1st South African Brigade
Encyclopedia
The South African 1st Infantry Brigade was an infantry
brigade of the army
of the Union of South Africa
during World Wars I and II. During World War I
, the Brigade served as a British formation in Egypt
and on the Western Front
, most famously the battle of Delville Wood. It was reactivated at the start of the Second World War as a South African formation and served in East Africa
and the Western Desert
. The Brigade was finally disbanded on 1 January 1943.
broke out in 1914, the South African government chose to join the war on the side of the Allies
. General Louis Botha
, the then prime minister, faced widespread Afrikaner
opposition to fighting alongside Great Britain
so soon after the Second Boer War
and had to put down a revolt by some of the more militant elements before he could mobilise and deploy troops as an expeditionary force (some 67,000 troops) to invade German South-West Africa
(now Namibia
).
The South African Union Defence Act of 1914 prohibited the deployment of South African troops beyond the borders of the South Africa and its immediate neighbouring territories. In order to send troops to Europe to support the Commonwealth in World War I, Generals Botha and Smuts created the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force. However, because of the limitations of the Defence Act, they issued a General Order (Order 672 of 1915) which stated that "The South African Overseas Expeditionary Force
will [sic] be Imperial and have the status of regular British Troops." "Status" was meant to imply administrative purposes, as Britain was paying for the maintenance of the force in the field for the sake of local political sensitivities. Regrettably, this Administrative Order later meant that the South African units which served as part of the Overseas Expeditionary Force
were not, as South African units, entitled to retain Regimental Colours awarded to them for battles fought as "British" units. The 1st Infantry Brigade Group was the first unit to be formed as a constituent part of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force.
The brigade was commanded by Brigadier General H.T. (Tim) Lukin and consisted of four regiments recruited from existing military units as well as amongst civilians. Regiments were raised in the four provinces of South Africa:
The Brigade, numbering 160 officers and 5 648 other ranks, embarked for England from Cape Town and were quartered at Bordon in Hampshire, where, for the next two months, they underwent training.
tribe led by Gaafer Pasha, was threatening to overrun the country. On 23 January 1916 the 2nd South African Infantry Battalion first saw action at Halaxin.
Brig Gen Lukin's column of the Western Frontier Force
comprised; 1st and 3rd South African Infantry Regiments, The Dorsetshire Yeomanry, the 1st/6th Royal Scots, a squadron of The Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
and the Nottinghamshire Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery.
They marched along the coast and engaged the enemy at the Battle of Agagia
on 26 February 1916. With the aid of the Dorsetshire Yeomanry's cavalry the Senussi were routed and Gaafer Pasha and his staff captured. After successfully bringing this brief campaign to a close, Brig Gen Lukin and his brigade were transferred to France.
The Somme offensive opened on 1 July 1916 and was initially intended as a diversionary battle to draw German forces away from the French front at Verdun which was under severe pressure. Allied Command hoped that the preliminary barrage would destroy the German trenches, exterminating the defenders and enabling the Allied infantry to occupy the German lines with minimal opposition. This initial bombardment failed to neutralize the German infantryand British suffered in excess of 54 000 casualties in the first day's fighting, of whom over 19 000 were killed.
The scale of the failure of 1 July 1916, combined with the extremely limited successes achieved the same day in Gen Rawlinson
's XIII Corps
sector, was to dramatically influence the South African Brigade in the coming offensive. General Haig
realized that he had to capitalize on the limited successes achieved on the right of the British line and he urged General Rawlinson to exploit this by securing Mametz Wood
and the Contalmaison area in order to prepare for an attack on the German second line on the Longueval
-Bazentin le Petit ridge. This attack would extend on the right to Longueval Village and Delville Wood
. First, however, Bernafay Wood
and Trones Wood
, which were situated to the south of Longueval Village and Delville Wood, would have to be captured.
scheduled for 7 July. In advancing to the start-line, the 2nd South African Infantry Regiment (at that time, the reserve battalion), relieved two battalions of the 27th Brigade in Bernafay Wood and incurred over 200 casualties in the process.
General Rawlinson decided on a night advance and dawn attack to take the village. The attacking force would consist of the 26th and 27th Brigades of the 9th Division, which would assault the village of Longueval at dawn on 14 July with the South African brigade remaining in reserve. As arranged, at dawn they stormed the German positions and fought their way into Longueval, where hard hand-to-hand fighting ensued. By 0805, the intensity of the fighting compelled Maj Gen W.T. Furse, (Commander of 9th Division), to order the 1st South African Infantry Regiment to advance from reserve in support of the 27th Brigade and by 1230, he instructed the remaining three South African regiments to take and hold Delville Wood as soon as the entire town of Longueval was in Allied hands.
At 1300, 12th Royal Scots had pushed through the northern half of Longueval Village but were forced back by a machine gun in the north west corner of Delville Wood. This part of the wood was to remain strongly held and defended by the Germans. Due to delays in preparing the regiments on the start line, as well as problems related to coordinating the artillery support, the South African attack was delayed to 06h00 the following morning, particularly as Longueval village had not yet been totally captured and holding the town was considered essential to the capture of Delville Wood.
