3 Parachute Battalion

3 Parachute Battalion
Active	July 1977 – present
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa Republic of South Africa
Branch	South African Army South African Army
Type	Infantry (Paratroopers)
Role	Airborne Infantry
Size	Battalion
Part of	South African Infantry Corps Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQ	Tempe, Bloemfontein
Nickname(s)	Parabats

3 Parachute Battalion is a Citizen Force paratroop unit of the South African Army. It was established in July 1977 within the formation of the Parachute Battalion. Later it was a battalion within 44 Parachute Brigade. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit.

Background

With the implementation of one year National Service in South Africa in 1968, 1 Parachute Battalion struggled to administer the Permanent Force and the Citizen Force parabats. To prevent the loss of these trained national servicemen at the end of their one-year service to other units of the South African Defence Force, it was decided to form a new citizen force parachute unit to take these men. The battalion was formed at Tempe in July 1977 of five rifle companies. On 20 April 1978, 3 Parachute Battalion and other parachute units became part of the newly formed 44 Parachute Brigade. 3 Parachute Battalion would take part in Operation Reindeer in Angola during 1978, Elements of this battalion took part in the parachute drop over Cassinga.