South African 1st Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The South African 1st Infantry Division was an infantry
division
of the army
of the Union of South Africa
. The Division served in East Africa
from 1940 to 1941 and in the Western Desert Campaign
from 1941 to 1942. The Division was disbanded on 1 January 1943, for conversion into what would become the 6th Armoured Division (South Africa). The division was also briefly active after the war from 1 July 1948 to 1 November 1949.
declared war on 3 September 1939, the Union Defence Force
consisted of 5,385 Permanent Force members, 14,631 Citizen Force members and 122,000 Commandos of which only 39,000 were considered suited for field deployment. The Defence Act also prohibited the deployment of its members beyond the confines of southern Africa. On 4 September, General Hertzog resigned and was replaced by General Smuts
– and two days later, on 6 September South Africa declared war against Germany.
The “phoney war” luckily granted more time and by 22 September a policy paper had been submitted calling for the formation of two “Forces” and was approved in mid October, laying the foundations for the formation of 1 and 2 SA Divisions. In March 1941, fearing the Italian commitment to war, General Wavell
requested the services of a South African Brigade Group in Kenya
via the Imperial General Staff. Prime Minister Smuts consented.
Initially, to circumvent the limitations of the South African Defence Act (Act No 13 of 1912), only volunteers were recruited and they were subject to an oath on induction whereby they consented to being deployed anywhere in Africa, this being a pre-requisite for acceptance into the Union forces. Men who attested under these terms were entitled to wear the distinct insignia of the Mobile Field Force, a red / orange shoulder strap which was to become known as the "Red Tab". The Defence Act was later amended.
Mk I Armoured Car. Officially known as South African Reconnaissance Car Mk 1. Also see World War II Database http://ww2db.com/vehicle_spec.php?q=297. Due to this limited infantry and armour offensive capacity, all that could initially be mobilised was an anti-aircraft detachment. Thus, part of the 1st SA Anti-Aircraft brigade, who arrived in Mombasa
on 1 June 1940 as an advance party to protect Mombasa harbour from feared Italian air attacks, becoming the first South African land forces to be deployed outside of South Africa since the First World War. On 10 June 1940, Italy declared war and on the next day South Africa officially declared war on Italy. Two hours after the South African declaration, four Ju 86’s of the South African Air Force
bombed Italian troops at a Banda Camp
close to Moyale
,12 Sqn SAAF a few kilometres across the Kenya border into Ethiopia
.
, the 1st Royal Natal Carabineers
and the 1st Transvaal Scottish
with brigade artillery and support elements (Refer ORBAT below). On 13 July, the 1st South African Brigade
Group under command of Colonel John Daniel was issued its movement order and it assembled at Zonderwater for the farewell parade, with General Smuts taking the salute – ironically, that Sunday being celebrated as "Delville Wood
Day".
Embarkation commenced in Durban the next day, with Brigade HQ, 1st Transvaal Scottish and attached troops boarding the MS Dilwara while the Royal Natal Carbineers and a number of voluntary aid nurses boarded the Devonshire. The Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles followed in the Rajula. The convoy cast off on 17 July 1940.Although officially part of 1 SA Div, the 1st SA Inf Brigade served most of its time in East Africa as an independent brigade, detached to formations other than 1 SA Division. For an account of the 1st Brigade actions in East Africa, see East African Campaign
. It was only re-united with its parent formation in the Western Desert.
was appointed as commander with Lt. Col W.H.E. Poole
as GSO 1. The Division HQ landed at Mombasa on 11 November 1940.
border post on 16 December 1940, Lieutenant-General Alan Cunningham was intent on opening access into the Galla-Sidamo area across the Chalbi desert by advancing eastwards from the eastern side of Lake Rudolf and to support a possible rebellion by the Shifta
tribe against the Italians. This was the first offensive to be assigned to 1 SA Division. The division then consisted of the 2nd and 5th SA Brigades (located at Marsabit), the 25th East African Brigade
(at Lokitaung) as well as six companies of the 2nd Abyssinian Irregulars
. Almost on a daily basis, division infantry and armoured cars crossed the Dida Galgalla in search of enemy patrols. The Italians maintained a well established outpost at Turbi Hills, from which they had clear observation of any vehicle or troop movements in the Dida Galgalla. From December 1940 to February 1941 patrols had never been able to engage Italian patrols or elements - as they withdrew deeper into Abyssinia on sighting the South African patrols entering the Dida Galgalla, only to return the next day.
was compelled to protect his western flank and to deny water sources to the Italians. For this reason, on 16 January the 1st Natal Mounted Rifles
(of the 2nd Brigade), No 2 Armoured Car Company, 12 SA Field Battery and two irregular companies attacked the string of wells at El Yibo and El Sardu in the Kenyan Northern Frontier District. After three days of fighting, supported by the SAAF, the enemy withdrew from El Yibo on the night of 17 January and on the afternoon of the 18 January, the 2nd Field Force Battalion, which had been moved up from the brigade reserve, entered an abandoned El Sardu. With the only water sources in the area in the hands of the South Africans, the advance into Abassynia could commence.
late afternoon on the 31 January 1941, moving in parallel columns to assault the Italian positions in the Mega-Moyale complex.Mega
: 9th Italian Brigade Group HQ, 2nd, 54th Colonial Infantry Battalion and 60th Colonial Infantry, 585th Blackshirt Battalion, 9th Pack Artillery Battery.