The start of what was to become a legend of South African perseverance, loss and tragedy started at 0600 on 15 July 1916. The three remaining regiments of the South African brigade who were under the command of Lt Col William Tanner of the 2nd Regiment, advanced towards the wood with the 2nd and 3rd Regiments in the lead, followed by the 4th Regiment which was in support . The North West corner of the town and the wood was clearly strongly held by the Germans, but the positions in the rest of the wood were unclear, with the South Africans being uncertain as to who were friendly forces and who were enemy. Led by a guide from the 5th Camerons, the three regiments advanced from the junction of Montauban and Bazentin Roads through a portion of the south end of Longueval and across the fields to Buchanan Street trench. Tanner established his headquarters at Buchanan Street and sent the 3rd Regiment to the far side of the wood. Tanner's 2nd Regiment followed the 3rd Regiment but branched off to the north. C Company, 2nd Regiment manned the southern perimeter close to Longueval. (See Map).
Shelling was extremely heavy with severe losses. Medical orderlies were being called for everywhere, on all fronts the supply of stretchers soon ran out. In addition, on the eastern perimeter there was confusion as to whether the men moving about outside the wood were French or German. The destruction of a Lewis Gun from this area soon confirmed that the forces were German. By 1000 casualties were mounting, particularly amongst Vickers and Lewis gun sections and calls for artillery support were coming in from all three regiments. By noon, ammunition stocks were running seriously low, and by 1600 the Germans mounted a strong counter attacks on the left flank (2nd Regiment) but were repelled. As dusk fell, the South Africans manning the perimeters entrenched themselves, despite continuous enemy shelling and sniping.
The morning of 16 July, Brig Gen Lukin was ordered to support an attack by 11th Royal Scots (part of 27th Brigade) on the orchard situated in the northern sector of Longueval, between North Street and Flers Road. The 11th Royal Scots would attack along North Street, whilst B and C Companies of the 1st South African Infantry Regiment would attack northwards in the wood parallel to the Royal Scots. The combined attack was launched at l000 and was met by machine gun and rifle fire. Both assaults failed and survivors scrambled back to their positions, to face a day of shelling and sniping (Refer Map). Later the morning, Brig Gen Lukin visited Lt Col F.S. Dawson (OC of 1st South African Infantry Regiment) in Longueval and Dawson stressed to the brigade commander that the men were exhausted. Lukin replied that there could be no relief for several days. German artillery continued to pound the South Africans in the wood for the remainder of the day and well into the night.
During the night of 16/17 July the north-west corner of Delville Wood was subjected to an Allied artillery barrage to support a combined attack by the 27th Brigade and 1st South African Infantry Regiment to be initiated by dawn. Once again the attack met with fierce resistance and it too failed. Brig Gen Lukin again visited the battalion commanders in Longueval during the day and on his return to brigade headquarters he telephoned Maj Gen Furse and pointed out that his troops were exhausted. Furse replied that the wood was to be held at all costs. By mid morning, medical orderlies could no longer cope with all of the wounded. The Germans were becoming more active in the north western sector of Delville Wood and at 1400 German batteries from Ginchy began bombarding the wood followed by an attack from the north-west, reaching Princes Street, but they were halted and then driven back by a counter-attack. That night the British artillery fired on the Germans who were east of Delville Wood with many shells falling short, amongst the South Africans. This was again followed by German artillery commencing their barrage on the wood. Many of the 186 German guns involved had been hurriedly transported from Verdun and explosions illuminated the forest in flashes, making sleep virtually impossible.
Fighting continued throughout the day and that night, the Germans withdrew from the north-west corner of Delville Wood and northern Longueval to enable their artillery to bombard the entire Wood and village. This withdrawal allowed the 1st South African Regiment to push northwards and to link up with the 76th Brigade (3rd Division), which was similarly advancing on Longueval. The junction did not last long; at 08h00 on 18 July the German artillery commenced firing on Delville Wood again, but this time from three sides and the bombardment endured for seven-and-a-half hours. At times the incidence of explosions was seven per second. On that day, in an area less than one square mile, 20 000 shells fell.
At 1450 Lukin advised Tanner, who had been wounded, that he was to assign command of the forces in the Wood to Colonel Thackeray of the 3rd Regiment. He was instructed to bring forward all scratch reinforcements he could find and to take over command of the South African troops in the Wood, which he did – entering the wood with 150 men, all of whom were battle-weary as the result of three days fighting. All Companies were by now calling for reinforcements or requesting authority to withdraw from the area being pounded by artillery. The reply was that "...Delville Wood is to be held at all costs." Casualties were further increasing by the hour in all sectors and in the early afternoon, A and C Companies of the 3rd Regiment were overrun by the Germans, who approached from the rear; through the devastated wood. Mud blown up by the intense barrage had caused most weapons to stop working, cleaning equipment had all been consumed and the troops had now been without food for over 72 hours and more importantly – they were now without water too.
Another German attack at 1700 was rebuffed but by now, companies were reduced to so few men, that they could no longer be considered as viable fighting units. The South Africans still held an uncertain perimeter but German incursions through their line into the wood were now becoming more and more frequent, simply due to the lack of troops to cover the long perimeter line.
