The first attempt by the South African Republic ("Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek" or "ZAR") to form a professional full-time artillery unit was "Batterij Dingaan" (Dingaan Battery), which could be seen as the forerunner of the Transvaalse Staatsartillerie. The use of artillery pieces was not completely foreign to the Boers and that they had used the few that they had to great effect during some battles that occurred during the Great Trek. However, prior to the formation of "Batterij Dingaan", all artillery units of the ZAR were part-time volunteers, organised under its commando system.