Moyale: 2nd Italian Brigade HQ, 12th Colonial Infantry, 105th Blackshirt Battalion and the 25th Artillery Pack Battery.
Klein II Pg 110 The Italians had well established and entrenched advance positions at Goai Crater, El Gumu and Hobok – which were to be taken before the main forces at Mega-Moyale could be attacked. 2nd Brigade was assigned to attack Gorai on the right, while 5th Brigade was to assault El Gumu. The attack commenced early morning on 1 February and by 1600 both objectives had been secured. The armoured cars however failed to cut off the remnant Italian forces, and they retreated back towards Mega and Moyale.
The next day, 3rd Transvaal Scottish
and the armoured cars attacked Fort Hobok, sited on a ridge 30 km west of El Gumu supported by artillery. The armoured cars again covered the flanks and tried to cut off any retreating forces. By afternoon, the fort had been captured. The 2nd Brigade now held Gorai and the 5th Brigade, Hobok (Map 1: Point 1). It was again hoped that these raids would ignite the Shifta uprising
, but as with the previous occasion, this never materialised.
impassable. The key to supply in the area were the towns of Mega
and Moyale
, overlooking the two major roads into Abyssinia from Kenya. These were to be taken in a two brigade assault, by first attacking Mega (Map 1: Point 2) and then Moyale (Map 1: Point 3).
The Italians inadvertently opened the offensive when one of their supply columns from Yavello
drove into a 2nd Brigade detachment deployed to control the Yavello-Mega road. Poor defensive arrangemts by the South Africans allowed the Italians and Banda irregulars
to drive into the centre of the detachment. After much reactive maneuver and intervention by the armoured car company, the Italian supply column and supporting troops were destroyed. The South African positions now known to the Italians, they were attacked by a detachment of Italian light tanks on 16 February, which caused the armoured cars to flee westwards and allowed the tanks to descend on the unprotected infantry. After a brisk but fierce fire-fight, the Italian tanks returned to Mega, leaving the South African detachment dispersed and disorganised.
This attack had compromised surprise – and the attack on Mega was now commenced in all urgency. The 1st SA Irish
(Col. Dobbs) were tasked to take the ridges east of Mega fort while the 3rd Transvaal Scottish (Lt-Col. Walter Kirby) were to occupy the a series of hills west of the fort and were to advance in line with the SA Irish. 2nd Brigade was to launch a direct attack on the fort and the Mega defensive complex. Despite incoming artillery fire, the Irish and Scottish regiments advances progressed well – but there was no sign of the 2nd Brigade who had not yet crossed the start-line, threatening to destroy the planned attack! At noon, a torrential rainstorm erupted and a thick mist enveloped the heights around Mega and it became obvious that the fort would not be taken by nightfall. The next morning, cloud and mist prevented air support – and the Irish and Scottish battalions re-started their advance. It was only after the third day that the 2nd Brigade managed to reach their designated start-line due to poor navigation and the failure to identify serious terrain obstacles on their line of advance during reconnaissance. Clear skies on the third day evenutally permitted a coordinated attack and with air support, artillery and the two brigades now attacking together – leading to an Italian surrender late that afternoon (18 February).
Mega fell with 1,000 Italian and African soldiers being captured on 22 February, and later that day one of the irregular companies attached to 2nd Brigade entered Moyale unopposed. The Italians had fled, leaving large quantities of logistical stores. The division had attained its objective and had secured the access roads into southern Abyssinia before the onset of the seasonal rains.
(Brig. W. Owen) marched on Namaraputh with the objective of taking the town of Kalam
(Map 1: Point 4). Opposition from Merille tribesman in the area was so fierce, that the Brigade was compelled to cease its advance and to go over to the defensive. Any advance west of the lake would first require wide area operations to subdue these irregular forces. By the time Moyale
fell, allied forces had captured Mogadishu
to the east and this success encouraged General Wavell to advise Cunningham that the South African division should be readied to deploy to Egypt at short notice. Cunningham thus replaced 2nd and 5th Brigades with the 21st East African Brigade
and withdrew them back into Kenya.
, after an eleven day voyage from Mombassa on 3 May 1941. The 2nd Brigade arrived in Suez
on 8 June from Berbera
and was forthwith assiged to 2 SA Infantry Division. The 1st Brigade sailed from Massawa
on 12 June 1941 to Egypt. At the peak of operations in 1940, there were 77,000 troops in Kenya of which 27,000 were South African.
