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South African and other African Markings |
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A SAAACA Research
Initiative Please contact the SAAACA Office and let us know if you have
referred to this page and let us have your comments or suggestions. Please provide any additional markings or information to the SAAACA Office South African Military Units, history and
information Site (external link) |
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Period: |
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Mark: |
Description: |
Type: |
From: |
To: |
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Republic of South Africa |
Ownership |
1960 |
? |
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(As Above) |
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Cape Government |
Ownership |
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Delfos Ordinance Works |
Manufacturer |
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East Griqualand Mounted
Rifles |
Unit |
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LB -
(Unknown) GSR -
George S Reid and Co. (See also AECO) |
Manufacturer |
1939 |
1945 |
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Lyle Brothers (Saddlers) Pietermaritsburg (Natal) |
Manufacturer |
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'U /
Crossed Pennants / P' = Union Proof. SA = South Africa |
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As
above, but with an 'M' in the apex of the crossed Rifle and Spear |
'South
African Militaire' |
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South African Crest,
Republic of South Africa |
Ownership |
1960 |
? |
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UDF (Letter Stamp) |
Ownership |
1910 |
1960 |
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Union (of South Africa)
Defence Force (UDF) (Arrow has been noted facing both up and down, as often the U and ^
stamp where applied seperately) |
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Union (of South Africa) Defence
Force (UDF) |
Ownership |
1910 |
1960 |
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UDF Marking |
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Union (of South Africa)
Defence Force (UDF) Disposal ("Diamond in
U") |
Disposal |
1910 |
1960 |
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South Africa Military Small-Arms Proof |
Proof |
1970's |
? |
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4.47 |
Date of re-barrelling -
(see disposal mark Photo above). |
Status |
1912 |
? |
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Barclays Bank |
Barclays Bank (in South
Africa) (hand rotary engraved) |
Ownership |
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22 CDC |
22 Battalion Coast Defence Corps. This was a Cape Town-based unit in 1942. The Coast Defence Corps consisted of part-time units who manned South African coastal defences on a rotational basis. 22 Battalion was a first line Coast Defence Corps unit. The men could be called on to serve on full time basis in an
emergency. |
Unit |
1942 |
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C in U |
Condemned |
Status |
1910 |
1960 ? |
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CMR |
Cape Mounted Rifles |
Unit |
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CS |
Cape Staff (or possibly: Colonial Scouts, see CS over A |
Ownership |
18?? |
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Decommissioned: 04/1921 |
Disposal |
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DELFOS |
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Manufacturer |
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D I FRAM
& Co |
South
African Webbing |
Manufacturer |
1941 |
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DP |
Drill Purpose |
Status |
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GDPS |
Prison Service (Afrikaans
/ English) (usually, individual hand letter stamps) Has been noticed reversed:
PSGD |
Ownership |
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GFMR |
Great Fish (River) Mounted
Rifles |
Unit |
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ILH |
Imperial Light Horse
Regiment |
Ownership |
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K.Ltd <Date> |
South African Webbing (Ink Stamp lettering) |
Manufacturer |
1942 |
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K.T. <number> |
Kragkor Tender (hand letter stamp). |
Disposal by Tender mark of SA State Armaments organisation.
