On 9 Oct 1975, the Chief of the Army ordered the commanding officer of the Special Service Battalion in Bloemfontein to have a squadron of armoured cars with a complete administrative troop, but without a support troop, ready on 24-hour stand-by. At the same time 81 Technical Stores Depot was instructed to prepare 22 Eland 90 armoured cars for operational duty...
The armoured car squadron took to the road with their vehicles from Bloemfontein on 9 Oct 1975