During the time the Division had spent in East Africa, the Desert War had progressed and by the time of their arrival in Egypt:
and responsible for constructing defensive positions, the division was still not considered ready for operations by the end of June – having 90% of its allotted transport (many vehicles being those which had been used in the East Africa campaign
) and 90% of its arms and equipment. Severe administrative problems, as well as organizational issues related to integration of the Division into the Western Desert Force, caused discontent and eventually lead Gen. Brink
to raise the issues with Field-Marshal Smuts
and the Chief of SA General Staff when they visited Cairo
in early July. Discussions indicated that Lt-Gen. Sir Alan Cunningham and Wavell were of the opinion that South Africa could not field two divisionsin terms of both manpower as well as logistical resources. The 2nd South African Infantry Division had by this time also arrived in Egypt for lack of resources. Smuts claimed that the manpower shortages were due to troops being retained for protection duties in East Africa and that a lack of shipping precluded the arrival of a further 3,000 men and he rejected the idea of reducing the South African forces into divisions of two brigade strength, as was recommended by Wavell. In addition, Brink continued to express his displeasure at the fact that the 1st Division was being utilized to construct defensive positions, instead of training in order to prepare for operations.
Differences between British and South African administration were becoming more pronounced (and so too were differences between the South Africans and other Commonwealth troops!)When a group of Springboks (South Africans) entered a bar in Cairo in October 1941, they were confronted by a group of Australians. An Australian stood up and offered the leading South African a chair – "Sit down cobber and take a drink. You look all in. What’s the matter..... just ran all the way from Tobruk?" What followed was one of the most spectacular bar fights in the Middle East, even taking into account the destruction of Shepherds Hotel Bar in the First World War. Latimer Pg146 The insistence by the Australian government to retain the Australians in the theatre (at Tobruk
at that stage) as a unified corps, caused manpower shortages in other areas in the Western Desert. Brink
feared that the division would be split up and deployed piece-meal to fill these gaps, as had happened in East Africa. His insistence in this regard to Auchinleck
further widened the gap between the South Africans and the Army commander.The forces of the Dominions of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were composed exclusively of troops from those countries and Eighth Army
had no jurisdiction over disciplinary, training or administrative matters for these troops. The Australian and New Zealand formation commanders had the right to refer any matter which they did not agree with, back to their respective governments, circumventing the chain of command. Maj-Gen Dan Pienaar and the 1st SA Division, however, did not have this right of referral to the Union of South Africa Government. This gave the commanders of 9th Australian, 2nd New Zealand and 1st South African Divisions a very different constitutional arrangement in respect of the 8th Army command as well as with the respective Corps command structures. Barr Pg46
At the end of October, Brink advised XXX Corps that 1st Division would not be ready to participate in the preparatory exercise as a prelude to Crusader
– and that he required an additional 21 days for training. After consideration by Cunningham and Auchinleck
, the division was permitted three days for training and was required to be available for the commencement of Crusader on 18 November, subject to Brink confirming that the division was ready for operations. Brink was faced with the dilemma of either committing untrained troops to battle, or holding back the division and having them replaced by the Indian Division – which would invariably relegate the division to defensive duties and a significant loss of prestige to the South Africans. He declared the division "ready" and 1 SA Division was deployed for Operation Crusader.
, General Archibald Wavell was relieved as Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command and replaced by General Claude Auchinleck
. The Western Desert Force was reorganized and renamed the Eighth Army under the command of Lieutenant-General Alan Cunningham and at this stage, the Division comprised only two brigades. The plan for Operation Crusader (See Map 2) was to engage the Afrika Korps
with the 7th Armoured Division while the 1 SA Division and the 22 Guards Brigade
covered their left flank. Meanwhile, on their right, XIII Corps
, supported by 4th Armoured Brigade (detached from 7th Armoured Division), would make a clockwise flanking advance west of Sidi Omar and hold position threatening the rear of the line of Axis defensive strongpoints which ran east from Sidi Omar to the coast at Halfaya. Central to the plan was the destruction of the Axis armour by 7th Armoured Division to allow the relatively lightly armoured XIII Corps to advance north to Bardia
along the coast while XXX Corps continued northwest to Tobruk
and link up with a planned breakout by the 70th Division.
By noon, 22 November, the Sidi Rezeg area was clear of Axis formations but by mid afternoon, German armour launched a violent attack on the area of the airfield. In this attack, 4th Armoured Brigade HQ had been destroyed (captured) and by nightfall, the SA 5th Brigade as well as the 6th New Zealand Brigade had been tasked to hurry in support of 7 Armoured Div at Sidi Rezeg (Advance 3 on Map 3), with the 5th SA Bde tasked to occupy Point 178, three miles south of Sidi Rezeg. 1 SA Bde was to disengage from the Ariete at Bir el Gubi and to advance in a night march, north – in support of the 5th Brigade at Sidi Regez, being relieved by the 22nd Guards Brigade.
By late morning, the 15th Panzer had launched their attack with 150 tanks aimed to link up with the Ariette Division and panzers were cutting through the rear of 7 Armoured Division into the support B Echelons. 5 SA Brigade had most of their transport and supplies destroyed in this action, but did destroy a number of German tanks. After destroying significant logistical elements – the 15th Panzer withdrew so as to by-pass the 7 Armoured Division / 5th SA Brigade positions and to engineer a link-up with the Ariette Division. They achieved this by 1235 and Gen Crüwell
prepared for a decisive attack on the Allied armour. Advance elements of 1 SA Brigade had now met elements of 5 Brigade, but the brigades never physically linked up.