The Germans commenced their advance at 0600 on 19 July. Colonel Konemann led a German force comprising elements of the 153rd Infantry Reserve Regiment and two companies of the 52nd Infantry Reserve Regiment from the north into Delville Wood, attacking B Company of the 3rd South African Regiment. The 2nd Regiment had been decimated the previous day and had left a large gap on the left flank of the 3rd Regiment and this was where the German penetration was made. With so few men left, the German assault could not be countered and the remaining members of the 3rd Regiment were taken prisoner.
The Wood was by now, void of any vegetation and German machine guns and snipers were taking their toll those left within the 2nd Regiment. Continued calls for reinforcements were met with words of encouragement, rather than with fresh troops – as fighting on all remaining fronts prevented any troop movement and had already consumed all available reserves. At dawn on 20 July, Colonel Thackeray despatched a message to Lukin, urgently requesting supplies, water and ammunition. Despite their perilous situation, the South African survivors continued to fight.
Unknown to Thackeray, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Headquarters, Machine Gunners and signallers) were trying to advance to relieve the South Africans, but were continually driven back and were unable to them. By 1300 Thackeray sent a signal to Lukin stating that "....Urgent. My men are on their last legs. I cannot keep some of them awake. They drop with their rifles in hand asleep in spite of heavy shelling. We are expecting an attack. Even that cannot keep some of them from dropping down. Food and water has not reached us for two days – though we have managed on rations of those killed ...but must have water."
Efforts by the Brigade Major John Mitchell-Baker eventually managed to secure additional troops to try to relieve the remaining South Africans. At 1615 Brigadier-General H.W. Higginson of the 53rd Brigade reported that The Suffolk [Suffolk Regiment] and 6 R Berks [6th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment] had been ordered to relieve them. When the Suffolks and Berks reached them, Thackeray and his remaining two officers, Lt Edward Phillips and 2 Lt Garnet Green, had all been wounded. He and Phillips led the 120 survivors of the 3rd Regiment out of the Wood. Green brought up the rear and was the last South African to leave the wood.
On reaching safety, Thackeray reported "...I am glad to report that the troops under my command (the 3rd Regiment) carried out your instructions to hold Delville Wood at all costs and that not a single detachment of this regiment retired from their position, either on the perimeter of the Wood or from the support trenches."
Historians today agree that the losses incurred by the South African Infantry Brigade holding Delville Wood had no strategic purpose, as did that of the entire Somme offensive, of which Delville Wood formed a small part.
had risen in revolt against the Communist Government in Russia. With light skirmishes at first, in the areas of Odessa
, Kiev
, Orel
, Voronezh
, Isartzin and even reaching to Astrakhan
at the mouth of the Volga, the uprising grew in size and geographic distribution. In August 1918, a small British-French-American force
under command of Major General Sir Edmund Ironside
had arrived at Archangelsk, with the stated purpose of retrieving war material loaned to the previous Tsarist Regime. They were also tasked with to moving south to link up with the 42,000 strong Czech Legion enveloped in Russia, assisting them to return home. It was hoped that the presence of this Allied force, as well as the Czech force moving back towards Germany, would firstly invigorate the White Russian counter-revolution to oust the Communists and secondly, to encourage the Czechs to take up arms against Germany - with the aim of re-opening a second front against Germany. By this time, a number of South African officers were already fighting on the side of the White Russians against the Communists. With the signing of the Armistice marking the end of the war on 11 November 1918, thousands of South Africans were released from their duties in Western Europe, many of whom preferred to volunteer for services in support of the White Russians, rather than returning home. Many South Africans not only joined the White Russian forces, but were awarded honours for service in Russia, including Lt-Col H.H. Jenkins, the erstwhile commander of the 1st South African Infantry Regiment as well as the new commander of the 4th South African Infantry Regiment, Lt-Col D.M. McCloud, with the men either joining General Ironside's staff, or affiliating themselves directly with White Russian forces. Two Victoria Cross
holders also joined this voluntary force.
The new brigade was formed in Pretoria
under the command of Colonel John Daniel in early May 1940. He was replaced a few weeks later by Brigadier Dan Pienaar. On formation the brigade included three infantry battalion
s, the 1st Battalion Transvaal Scottish Regiment
, the 1st Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles
and the 1st Battalion of the Royal Natal Carbineers. Soon after its formation, the brigade received transport for equipping one motorised battalion, and this was assigned to the 1st Transvaal Scottish.
The Brigade assembled at Sonderwater, located east of Cullinan
, and took part in a pre-departure parade
attended by General J.C. Smuts
, the prime minister and defence minister, on 13 July 1940. The date also celebrated the Delville Wood
Day, as the anniversary of a battle on the Western Front in July 1916 when the 1st South African Brigade had advanced into the Delville Wood. The next day the Brigade entrained for Durban
, and on the 16 July embarked by ship for Mombasa
, Kenya
where it commenced training not far from Nairobi
in the Kenyan Highlands. On 6 September 1940, the 1st Transvaal Scottish was transferred to the 2nd East African Brigade under British command, and took part in the first action involving South African ground troops in the Second World War near Liboi
when a column was attacked by a force of Banda
and Italian Colonial infantry.
Although nominally part of the 1st South African Division, the brigade was deployed under 11th and 12th African Divisions. It fought in the campaign in Italian Somaliland, and in the conquest of Ethiopia in 1941.
