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Historical Buildings
A number of the historical buildings which are in general use at the School of Armour, date back to the 1902 to 1904 period after the British Occupying Forces garrisoned on the farm known as Tempe, outside of Bloemfontein, following their occupation of Bloemfontein on 14 March 1900.
The large British Garrison, comprising of soldiers and their families, soon had a need for a military hospital and, between 1902 and 1904, three large pre-fabricated wood and corrugated zinc wards were erected for this purpose. In addition to these hospital wards, pre-fabricated administration blocks and nurses quarters were also built.
At the close of Anglo Boer War (1899 to 1902), numerous women and children, who had been interred in one of the concentration camps adjacent to the area, were also cared for in the hospital. The British Garrison used the hospital complex until 1913.
The SA Union Defence Force was established in 1910, and the hospital was declared a Military Medical Service training facility in 1912 while also continuing to function as a military hospital until its closure in October 1921.
In 1923, the facilities were sold to the Bloemfontein City Council for the price of £17,500.00 and they were then used as an isolation hospital during several epidemics, including the polio epidemics of 1934 and 1943. During the 1943 epidemic, the first Iron Lung to be introduced to a hospital in South Africa was installed here to treat patients with lung conditions.
During 1966, the hospital started scaling down and, early in 1967, the now disbanded 2 Armoured Car Regiment moved in to occupy the area and buildings. During the same year the School of Armour took over the base from 2 Armoured Car Regiment and in 1970, the last of the historical buildings was also taken over by the School.
A number of the structures from this bygone era were demolished in 1985 to make way for new buildings on the base but in 1995 the last historical building was restored to its present condition. On 5 February 1999 this historical building was declared a National Monument and it presently houses certain of the Museum's indoor displays along with an auditorium and a function hall.
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