By 1315 a major tank battle was underway between Axis forces and 7 Armoured Division. At 1555 – 1 SA Division were passing a signal to 5 SA Brigade when the brigade interjected "wait....." Those were the last words received from 5 SA Infantry Brigade. Some units retained some form of unity and managed to escape east through the New Zealand and Indian fronts. Against the German tanks, the South African infantry had no real means of defence with limited Anti-Tank capabilities, they were compelled to use 25-pounders in a direct fire role. By the time the panzers had broken into the rear of the brigade, the artillery had been subdued and all anti-tank capabilities had been destroyed. By nightfall, all that remained of 5 SA Brigade was "...little groups of disconsolate prisoners.....between frequent flares and the light of burning ammunition."
"The 5th SA Brigade had been caught by an overwhelming force in the open desert, quite unprepared and without inflicting any negligible damage on its opponents." The 5th SA Infantry Brigade went into battle on 23 Nov 41 with a strength of 5,700 men. A month later, after all the survivors had been found in Mersa Matruh, total strength was 2,306. Only 5 field guns and two 2-pounders were got out to join 1 SA Division. However, when compared to casualties sustained by Afrikakorps, they indicated sustained fighting. Agar-Hamilton Pg271 The battle had resulted in a decisive victory for the Afrikakorps, but the 7th Armoured and 1st South African Divisions had not been annihilated and the loss of the 5th SA Brigade was not enough to set off the loss of almost 50% of the Afrikakorps tanks which went into battle. At 0100 on 24 November, Brink reported to XXX Corps that 5th SA Brigade had “ceased to exist as a fighting formation.”
On the 24th, 1 SA Brigade was attacked by the Ariete Armoured Division at Taib el Esem and were able to extracate themselves only after assistance from Gatehouse and the 4th Armoured Brigade.
The same day, Rommel committed himself to a "dash for the wire" – with the intention of exploiting the disorganisation and confusion in the enemy's bases and cutting their supply lines. The Germans attacked towards Egypt to relieve his garrisons at Bardia
and Sollum. The advance came on a route that took the Afrikakorps in succession through the headquarters of XXX Corps, 7th Armoured Division, 1 SA Division, 7th Support Group
and 7th Armoured Brigade. By 1145 General Norrie stated that the "Matruh Stakes" had officially started – as 8th Army A and B Echelons hurriedly withdrew east (Point 5 Map 3). However, fighting continued at El Duda north west of Sidi Regez, with the South Africans being involved in fierce battles in Die KesselThe "Boiling Pot" or "Pressure Cooker" of Sidi Regez on 29 and 30 November. But the pressure was too great and an eastward withdrawal was inveitable. Finally, the Afrikakorps stalled as it outran its supplies and met stiffening resistance. By early December, Rommel had withdrawn to a line of defences east of Tobruk at Gazala, and the division occupied defensive positions at Mersa Matruh.
After the Sidi Regez battles, the division brigades were deployed in various offensive and defensive roles from Mersa Matruh, of which the following are noteworthy:
By New Year, the 5th Brigade was re-forming at Mersa Matruh and the 2nd Brigade was earmarked for deployment to Tobruk and the 1st Brigade was to be deployed on operations outside of the Division structure. The question re-arose, as to whether South Africa was capable of maintaing the Division in the field. By 8 January 1942, the Division was 5,570 men under-strength of the approved establishment of 23,187. On 25 January, 1 Brigade was deployed to Tobruk, tasked to fight a delaying action with the 38th Indian Brigade against the Axis who had by now started a new advance from Msus.
Although it had been agreed that Tobruk
would no longer be "held at all costs" in the event of an Axis attack, it formed a critical forward base to protect the Gazala Line
from air, land or sea attack. Auchinleck
recommended to Ritchie
that the forthcoming battle was to be fought west of Tobruk, and not on the frontier. For this reason, 2nd Brigade was also moved forward to support the 1st. By 10 Feb, the Gazala defences were organised on a two division basis, with the left (southern) sector occupied by the 4th Indian Division and 1 SA Division taking respnsibility for the right sector, reaching down to the sea. On 10 March, Brink injured his back and was evacuated back to South Africa – he was replaced by Dan Pienaar
from the 1st Brigade, who had now been promoted to Maj-General.
On 26 May 1942, in his Order of the Day, Gen Pienaar
warned the division (now, for the first time deployed with all three brigades under Division command) of an impending attack – directly aimed at their front.