From East Africa, the brigade – reassigned to 1st South African Division – was transferred to Egypt. It fought in the North Africa campaign from July 1941 until after the Battle of El Alamein
in October/November 1942. The brigade returned to South Africa in January 1943, and was converted into the 1st South African Armoured Brigade, to serve as a training formation for the rest of the war.
Brigade commanded by Brigadier E.P. Hartshorn
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
brigade of the army
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
of the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
during World Wars I and II. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Brigade served as a British formation in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, most famously the battle of Delville Wood. It was reactivated at the start of the Second World War as a South African formation and served in East Africa
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
and the Western Desert
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. The Brigade was finally disbanded on 1 January 1943.
World War I
When the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out in 1914, the South African government chose to join the war on the side of the Allies
Allies
In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...
. General Louis Botha
Louis Botha
Louis Botha was an Afrikaner and first Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa—the forerunner of the modern South African state...
, the then prime minister, faced widespread Afrikaner
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
opposition to fighting alongside Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
so soon after the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and had to put down a revolt by some of the more militant elements before he could mobilise and deploy troops as an expeditionary force (some 67,000 troops) to invade German South-West Africa
German South-West Africa
German South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990...
(now Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
).
The South African Union Defence Act of 1914 prohibited the deployment of South African troops beyond the borders of the South Africa and its immediate neighbouring territories. In order to send troops to Europe to support the Commonwealth in World War I, Generals Botha and Smuts created the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force. However, because of the limitations of the Defence Act, they issued a General Order (Order 672 of 1915) which stated that "The South African Overseas Expeditionary Force
South African Overseas Expeditionary Force
The South African Overseas Expeditionary Force was a volunteer military organisation in World War I.-Organisation:The South African government formed the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force in July 1915, as its contribution to the British war effort against the Central Powers...
will [sic] be Imperial and have the status of regular British Troops." "Status" was meant to imply administrative purposes, as Britain was paying for the maintenance of the force in the field for the sake of local political sensitivities. Regrettably, this Administrative Order later meant that the South African units which served as part of the Overseas Expeditionary Force
South African Overseas Expeditionary Force
The South African Overseas Expeditionary Force was a volunteer military organisation in World War I.-Organisation:The South African government formed the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force in July 1915, as its contribution to the British war effort against the Central Powers...
were not, as South African units, entitled to retain Regimental Colours awarded to them for battles fought as "British" units. The 1st Infantry Brigade Group was the first unit to be formed as a constituent part of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force.
Mobilisation
- The 1st South African Infantry Regiment was commanded by Lt Col F.S. Dawson with the regiment being raised from the Cape ProvinceCape ProvinceThe Province of the Cape of Good Hope was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa...
and known as "The Cape Regiment." A Company (Western ProvinceWestern CapeThe Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
) was made up from men mostly from the Duke of Edinburgh's RiflesCape Town RiflesThe Cape Town Rifles Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit....
. B. Company was recruited from the Eastern ProvinceEastern CapeThe Eastern Cape is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are Port Elizabeth and East London. It was formed in 1994 out of the "independent" Xhosa homelands of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province...
and C Company was from KimberleyKimberley, Northern CapeKimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...
, with many of the men being ex Kimberley RegimentKimberley RegimentThe Kimberley Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
. D Company was recruited from Cape TownCape TownCape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
. - The 2nd South African Infantry Regiment was commnded by Lt Col W.E.C. Tanner, this Regiment was raised from NatalNatal, South AfricaNatal is a region in South Africa. It stretches between the Indian Ocean in the south and east, the Drakensberg in the west, and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The main cities are Pietermaritzburg and Durban...
and Orange Free StateOrange Free StateThe Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
. Many volunteers were from the Kaffrarian RiflesKaffrarian RiflesThe Kaffrarian Rifles is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit...
. - The 3rd South African Infantry Regiment. Commander: Lt Col E.F. Thackeray and raised from TransvaalTransvaal ProvinceTransvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
and RhodesiaRhodesiaRhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
. The regiment was generally known as "The Transvaal Regiment." B Company were mostly from the Witwatersrand Rifles while C Company were men from the Rand Light InfantryRand Light InfantryThe Rand Light Infantry is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
. - The 4th SA Infantry Infantry Regiment was led by Lt Col F.A. Jones, DSO and became known as the "South African Scottish." It was raised from the Cape Town Highlanders RegimentCape Town Highlanders RegimentThe Cape Town Highlanders Regiment is a mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
and the area of Cape Town (A Company) while members of 1st Bn Transvaal Scottish RegimentTransvaal Scottish RegimentThe Transvaal Scottish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
made up most of B Company. C Company came from 2nd Bn Transvaal Scottish Regiment and recruits encouraged by the Caledonian Societies of Natal and Orange Free State made up D Company.
The Brigade, numbering 160 officers and 5 648 other ranks, embarked for England from Cape Town and were quartered at Bordon in Hampshire, where, for the next two months, they underwent training.
North Africa
During December 1915 it was decided to send the South African brigade to Egypt, where the SenussiSenussi
The Senussi or Sanussi refers to a Muslim political-religious order in Libya and the Sudan region founded in Mecca in 1837 by the Grand Senussi, Sayyid Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi. Senussi was concerned with both the decline of Islamic thought and spirituality and the weakening of Muslim political...
tribe led by Gaafer Pasha, was threatening to overrun the country. On 23 January 1916 the 2nd South African Infantry Battalion first saw action at Halaxin.