('Kragkor', now 'Denel') |
1960's |
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LB & DIF. |
South African Webbing (Ink Stamp lettering) |
Manufacturer |
??? |
1962 |
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M in U |
South African Defence
Force (Afrikaans) |
Ownership |
1960 |
Present |
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NFA |
Natal Field Artillery |
Unit
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NMR |
Natal Mounted Rifles |
Unit |
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NP |
Natal Police |
Unit |
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OVS |
Oranje Vrij Staat Orange Free State (Dutch) |
Ownership |
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PAVG or PAG |
Prince Alfred Volunteer
Guards |
Unit |
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R --- SA |
Republic of South Africa |
Ownership |
1961 |
? |
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RLI |
Rand Light Infantry |
Unit |
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RSA |
Republic of South Africa |
Ownership |
1961 |
? |
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RSWD |
Regiment Suidwestelike Distrikte. This was an Afrikaans language regiment, which was formed in 1934 in
the Cape Province. |
Unit |
1934 |
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S |
Released for Sale (large, hand letter stamp) |
Sale |
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SAAF |
South African Air Force |
Ownership |
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SAC |
South African
Constabulary, (usually followed by the Month and Date of acquisition) |
Ownership |
1900 |
1908 |
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SAHA |
South African Heavy Artillery |
Unit |
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Disbanded
shortly afer WWII ? |
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SAMR |
South African Mounted Rifles |
Unit |
1900? |
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SAN |
South African Navy |
Ownership |
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SANF |
South African Naval Forces |
Ownership |
1940 |
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SANF PE10 |
Rack number of Vessel:
Port Elizabeth |
Unit |
1940 |
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South African Police |
Ownership |
1910 ? |
1994 |
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(Courtesy; John Humphries, Graham Priest,
UK) |
South African Railways
(Workshops) - See also SAR&H |
Manufacturer |
1941 ? |
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SAR&H |
South African Railways and
Harbours (Workshops) |
Manufacturer |
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SAS <n> |
Suid
Afrikaanse Spoorweg Polisie South African Railways Police (Afrikaans) |
Ownership |
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S.A.R ^ SAS |
South African Railways Police Suid Afrikaanse Spoorweg Polisie |
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South African Trophy (Letter Stamp) followed by a number, found on
trophy Arms taken after the Anglo-Boer War. (Courtesy HF, New Zealand). |
Origin |
1902 |
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Standard Bank |
Standard Bank (of South
Africa) (Hand rotary engraved) |
Ownership |
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TC |
Transvaal Cadets |
Ownership |
1902 |
1910 |
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T.V. |
Transvaal Volunteers |
Unit |
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TTP |
Transvaal Town Police |
Unit |
1908 |
19?? |
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THA |
Transvaal Horse Artillery |
Unit |
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THAV |
Transvaal Horse Artillery Volunteers |
Unit |
Anglo - BoerWar |
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V |
Natal Volunteers (Followed by a serial number, 3 and 4 digits observed) |
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V* |
Natal Volunteers - (Natal
Colony) |
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WR 2 |
Witwatersrand Rifles (2nd
Battalion) 'Wits Rifles' |
Unit |
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XSAW |
X Suid Afrikaanse Wermag Ex South African Defence
Force (Afrikaans) (Individual letter hand stamp) |
Disposal |
1990's |
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ZAR |
Zuid Afrikaansche
Republiek South African Republic
(Dutch) |
Ownership |
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1899 |
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ZARP |
Zuid Afrikaansche
Republiek Polisie South African Republic
Police (Dutch) |
Ownership |
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1899 |
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Other Markings
found in South Africa, but not currently known: |
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14 (Broad Arrow in U) |
(See Oil Bottles above) |
Manuf. Code Acceptance Inspectors ? |
(WWII) |
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AECO or
AECo |
Allen Edgar Co or Associated Engineering Co ? (Smallish
hand letter stamps) |
Manufacturer |
(WWII) |
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C -- N -- 1 |
The C is usually followed by
a date: eg.: 11/06 = November 1906 |
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C.A. |
Thought to be: 'Colonial'
or 'Civilian' Administration. British Administration of South Africa Post
Boer War |
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C.A. over S.A.C. '06 |
(SAC alone, listed above)
'06 = 1906 |
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CNRV |
?? Rifle Volunteers, or, Railway Volunteers |
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C.P. 1 |
Thought to be: 1st
(Division) Cape Police |
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1 C.P. |
As above |
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C.P. over C.M.R. |
(CMR alone, listed above). |
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CAM |
(Usually followed by a
number) |
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Crown
over 3 (thought to relate to the Kingdom of Lesotho, while a British
Protectorate) |
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CS --- A |
Cape Staff, Colonial Scouts or possibly; (Cape Stores: Class ? Condition ? Category 'A', Alternately: 'Cape Shore Artillery') |