Rommel's advance, containing at least 10,000 vehicles was headed south, to make a long sweeping right-hook around the southern end of the Allied line. The Afrika Korps
diary speaks of a bright moonlit night where they advanced without having any contact with the enemy. They were wrong! The 4th SA Armoured Car Regiment had been tracking their advance and reporting the progress three to four times per hour. The following morning, the German—Italian forces made contact with the 7th Armoured Division, east of Bir Hakeim
where General Messervy
of the 7th Armoured Division was taken prisoner. 7th Armoured as well as the Free French at Bir Hakeim
held up the advance but by late morning, Axis forces had advanced well behind the southern flank and were now heading north behind the Allied lines. The 90th Light captured and held El Adem. With Allied forces now recovering and re-deploying into better assault positions, the Axis forces were caught in an area known as "The Cauldron" between Bir Hakeim
to the south, Tobruk to the north east and the Allied minefields between the Axis and their supply lines to the west. Three days armoured fighting ensued in the area of the Cauldron. To better secure his positions, Rommel then drove two Italian formations directly west, through the Allied minefields to re-establish his supply channels. All this time, opposite the 1st SA Division positions to the north of the Gazala Line, the German 15th Rifle Brigade (Brigade Stab zbv (mot) 15), and the Italian Sabratha
and Trento
Divisions remained quiet.It was at this time, conducting probing fighting patrols into the Italian positions that Sgt Q. Smythe lead his platoon under enemy fire, earning him the Victoria Cross. Refer section titled "Awards for Gallantry"
By 12 June, the remaining Free French had been forced to withdraw from Bir Hakeim
. At Bir el Hatmat, Rommel had dispersed the tactical HQs of the two British Divisions as well as the HQs of the 9th and 10th Indian Infantry Brigades and other smaller units and the 22nd Armoured Brigade had been forced from the battlefield by renewed attacks from 15th Panzer. In "The Cauldron", three Indian infantry battalions, a reconnaissance regiment and four artillery regiments had been virtually destroyed. On the day before, Axis forces had pushed towards El Adem and had forced the 201st Guards Brigade to withdraw from the Knightsbridge Box on the Gazala Line back to the Tobruk
perimeter. On the 14th, Auchinlek authorised Ritchie to withdraw from the Gazala line and the 1st SA and the 50th Northumbrian Divisions were ordered to withdraw along the coastal road back towards Tobruk.
, Axis forces were wreaking havoc on the escarpment amongst Allied forces and Rommel dictated his 170mm guns
to open fire from the escarpment down onto the Via Balbia as the South Africans and British were destroying their ammunition dumps in the Gazala Line Rommel tasked 15th and 21st Panzer with breaking north and severing the Via Balbia
close to Elwet et Tamar, cutting off the two Divisions to the west. With the road being unable to accommodate two divisions, elements of the 50th Division broke out in a south westerly direction in a wide sweep eventually turning back east towards the Allied lines. The South Africans withdrew to series of defensive boxes at Williams Post, Best Post, "Point 187," Commonwealth Keep and then Acroma
. The 21st and 15th Panzer attacks forced 1 SA Division to fight a rearguard action and to withdraw through each of the respective boxes well into the night. Chased by Axis tanks, driving east on the Via Balbia, the first elements reached Tobruk
during the night of 13/14 June. The Division was now spread out between the original Gazala defences and Tobruk, as each element tried to make their way east.
. This account only reflects the role of the 1st SA Infantry Division.
Having arrived back from the Gazala Line, the Division spent two weeks improving defences on the El Alamein defences in the "Alamein Box". Auchenlik had issued an order instructing all surplus personnel to be sent back to the Delta, which greatly displeased Pienaar. The Division had been deploying two brigades of infantry, each accompanied by a battery of artillery to protect the areas west and south of the defensive box. Auchinlecks order effectively meant that Pienaar could only hold the box with one under-strength brigade Before these troops could be returned, battle was joined with the 90th Light Infantry Division in the early morning hours of 1 July.
At 0605 Axis transports were seen advancing to within 2,000 yards of the 3rd Brigade positions and they were engaged with machine- and anti-tank gun fire from the Imperial Light Horse. During the early morning hours, the 90th Light had lost direction and veered too far north, resulting in the clash with ILH. While the Rand Light Infantry
were driving off German towed artillery, South African Air Force
Boston light bombers bombed their supply columns. By 0730 the 90th Light had been halted and were pinned down by the South Africans, determined to avenge Gazala and the surrender of Tobruk. The 90th Light only managing to extracate themselves under cover of a dust storm later in the day. The Axis attack had been stopped all along the Allied line of defence.
Rommel launched one more assault on 31 August, aimed at Alam el Halfa ridge. The Division responded by launching a number of successful raids at the enemy forces after last light, once they had stopped their advance for the night on 31 August. By noon on 1 September, 15th Panzer were immobilised by lack of fuel south of Alam Halfa. Pienaar re-organised the Division to occupy the positions with one brigade and released two brigades as part of "battle groups" to act against the immobilised Axis division. The report that these forces were available was not welcomed at Corps and Army headquarters, and these mobile formations were not used. After the counter-attack was eventually organised, the Axis had already started to withdraw and fighting was broken off on 7 September.