Brig Gen Lukin's column of the Western Frontier Force
Western Frontier Force
The Western Frontier Force was a force of British Empire troops formed in response to the Senussi Uprising and coming under the command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force....
comprised; 1st and 3rd South African Infantry Regiments, The Dorsetshire Yeomanry, the 1st/6th Royal Scots, a squadron of The Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry
The Royal Buckinghamshire Yeomanry was formed in 1794, when King George III was on the throne and William Pitt the Younger was the Prime Minister, of Great Britain. Across the English Channel, Britain was faced by a French nation which had recently guillotined its King and which possessed a...
and the Nottinghamshire Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery.
They marched along the coast and engaged the enemy at the Battle of Agagia
Battle of Agagia
The Battle of Agagiya was a battle on February 26, 1916 in the Senussi Campaign which ended the Senussi Revolt in the Northern part of western Egypt. The battle took place at Aqaqia east of Sidi Barrani....
on 26 February 1916. With the aid of the Dorsetshire Yeomanry's cavalry the Senussi were routed and Gaafer Pasha and his staff captured. After successfully bringing this brief campaign to a close, Brig Gen Lukin and his brigade were transferred to France.
The Somme Offensive
The scale of the failure of 1 July 1916, combined with the extremely limited successes achieved the same day in Gen Rawlinson
Henry Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson
General Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson, GCB, GCSI, GCVO, KCMG , known as Sir Henry Rawlinson, Bt between 1895 and 1919, was a British First World War general most famous for his roles in the Battle of the Somme of 1916 and the Battle of Amiens in 1918.-Military career:Rawlinson was...
's XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)
XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day on...
sector, was to dramatically influence the South African Brigade in the coming offensive. General Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
realized that he had to capitalize on the limited successes achieved on the right of the British line and he urged General Rawlinson to exploit this by securing Mametz Wood
Mametz wood
Mametz Wood was the objective of the 38th Division during the First Battle of the Somme. The attack occurred in a Northerly direction over a ridge, focussed on the German positions in the wood between 7 July and 12 July 1916. The attack of the 7 July failed to reach the wood before the men were...
and the Contalmaison area in order to prepare for an attack on the German second line on the Longueval
Longueval
Longueval is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Longueval is located 24 miles northwest of Amiens on the D919 road, at the junction with the D8....
-Bazentin le Petit ridge. This attack would extend on the right to Longueval Village and Delville Wood
Delville Wood
The Battle of Delville Wood was one of the early engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme in the First World War. It took place between 14 July and 3 September, between the armies of the German Empire and allied British and South African forces...
. First, however, Bernafay Wood
Battle of Bazentin Ridge
The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, launched by the British Fourth Army at dawn on 14 July 1916, marked the start of the second phase of the Battle of the Somme. Dismissed beforehand by one French commander as "an attack organized for amateurs by amateurs", it turned out to be "hugely successful" for...
and Trones Wood
Battle of Bazentin Ridge
The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, launched by the British Fourth Army at dawn on 14 July 1916, marked the start of the second phase of the Battle of the Somme. Dismissed beforehand by one French commander as "an attack organized for amateurs by amateurs", it turned out to be "hugely successful" for...
, which were situated to the south of Longueval Village and Delville Wood, would have to be captured.
Longueval
The plan called for the 9th (Scottish) Division (which included the 1st South African Infantry Brigade) to be brought forward from reserve to the new line extending from Montauban to the south of Trones Wood. After coming forward, the division was told to prepare for the second stage of the battle, an assault on LonguevalLongueval
Longueval is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Longueval is located 24 miles northwest of Amiens on the D919 road, at the junction with the D8....
scheduled for 7 July. In advancing to the start-line, the 2nd South African Infantry Regiment (at that time, the reserve battalion), relieved two battalions of the 27th Brigade in Bernafay Wood and incurred over 200 casualties in the process.
General Rawlinson decided on a night advance and dawn attack to take the village. The attacking force would consist of the 26th and 27th Brigades of the 9th Division, which would assault the village of Longueval at dawn on 14 July with the South African brigade remaining in reserve. As arranged, at dawn they stormed the German positions and fought their way into Longueval, where hard hand-to-hand fighting ensued. By 0805, the intensity of the fighting compelled Maj Gen W.T. Furse, (Commander of 9th Division), to order the 1st South African Infantry Regiment to advance from reserve in support of the 27th Brigade and by 1230, he instructed the remaining three South African regiments to take and hold Delville Wood as soon as the entire town of Longueval was in Allied hands.
At 1300, 12th Royal Scots had pushed through the northern half of Longueval Village but were forced back by a machine gun in the north west corner of Delville Wood. This part of the wood was to remain strongly held and defended by the Germans. Due to delays in preparing the regiments on the start line, as well as problems related to coordinating the artillery support, the South African attack was delayed to 06h00 the following morning, particularly as Longueval village had not yet been totally captured and holding the town was considered essential to the capture of Delville Wood.
