Each South African Navy ship and shore establishment ("stone frigate") has a badge, in a form derived from Royal Navy practice. Badges were formalised after World War II, using a diamond-shaped frame of golden cable, ensigned of a name plaque topped with a naval crown. In the 1950s, the frame was changed to a circular shape, and the crown was replaced by the red lion crest of the national coat of arms. The lion was replaced in 2002 by the secretary-bird crest of the new national arms.

Around 100 badges have been devised over the years. The following is a small selection.

Bases
The badges of the two naval bases draw on the municipal arms of their home towns. Naval Base Cape Town's badge is Azure, an anchor Or surmounted by an escutcheon Gules fimbriated and charged with three annulets Or. The escutcheon is the arms of Jan van Riebeeck. That of Naval Base Simon's Town (indirectly named after Simon van der Stel) features the second quarter of the municipal arms, Azure, an estoile and in chief three crescents in fess Argent. They were the arms of Van der Stel's wife Johanna (née Six).

Corvettes
The SAN is building up a flotilla of Valour-class corvettes, which are named after historical battles. As yet, I have no details about their badges.

Destroyers
From 1950 to 1975, the SAN had a few W-class destroyers, which were named after Afrikaner historical figures. The badges were based on their namesakes' arms; the SAS Simon van der Stel's was thus Or, three towers Gules.

Dockyards

Dockyard arms have as a common feature a voided cogwheel on an anchor, and a suitable local charge is placed inside the wheel. Naval Dockyard Durban's badge shows the star of Natal: Azure, on an anchor erect Argent, within a voided cogwheel Or, a mullet irradiated Argent. Naval Dockyard Simon's Town's shows a local historical building: Murrey, on an anchor erect Argent, within a voided cogwheel Or, a representation of the Martello Tower proper.

Frigates
The Loch-class frigates (in service 1944-72) were named after provinces, and their badges displayed the relevant provincial emblems from the national coat of arms.

The President-class frigates (in service 1963-85) were named after Boer republican presidents, and their badges alluded to them in some way. That of the ill-fated SAS President Kruger, for instance, depicted the eagle and anchor from the Transvaal arms: Argent, two bars wavy in base Azure surmounted by an escutcheon of the field charged with a fouled anchor Gules within a bordure Azure, ensigned of an eagle displayed with wings inverted also Azure.

Headquarters
The badges of headquarters have pentagonal frames, and a common device of two crossed seaxes. Navy HQ's badge depicts a lion's face above the seaxes, while the former regional command HQ badges displayed the relevant provincial flowers: a disa for Naval Command West in Cape Town and a strelitzia for Naval Command East in Durban.

Mine Countermeasures
The Algerine-class minesweepers (in service 1947-92) and the Ton-class minesweepers (in service 1955-2005) were named after South African towns, and their badges alluded to the relevant municipal arms. The badge of the SAS Windhoek, for instance, was the same as the municipal arms: Argent, an aloe plant with five racemes proper.

The River-class minehunters (in service since 1981), are named after KwaZulu-Natal rivers, and they all have the same basic badge showing a bridge, with an appropriate charge in chief to identify the individual vessel. The SAS Umgeni's badge, for instance, is Argent, a two-span girder bridge Sable the central column thereof issuant from a base engrailed Azure; in chief an acacia tree proper.

The new City-class minesweepers bear the African names of major cities. As yet, I don't have details of their badges.

Reserve Bases
The naval reserve bases, located in the major cities, bore names appropriate to their home towns and their badges depicted local arms or landmarks. That of the SAS Donkin in Port Elizabeth was Azure, four bars wavy Argent, a representation of the Donkin Memorial proper. (The memorial obviously needed some repair work at the time this badge was designed, as it shows brickwork where the plaster has broken away!)

Seaward Defence Boats
The Ford-class seaward defence boats (in service 1954-88) were named after historical ships and their badges alluded to their names, e.g. that of the SAS Gelderland, named after the Dutch ship which took President Kruger into exile in 1900, depicted the statue of the president in Pretoria.

Strike Craft
The Minister-class strike craft (in service since 1977) were named after defence ministers, and their badges all depicted a Viking longboat, with the sail decorated with charges from the relevant minister's personal arms. In 1999, the craft were renamed the Warrior-class, the ships were renamed after military heroes, and the badges were changed accordingly.

The only ship which wasn't renamed was the SAS Jan Smuts, whose badge is Argent, on a base wavy Azure charged with a bar wavy of the field, a Viking longboat in full sail affront� the sail Gules and charged with a trefoil Or. The trefoil presumably alludes to the three flowers on the Smuts arms.
 

Submarines
The Daphne-class submarines (in service 1970-2005) were named after female historical figures, and they were the first to have a class badge, which depicted a trident (emblem of the submarine branch) charged with the namesake's arms on a lozenge.

The badge of the SAS Maria van Riebeeck was Azure two bars wavy Argent, thereon a trident erect Or charged with a lozenge Gules charged with a pale Ermine double endorsed Or. In 1999, the subs were renamed the Spear-class, and they were all renamed "spear" in different languages (English, isiXhosa, and isiZulu).

Supply Ships

SAN supply ships are named after mountains, and their badges allude to their names in some way. That of the SAS Tafelberg depicts the eponymous mountain rising up behind Table Bay, while others include dancetty lines to represent mountains, e.g. the SAS Drakensberg's shows a dragon and a dancetty fess.

Supporting Units
The various supporting units' badges allude to their functions, e.g. the Navy Band's depicts an ancient Greek kithara, the technical unit SAS Wingfield's shows two wings, and the SA Naval Armaments Depot's depicts weapons: Argent, a quiver palewise, the feathers of three arrows issuant therefrom to chief, between two bows bent and stringed and fitted with arrows addorsed Sable. (One must hasten to add that the SAN's armaments are more up to date than the badge might suggest!)

Training Units

The various training unit have badges. That of the Naval Staff College shows a traditional (and over-used) symbol of education: Azure, a torch erect Or enflamed proper. The Durban-based gunnery school, SAS Bluff borrowed the artillery's lightning-flash symbol for its badge: Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure, a pale dancetty Gules.

References/Sources/Links

South African Heraldry Website © Arthur Radburn