and by this time they had become somewhat isolated during the previous days fighting and the Allied bombing missions of the previous night. The Brigade had lost its Officer Commanding as well as its Brigade Major during the previous two days fighting and over 15,000 shells had fallen on their strongpoint, known as "Hotbox," from the area of the Trieste Division. Pienaar advised Norrie that their position was "untenable" and Norrie replied that if that was the case, he would "...relieve the Brigade, place it in reserve and replace it with another formation." Offended by this – Pienaar called 8th Army HQ and was advised by Dorman-Smith
that the Brigade was to remain where it was. Not satisfied, Pienaar insisted on speaking to Auchinleck, who ordered that the Brigade hold its ground – but offered to relieve the Brigade within two days when the 9th Australian Division reached El Alamein
. Pienaar's demands of the evening of 2 July shook the 8th Army command’s confidence in the morale of the Division and Auchinleck stated that the Division could no longer be exposed to "undue operational strain," fearing that material losses to the Division, especially after the surrender of the 2nd SA Division at Tobruk, would lead to political disaster. Auchinleck deployed the 9th Australian Division to re-enforce the northern sector of the line held by the South Africans three days later. Pienaar had also been falsely accused of supporting the retreat to the Delta and engaging the Axis from behind the Suez Canal – he remained resolved to fight, stating to an American war correspondent at Alam Halfa in July 1942 "....Here I stop, I've retreated far enough, whether we hold the damn thing or not!"
. This account only reflects the role of the 1st SA Infantry Division.
The two South African brigades advanced with 40mm Bofors guns marking the lines of advance between the respective battalions and the first objectives on the Corps objective line called "Oxalic" were occupied by the Natal Mounted Rifles
at 2350. The Cape Town Highlanders
were the last battalion to reach their individual unit objectives on Oxalic – and were established on Miteiriya Ridge by 0800 the following morning. The fact that the 1st and 10th Armoured Divisions had not broken through into the open areas west of the line as originally planned, meant that Montgomery
had to change his orders – moving to an attritional World War I type of battle, which Montgomery in a semblance of a novelty – dubbed "Crumbling Actions." By the evening of 26 October (as from the H-Hour on the 23rd), the South Africans had suffered 600 casualties, as compared to 2,000 in the 51st Division, 1,000 Australians and a similar number of New Zealanders.
During the night of 25/26 October, some South African and other elements which had not yet established themselves on their exact Oxalic objectives, made corrective moves and by dawn the entire XXX Corps was finally in their initial phase objectives. The Australians and the 1st Armoured Division had launched attacks in the north, being the start of the "crumbling" process, while at the same time, there was much re-organisation and re-deployment to the south. On 26 October Leese
issued orders for the 1st SA Division to "side-step" north in conjunction with a similar move by the 4th Indian Division and to extend their lines to occupy the area held by the New Zealand Division and the 9th Armoured Brigade. Once this move was completed, these relieved units were to be withdrawn into reserve. During the order group to issue these instructions, Pienaar again voiced an objection to orders – on the grounds that he had insufficient transport to make the move in the required time. Freyberg
, in a move to "spike his guns" asked Pienaar again, if the only limiting factor was transport? Pienaar confirmed – and when Freyberg offered him transport from the New Zealand Division, no more was heard of the matter and the re-deployment was executed. The South Africans were now stretched on a wider front, between the Australians and 51st Division in the north and the Indian 4th Division on Ruweisat Ridge, with 5th SA Brigade on the right, 3rd SA Brigade on its left and 1st SA Brigade being pulled back as the divisional reserve.
" was put into action. The 1st SA Division played no role in this phase of the operation – but the South African armoured cars attached to XXX Corps were actively involved in the attempted destruction and subsequent pursuit.
At 0540 on 4 November, after repeated attempts at breaking through the Axis lines – Lt-Col Reeves-Moore lead the South African armoured cars into the rear of the Axis positions, "....the eager children of any mechanized pursuit... scampered at dawn into the open desert beyond the mines and trenches and guns, to make their exuberant mischief amid the disintegrating enemy". They soon started causing the havoc for which they had been intended – A Sqn capturing two 88mm guns, two 105 mm guns
, two 110mm guns, a Breda
portee
, six trucks and 130 prisoners; while B Sqn captured five trucks, a staff car, one 105 mm
and one 150 mm gun
and 100 prisoners within a matter of hours.
While the armoured cars were dashing west, 1 SA Division had moved further north and over the previous two nights had relieved the 51st Highland Division. During the night of 3/4 November, the last unit to move into its new position was the 1st Cape Town Highlanders
, who moved during a major artillery barrage in support of an attack by the 5th Indian Brigade. The regiment awoke on the 4 November to silence and the absence of gunfire, save for the sound of Allied vehicles advancing west in pursuit of the retreating enemy. For the 1st South African Division, the war had ended.
was recalled to South Africa to lead the formation of the new division. He and eleven other officers boarded a Lockheed Lodestar
on 17 December to fly back to South Africa. The aircraft stopped to re-fuel at Kisumu
on the shores of Lake Victoria
and on takeoff on the 19th, it plunged into the lake, killing all on board.
On 1 January 1943, the 1 SA Infantry Division embarked for home, with troops returning to their parent units in South Africa. The Division had been dissolved and many of its former units were to be absorbed into the 6th South African Armoured Division. The designation 1st South African Infantry Division was also used briefly by a successor formation in 1948-49.