South Africans enter the Wood
Shelling was extremely heavy with severe losses. Medical orderlies were being called for everywhere, on all fronts the supply of stretchers soon ran out. In addition, on the eastern perimeter there was confusion as to whether the men moving about outside the wood were French or German. The destruction of a Lewis Gun from this area soon confirmed that the forces were German. By 1000 casualties were mounting, particularly amongst Vickers and Lewis gun sections and calls for artillery support were coming in from all three regiments. By noon, ammunition stocks were running seriously low, and by 1600 the Germans mounted a strong counter attacks on the left flank (2nd Regiment) but were repelled. As dusk fell, the South Africans manning the perimeters entrenched themselves, despite continuous enemy shelling and sniping.
The morning of 16 July, Brig Gen Lukin was ordered to support an attack by 11th Royal Scots (part of 27th Brigade) on the orchard situated in the northern sector of Longueval, between North Street and Flers Road. The 11th Royal Scots would attack along North Street, whilst B and C Companies of the 1st South African Infantry Regiment would attack northwards in the wood parallel to the Royal Scots. The combined attack was launched at l000 and was met by machine gun and rifle fire. Both assaults failed and survivors scrambled back to their positions, to face a day of shelling and sniping (Refer Map). Later the morning, Brig Gen Lukin visited Lt Col F.S. Dawson (OC of 1st South African Infantry Regiment) in Longueval and Dawson stressed to the brigade commander that the men were exhausted. Lukin replied that there could be no relief for several days. German artillery continued to pound the South Africans in the wood for the remainder of the day and well into the night.
Friendly Fire incidents
During the night of 16/17 July the north-west corner of Delville Wood was subjected to an Allied artillery barrage to support a combined attack by the 27th Brigade and 1st South African Infantry Regiment to be initiated by dawn. Once again the attack met with fierce resistance and it too failed. Brig Gen Lukin again visited the battalion commanders in Longueval during the day and on his return to brigade headquarters he telephoned Maj Gen Furse and pointed out that his troops were exhausted. Furse replied that the wood was to be held at all costs. By mid morning, medical orderlies could no longer cope with all of the wounded. The Germans were becoming more active in the north western sector of Delville Wood and at 1400 German batteries from Ginchy began bombarding the wood followed by an attack from the north-west, reaching Princes Street, but they were halted and then driven back by a counter-attack. That night the British artillery fired on the Germans who were east of Delville Wood with many shells falling short, amongst the South Africans. This was again followed by German artillery commencing their barrage on the wood. Many of the 186 German guns involved had been hurriedly transported from Verdun and explosions illuminated the forest in flashes, making sleep virtually impossible.
Fighting continued throughout the day and that night, the Germans withdrew from the north-west corner of Delville Wood and northern Longueval to enable their artillery to bombard the entire Wood and village. This withdrawal allowed the 1st South African Regiment to push northwards and to link up with the 76th Brigade (3rd Division), which was similarly advancing on Longueval. The junction did not last long; at 08h00 on 18 July the German artillery commenced firing on Delville Wood again, but this time from three sides and the bombardment endured for seven-and-a-half hours. At times the incidence of explosions was seven per second. On that day, in an area less than one square mile, 20 000 shells fell.
Thackeray replaces Tanner
At 1450 Lukin advised Tanner, who had been wounded, that he was to assign command of the forces in the Wood to Colonel Thackeray of the 3rd Regiment. He was instructed to bring forward all scratch reinforcements he could find and to take over command of the South African troops in the Wood, which he did – entering the wood with 150 men, all of whom were battle-weary as the result of three days fighting. All Companies were by now calling for reinforcements or requesting authority to withdraw from the area being pounded by artillery. The reply was that "...Delville Wood is to be held at all costs." Casualties were further increasing by the hour in all sectors and in the early afternoon, A and C Companies of the 3rd Regiment were overrun by the Germans, who approached from the rear; through the devastated wood. Mud blown up by the intense barrage had caused most weapons to stop working, cleaning equipment had all been consumed and the troops had now been without food for over 72 hours and more importantly – they were now without water too.
Another German attack at 1700 was rebuffed but by now, companies were reduced to so few men, that they could no longer be considered as viable fighting units. The South Africans still held an uncertain perimeter but German incursions through their line into the wood were now becoming more and more frequent, simply due to the lack of troops to cover the long perimeter line.
Loss of the 3rd Regiment
The Germans commenced their advance at 0600 on 19 July. Colonel Konemann led a German force comprising elements of the 153rd Infantry Reserve Regiment and two companies of the 52nd Infantry Reserve Regiment from the north into Delville Wood, attacking B Company of the 3rd South African Regiment. The 2nd Regiment had been decimated the previous day and had left a large gap on the left flank of the 3rd Regiment and this was where the German penetration was made. With so few men left, the German assault could not be countered and the remaining members of the 3rd Regiment were taken prisoner.
The Wood was by now, void of any vegetation and German machine guns and snipers were taking their toll those left within the 2nd Regiment. Continued calls for reinforcements were met with words of encouragement, rather than with fresh troops – as fighting on all remaining fronts prevented any troop movement and had already consumed all available reserves. At dawn on 20 July, Colonel Thackeray despatched a message to Lukin, urgently requesting supplies, water and ammunition. Despite their perilous situation, the South African survivors continued to fight.