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CS --- D |
Cape Staff, or possibly; (Cape Stores: Class ? Condition ? Category 'D' (Markings noted on Handguns from the Zulu War Period) |
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CSARV
- Central South African Railway Volunteers - Volunteer Motor Cycle Unit,
formed post Boer War and active in
South West Africa (Namibia) during WWI |
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1906
? |
1918
? |
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DMR |
Durban Mounted Rifles ? - Noted on Butt Disk of; Rifle No1 MkIII,
followed by 3 digit number |
Unit |
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FAZ |
Zaire ? (usually followed by a serial number, 4 digits observed). |
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------- L ^ D ------- 53 |
Found on early service type (English) Revolvers |
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KAT ------ E |
Noted on Rifle / Shotgun Combination |
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PA |
? |
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R.M.P. |
Thought to be: 'Rand
Mining Properties' |
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RVR |
??? 'Volunteer Reserve' |
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S.A.M.S. |
Seen followed by 2 digit number. |
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SWAP |
South West Africa/n Police (during the time of South Africa's tenure in the former German Colony
and prior to becoming Namibia). |
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Z |
Though to be a Sale or
Disposal mark (Large, hand letter stamp) |
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Other African
Markings: |
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ANC <year> Congolese National
Army - (Flemish, Zaire) (Roll or block stamped) |
Ownership |
1969 |
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BP <number> |
Bechuanaland Protectorate (Republic of Botswana) (Individual letter hand stamp) |
Ownership ? |
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196? |
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BPB |
Bechuanaland Protectorate
"B" (Republic of Botswana) |
Ownership ? |
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196? |
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BPC |
Bechuanaland Protectorate
"C" (Republic of Botswana) |
Ownership ? |
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196? |
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BPE |
Bechuanaland Protectorate
"E" (Republic of Botswana) |
Ownership ? |
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196? |
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BPE-1617 |
Bechuanaland Protectorate
"E" number 1617 (Republic of Botswana) |
Ownership ? |
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196? |
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BSACo |
British South Africa
Company - (Rhodesia) (Usually roll or block stamped) |
Ownership |
1890 |
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BSAP |
British South Africa
Police - (Rhodesia) |
Ownership |
|
1979 |
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CAF |
Central African Federation – Federation of the Rhodesia’s and
Nyasaland (See also SRG). |
Ownership |
1953 |
1963 |
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"CAU-SIE" over 8337. |
Marks are believed to be Belgium and found on Arms (rifles) issued to
colonial troops in Africa. |
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(John P Sheenan Collection, USA) |
D.M.G.L.M. 1668 Dire¶Vo Geral Militar de LourenVo Marques, <number> Portuguese East Africa. (now Maputo, Mozambique). |
Unit |
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This is usually found on Browning Hi-Power Pistol used in the Belgian
Congo. FP = Force Publique the local territorial force, these pistols were
issued to the European Officers. Crest is Belgian Royal Crest
(King Leopold) Other dates seen - 1960 |
Unit |
1959 |
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KS: 'Kaiserliche
Schutztruppe'- (German South West Africa) - now Namibia (Individual letter hand stamp) |
Ownership |
1884 |
1915 |
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LP |
Landespolizei - (German South
West Africa) |
Ownership |
1909 |
1915 |
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Sch
DOA Shutztruppen Deutch Ost Afrika |
Ownership |
? |
? |
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RA |
Rhodesian Army - (now
Zimbabwe) (Usually hand stencil rotary engraved, or letter stamped) eg: RA588 |
Ownership |
1964 |
1979 |
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(Courtesy: Mark Wilson - Johannesburg) |
RNRA Rhodesian National Rifle Association |
Ownership |
1969 |
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^ SRG |
Southern Rhodesia
Government (Federation of the Rhodesia's and Nyasaland) (Usually individual letter hand stamp) |
Ownership |
1953 |
1963 |
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SRG |
Southern Rhodesia
Government (Usually individual letter hand stamp) |
Ownership |
1953 |
1963 |
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Southern Rhodesia
Government (Roll or block stamped) |
Ownership |
1953 |
1963 |
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SRV (With
thanks to: J
Winch, Zimbabwe) |
Southern
Rhodesia Volunteers (Individual letter hand stamp) |
Ownership |
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T3428 |
On large 1" Copper
Butt Disk - BSAP (Individual letter hand stamp) 'T' could denote: "Tsetse Control' - Department of Vet.
Services, Rhodesia ? |
Rack Number |
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ZA |
Zambian Army - (Northern
Rhodesia) (Usually hand stencil rotary engraved - not to be confused with the
abbreviated 'ZA' roll or block stamp for 'Zuid Afrika' South Africa) |
Ownership |
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('^' Denotes the Board
Arrow) |
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According to the
best information currently available, the data presented here is correct. We cannot
guarantee accuracy and greatly appreciate any further input © SAAACA 2001 - 2006 |
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