Division Commander: Lieutenant-General George Brink CB
CBE
DSO
Division Commander: Major General Daniel Hermanus ("Dan") Pienaar CB
, DSO
& Bar
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|South Africa
|13 August 1940
|4 November 1940
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|At Sea
|4 November 1940
|11 November 1940
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|East Africa
|11 November 1940
|13 January 1941
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|Abyssinia
|13 January 1941
|8 March 1941
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|East Africa
|8 March 1941
|21 April 1941
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|At Sea
|22 April 1941
|3 May 1941
|-----
|Egypt
|3 May 1941
|18 November 1941
|-----
|Libya
|18 November 1941
|12 December 1941
|-----
|Egypt
|12 December 1941
|30 January 1942
|-----
|Libya
|30 January 1942
|15 June 1942
|-----
|Egypt
|15 June 1942
|1 January 1943
|-----
|}
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|From
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|To
|-----
|El Yibo
|16 January 1941
|18 January 1941
|-----
|Turbi Road
|24 January 1941
|25 January 1941
|-----
|Gorai
|1 February 1941
|1 February 1941
|-----
|El Gumu
|1 February 1941
|1 February 1941
|-----
|Hobok
|2 February 1941
|2 February 1941
|-----
|Banno
|8 February 1941
|9 February 1941
|-----
|Yavello Road
|15 February 1941
|15 February 1941
|-----
|Mega
|15 February 1941
|18 February 1941
|-----
|}
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Rank
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Unit
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Date of action
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Award
|-
|Allen Harry Ernest Marsden Shaw
|Lieutenant (Acting Captain)
|1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles
|21 April 1941 and 16 May 1941
|Military Cross
|-
|Quentin George Murray Smythe
|Sergeant
|Royal Natal Carabineers
|5 June 1942
|Victoria Cross
|-
|}
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...
division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
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...
. The Division served in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
from 1940 to 1941 and in the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
from 1941 to 1942. The Division was disbanded on 1 January 1943, for conversion into what would become the 6th Armoured Division (South Africa). The division was also briefly active after the war from 1 July 1948 to 1 November 1949.
Outbreak of war
When Neville ChamberlainNeville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
declared war on 3 September 1939, the Union Defence Force
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...
consisted of 5,385 Permanent Force members, 14,631 Citizen Force members and 122,000 Commandos of which only 39,000 were considered suited for field deployment. The Defence Act also prohibited the deployment of its members beyond the confines of southern Africa. On 4 September, General Hertzog resigned and was replaced by General 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...
– and two days later, on 6 September South Africa declared war against Germany.
The “phoney war” luckily granted more time and by 22 September a policy paper had been submitted calling for the formation of two “Forces” and was approved in mid October, laying the foundations for the formation of 1 and 2 SA Divisions. In March 1941, fearing the Italian commitment to war, General Wavell
Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during the Second World War. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army...
requested the services of a South African Brigade Group in 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...
via the Imperial General Staff. Prime Minister Smuts consented.
Initially, to circumvent the limitations of the South African Defence Act (Act No 13 of 1912), only volunteers were recruited and they were subject to an oath on induction whereby they consented to being deployed anywhere in Africa, this being a pre-requisite for acceptance into the Union forces. Men who attested under these terms were entitled to wear the distinct insignia of the Mobile Field Force, a red / orange shoulder strap which was to become known as the "Red Tab". The Defence Act was later amended.
Advance party to East Africa
The formation of the 1st South Africa Infantry Brigade Group was approved on 13 May 1940. Although approved, South Africa was desperately short of equipment and had virtually no armoured vehicles save for a limited number of locally designed prototype armoured cars.The Marmon-HerringtonMarmon-Herrington
The Marmon-Herrington Company, Inc. is an American-based manufacturer of axles and transfer cases for trucks and other vehicles. Earlier, the company built military vehicles and some tanks during World War II, and until the late 1950s or early 1960s was a manufacturer of trucks and trolley buses...
Mk I Armoured Car. Officially known as South African Reconnaissance Car Mk 1. Also see World War II Database http://ww2db.com/vehicle_spec.php?q=297. Due to this limited infantry and armour offensive capacity, all that could initially be mobilised was an anti-aircraft detachment. Thus, part of the 1st SA Anti-Aircraft brigade, who arrived in 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....
on 1 June 1940 as an advance party to protect Mombasa harbour from feared Italian air attacks, becoming the first South African land forces to be deployed outside of South Africa since the First World War. On 10 June 1940, Italy declared war and on the next day South Africa officially declared war on Italy. Two hours after the South African declaration, four Ju 86’s of the South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
bombed Italian troops at a Banda Camp
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...
close to Moyale
Moyale
Moyale is a market town on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya, which is split between the two countries: the larger portion is in Ethiopia , and the smaller is in Kenya . There are four disputed locations within the Moyale district between the Somali and Oromo regions...
,12 Sqn SAAF a few kilometres across the Kenya border into Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
1st Brigade Group Mobilised
In order to rapidly provide forces to East Africa, as well as due to the lack of trained manpower – it was decided to initially form a single Infantry Brigade from the 1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own RiflesCape 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....
, the 1st Royal Natal Carabineers
Natal Carbineers
The Natal Carbineers 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.- South Africa, 1879 :...
and the 1st Transvaal Scottish
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:...
with brigade artillery and support elements (Refer ORBAT below). On 13 July, the 1st South African Brigade
1st South African Brigade
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...