Unknown to Thackeray, The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Headquarters, Machine Gunners and signallers) were trying to advance to relieve the South Africans, but were continually driven back and were unable to them. By 1300 Thackeray sent a signal to Lukin stating that "....Urgent. My men are on their last legs. I cannot keep some of them awake. They drop with their rifles in hand asleep in spite of heavy shelling. We are expecting an attack. Even that cannot keep some of them from dropping down. Food and water has not reached us for two days – though we have managed on rations of those killed ...but must have water."
Relief
Efforts by the Brigade Major John Mitchell-Baker eventually managed to secure additional troops to try to relieve the remaining South Africans. At 1615 Brigadier-General H.W. Higginson of the 53rd Brigade reported that The Suffolk [Suffolk Regiment] and 6 R Berks [6th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment] had been ordered to relieve them. When the Suffolks and Berks reached them, Thackeray and his remaining two officers, Lt Edward Phillips and 2 Lt Garnet Green, had all been wounded. He and Phillips led the 120 survivors of the 3rd Regiment out of the Wood. Green brought up the rear and was the last South African to leave the wood.
On reaching safety, Thackeray reported "...I am glad to report that the troops under my command (the 3rd Regiment) carried out your instructions to hold Delville Wood at all costs and that not a single detachment of this regiment retired from their position, either on the perimeter of the Wood or from the support trenches."
Historians today agree that the losses incurred by the South African Infantry Brigade holding Delville Wood had no strategic purpose, as did that of the entire Somme offensive, of which Delville Wood formed a small part.
Casualties
The most costly action that the South African forces on the Western Front fought was the Battle of Delville Wood in 1916 – of the 3,153 men from the brigade who entered the wood, only 780 were presnt at the roll call after their relief.The end in France
By the time the South Africans crossed the River Selle at Le Cateau, it was evident that the war was drawing to a close. The SA Brigade was withdrawn from the line at 0130 on 20 October 1918 and marched via Reumont to Serain. The brigade remained at Serain until 1 November 1918.Volunteers to support the White Russians
In December 1917, the Don CossacksDon Cossacks
Don Cossacks were Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don.- Etymology and origins :The Don Cossack Host was a frontier military organization from the end of the 16th until the early 20th century....
had risen in revolt against the Communist Government in Russia. With light skirmishes at first, in the areas of Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Orel
Orel
Orel or Oryol can refer to:*Oryol, a city in Russia, the administrative center of Oryol OblastIt can also refer to:*Alexander Oryol , Soviet military leader and admiral...
, Voronezh
Voronezh
Voronezh is a city in southwestern Russia, the administrative center of Voronezh Oblast. It is located on both sides of the Voronezh River, away from where it flows into the Don. It is an operating center of the Southeastern Railway , as well as the center of the Don Highway...
, Isartzin and even reaching to Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
at the mouth of the Volga, the uprising grew in size and geographic distribution. In August 1918, a small British-French-American force
Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War
The Allied intervention was a multi-national military expedition launched in 1918 during World War I which continued into the Russian Civil War. Its operations included forces from 14 nations and were conducted over a vast territory...
under command of Major General Sir Edmund Ironside
Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside
Field Marshal William Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside GCB, CMG, CBE, DSO, was a British Army officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the first year of the Second World War....
had arrived at Archangelsk, with the stated purpose of retrieving war material loaned to the previous Tsarist Regime. They were also tasked with to moving south to link up with the 42,000 strong Czech Legion enveloped in Russia, assisting them to return home. It was hoped that the presence of this Allied force, as well as the Czech force moving back towards Germany, would firstly invigorate the White Russian counter-revolution to oust the Communists and secondly, to encourage the Czechs to take up arms against Germany - with the aim of re-opening a second front against Germany. By this time, a number of South African officers were already fighting on the side of the White Russians against the Communists. With the signing of the Armistice marking the end of the war on 11 November 1918, thousands of South Africans were released from their duties in Western Europe, many of whom preferred to volunteer for services in support of the White Russians, rather than returning home. Many South Africans not only joined the White Russian forces, but were awarded honours for service in Russia, including Lt-Col H.H. Jenkins, the erstwhile commander of the 1st South African Infantry Regiment as well as the new commander of the 4th South African Infantry Regiment, Lt-Col D.M. McCloud, with the men either joining General Ironside's staff, or affiliating themselves directly with White Russian forces. Two Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
holders also joined this voluntary force.
World War II
In 1940, the Union Defence Forces formed a new series of divisions and brigades for service in World War II. They included a new 1st South African Infantry Brigade, whose only relation to the World War I SA Overseas Expeditionary Force formation was its name.The new brigade was formed in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
under the command of Colonel John Daniel in early May 1940. He was replaced a few weeks later by Brigadier Dan Pienaar. On formation the brigade included three infantry battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s, the 1st Battalion Transvaal Scottish Regiment
Transvaal Scottish Regiment
The Transvaal Scottish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
, the 1st Battalion, Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles
Cape Town Rifles
The Cape Town Rifles Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit....
and the 1st Battalion of the Royal Natal Carbineers. Soon after its formation, the brigade received transport for equipping one motorised battalion, and this was assigned to the 1st Transvaal Scottish.
