scouts can be easily identified and named as noted below. The Afrikaans name for Scout is Verkenner and medals are found named with the words to the units:
Scouts /Scts
Verkenners/ Verknrs
“X”th Intell
Intelligence Dept
Intel Staff
Intelligence Staff
Intelligence
1st / 2nd M B Scouts

Naming variations vary as these were small units, and the instruction to the RMP could have varied on each occasion a batch was sent to be stamped.
Botha’s Scouts –

Grobler’s Scouts –

In command Major CBJ Grobler – 7 officers and 40 men
Uys’ Scouts –

In command Major H S Uys – 8 Officers
Now onto the Nominal Rolls.
I was my original intention to transcribe the rolls. However, after careful consideration, I decided to publish copies of the rolls as I have them in my possession. Firstly I will not make any errors, but I believe seeing the actual documents will give fellow collectors the same thrill of discovery I experienced when I found them.
Unfortunately, I have not found all the rolls. Many documents were damaged or have been misfiled over the years, but I am sure that after this start more will be found in due course and published.
Botha’s Scouts









Grobler’s Scouts




Prinsloo’s Guides

Uys’ Scouts






Tylden, G., 1954. The Armed Forces Of South Africa, With An Appendix On The Commandos. Johannesburg: City of Johannesburg Africana Museum.
Imperial-research.net. 2020. Imperial Research – South African OOB. [online] Available at: <http://www.imperial-research.net/gswa_oob.htm> [Accessed 30 May 2020].
South African Intelligence Corps History and Insignia. 2020. South African Intelligence Corps History And Insignia. [online] Available at: <https://www.freewebs.com/saintcorps/the-world-wars> [Accessed 30 May 2020].
Thank you very much! I found this article very interesting!
Good to know others have similar interest in these almost forgotten units. Nice to see nominal rolls too. I have the rolls for Naude ‘s Scouts if you’d like them.
Dear Mark
Thank you for your comments. I would be grateful for the roll for Naudes Scouts so that I can publish them on the site with your approval.
Kind regards
Munroe
Have to agree with the previous comment. Very interesting and surprised by the relatively low numbers in some of these small units. Also appreciate the two links at the beginning of the article. Scans of the original rolls are great to see. thank you
Excellent research and write-up, Munroe!!
One small correction: Verkenner is written with a double n.
I assume you have a copy of Frank Mitchell’s 1982 publication “Medals of the Great War awarded to South Africans”. You could consider contacting Rob Mitchell and perhaps do an update.
I have an annotated copy with corrections and additions : if you wish you can consult it after lockdown.
Dear Henk
Thank you for your kind words. The idea is to get out as much information as possible. There is so much to say on each topic, however, I have chosen to get as much out as possible.
It would be a good idea to update Dr Mitchells roll.
I apologise for the error and will correct it immediately.
Munroe