The Brigade assembled at Sonderwater, located east of Cullinan
Cullinan, Gauteng
Cullinan is a small town 30 km east of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. Sir Thomas Cullinan discovered a rich diamond pipe here in 1902 and soon afterwards, on 25 June 1905, the famed Cullinan Diamond, the largest in the world at , was discovered by Frederick Wells, surface manager of the Premier...
, and took part in a pre-departure parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
attended by General J.C. Smuts
Jan Smuts
Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS, PC was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948...
, the prime minister and defence minister, on 13 July 1940. The date also celebrated the Delville Wood
Delville Wood
The Battle of Delville Wood was one of the early engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme in the First World War. It took place between 14 July and 3 September, between the armies of the German Empire and allied British and South African forces...
Day, as the anniversary of a battle on the Western Front in July 1916 when the 1st South African Brigade had advanced into the Delville Wood. The next day the Brigade entrained for Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, and on the 16 July embarked by ship for Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
where it commenced training not far from Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
in the Kenyan Highlands. On 6 September 1940, the 1st Transvaal Scottish was transferred to the 2nd East African Brigade under British command, and took part in the first action involving South African ground troops in the Second World War near Liboi
Liboi
Liboi is a town in North Eastern Province of Kenya. It is located 18 kilometres west of the Somali border, and is an important border crossing point to Somalia. Liboi is located along the A3 road, 75 kilometres east of Dadaab and 175 kilometres east of Garissa, the provincial and district capital...
when a column was attacked by a force of Banda
Bands (Italian Army irregulars)
Bande was in Italian military terminology the name used to designate irregular forces, composed normally of foreigners or colonial natives, with some Italian officers and NCOs in command. These units were employed by the Italian Army as auxiliaries to the regular national and colonial military...
and Italian Colonial infantry.
Although nominally part of the 1st South African Division, the brigade was deployed under 11th and 12th African Divisions. It fought in the campaign in Italian Somaliland, and in the conquest of Ethiopia in 1941.
From East Africa, the brigade – reassigned to 1st South African Division – was transferred to Egypt. It fought in the North Africa campaign from July 1941 until after the Battle of El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
in October/November 1942. The brigade returned to South Africa in January 1943, and was converted into the 1st South African Armoured Brigade, to serve as a training formation for the rest of the war.
World War I
Brigade commanded by Brigadier-General H.T. Lukin- 1st South African Infantry Regiment: Lt-Col F.S. Dawson
- 2nd South African Infantry Regiment: Lt-Col W.E.C. Tanner
- 3rd South African Infantry Regiment: Lt-Col E.F. Thackerey
- 4th South African Infantry Regiment: Lt-Col F.A. Jones DSO
World War II
Order of Battle as at 17 October 1942.Brigade commanded by Brigadier E.P. Hartshorn
- 1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles SA Infantry Corps (Lieutenant Colonel S.B. Gwillam)
- 1st Royal Natal Carabineers SA Infantry Corps (Lieutenant Colonel Len Hay, M.C.)
- 1st Transvaal ScottishTransvaal Scottish RegimentThe Transvaal Scottish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
SA Infantry Corps - One Sqn 3rd SA Armoured Car Regt SA Tank Corps
- 3rd and 4th Anti-Tank Batteries SA Artillery Corps
- 1st Light Anti-Aircraft Battery SA Artillery Corps
- 1st Field Company SA Engineering Corps
- 11th and 15th Field Batteries of 4th Field Regt SA Artillery Corps
- 7th, 19th and 20th Field Batteries of 7th Field Regt SA Artillery Corps
World War I
Honours shown in bold are emblazoned on the regimental colours of the four regiments:- 1st South African Infantry Regiment
- Agagiya, Egypt 1916
- Somme 1916 Delville Wood
- Le Transloy, Arras 1917
- Scarpe 1917
- Ypres 1917
- Menin Road, Lys
- Messines 1918
- Kemmel 1918
- Hindenburg Line, Cambrai 1918
- Selle, France and Flanders 1916–1918
- 2nd South African Infantry Regiment
- Egypt 1916
- Somme 1916
- Delville Wood Le Transloy
- Arras 1917
- Scarpe 1917
- Ypres 1917, Menin Road
- Lys, Messines 1918
- Kemmel 1918
- Hindenburg Line, Cambrai 1918
- Selle, France and Flanders 1916–1918
- 3rd South African Infantry Regiment
- Agagiya, Egypt 1916
- Somme 1916
- Delville Wood
- Le Transloy, Arras 1917
- Scarpe 1917
- Ypres 1917,
- Menin Road
- Passchendaele
- France and Flanders 1916–1918
- 4th South African Infantry Regiment
- Egypt 1916
- Somme 1916
- Delville Wood Le Transloy
- Arras 1917
- Scarpe 1917
- Ypres 1917, Menin Road
- Lys, Messines 1918
- Kemmel 1918
- Hindenburg Line, Cambrai 1918
- Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1916–1918
See also
- 1st South African Infantry Division
- Delville WoodDelville WoodThe Battle of Delville Wood was one of the early engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme in the First World War. It took place between 14 July and 3 September, between the armies of the German Empire and allied British and South African forces...
- Battle of the Somme