Group under command of Colonel John Daniel was issued its movement order and it assembled at Zonderwater for the farewell parade, with General Smuts taking the salute – ironically, that Sunday being celebrated as "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".
Embarkation commenced in Durban the next day, with Brigade HQ, 1st Transvaal Scottish and attached troops boarding the MS Dilwara while the Royal Natal Carbineers and a number of voluntary aid nurses boarded the Devonshire. The Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles followed in the Rajula. The convoy cast off on 17 July 1940.Although officially part of 1 SA Div, the 1st SA Inf Brigade served most of its time in East Africa as an independent brigade, detached to formations other than 1 SA Division. For an account of the 1st Brigade actions in East Africa, see East African Campaign
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....
. It was only re-united with its parent formation in the Western Desert.
Establishment
On 13 August 1940 the 1st South African Infantry Division was officially constituted – consisting of the 1st SA Brigade Group already in Kenya and the 2nd and 5th South African Infantry Brigade Groups. Brig-Gen George BrinkGeorge Brink
Lieutenant-General George Edwin Brink CB CBE DSO was a South African military commander.In 1913, Brink joined the Union Defence Forces...
was appointed as commander with Lt. Col W.H.E. Poole
Evered Poole
Major General William Henry Evered Poole, CB, CBE, DSO, Commander of the US Legion of Merit, Commander of the French Légion d'honneur, Croix de Guerre avec Palme, Mentioned in Despatches, was a South African soldier before and during World War II and afterwards a diplomat.-Early life:In October...
as GSO 1. The Division HQ landed at Mombasa on 11 November 1940.
East African Campaign
This account only reflects the role of the 1st SA Infantry Division. For an account of the 1st South African Infantry Brigade in East Africa, see 1st Infantry Brigade (South Africa).2nd and 5th Brigades
Dominating the Dida Galgalla (Desert of the Night)
After the success of the 1st South African Infantry Brigade against the Italians at the El WakEl Wak
El Wak is a small city on the Somalia-Kenya border. The Kenyan portion is located in Mandera District....
border post on 16 December 1940, Lieutenant-General Alan Cunningham was intent on opening access into the Galla-Sidamo area across the Chalbi desert by advancing eastwards from the eastern side of Lake Rudolf and to support a possible rebellion by the Shifta
Shifta
Shifta is term used in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia for rebel, outlaw, or bandit. The word is derived from shúfto. Historically, shifta served as local militia in the lawless rural mountainous regions on the Horn of Africa...
tribe against the Italians. This was the first offensive to be assigned to 1 SA Division. The division then consisted of the 2nd and 5th SA Brigades (located at Marsabit), the 25th East African Brigade
2nd (African) Division
The 2nd Division was a British Empire colonial unit that fought during World War II. On 19 July 1940 , the 2nd Division was formed in Kenya, British East Africa. On 24 November of that year, the division was redesignated as the British Army's 12th Division...
(at Lokitaung) as well as six companies of the 2nd Abyssinian Irregulars
Dubats
Dubats was the designation given to armed irregular bands employed by the Italian Regio Corpo Truppe Coloniali in Italian Somaliland from 1924 to 1941...
. Almost on a daily basis, division infantry and armoured cars crossed the Dida Galgalla in search of enemy patrols. The Italians maintained a well established outpost at Turbi Hills, from which they had clear observation of any vehicle or troop movements in the Dida Galgalla. From December 1940 to February 1941 patrols had never been able to engage Italian patrols or elements - as they withdrew deeper into Abyssinia on sighting the South African patrols entering the Dida Galgalla, only to return the next day.
El Yibo
Before advancing into southern Abyssinia, General BrinkGeorge Brink
Lieutenant-General George Edwin Brink CB CBE DSO was a South African military commander.In 1913, Brink joined the Union Defence Forces...
was compelled to protect his western flank and to deny water sources to the Italians. For this reason, on 16 January the 1st Natal Mounted Rifles
Natal Mounted Rifles
The Natal Mounted Rifles is an armoured 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...
(of the 2nd Brigade), No 2 Armoured Car Company, 12 SA Field Battery and two irregular companies attacked the string of wells at El Yibo and El Sardu in the Kenyan Northern Frontier District. After three days of fighting, supported by the SAAF, the enemy withdrew from El Yibo on the night of 17 January and on the afternoon of the 18 January, the 2nd Field Force Battalion, which had been moved up from the brigade reserve, entered an abandoned El Sardu. With the only water sources in the area in the hands of the South Africans, the advance into Abassynia could commence.
Gorai and Hobok
2nd and 5th Brigades crossed the Abyssinian border north of DukanaMarsabit
Marsabit is a town in northern Kenya, located 170 km east of the center of the East African Rift at 37°58' E, 2°19' N . It is located in the Eastern Province and is almost surrounded by the Marsabit National Park and Reserve...
late afternoon on the 31 January 1941, moving in parallel columns to assault the Italian positions in the Mega-Moyale complex.Mega
Mega, Ethiopia
Mega is a town in southern Ethiopia. Located between Moyale and Yabelo on the paved highway south to Kenya, in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1740 meters above sea level...
: 9th Italian Brigade Group HQ, 2nd, 54th Colonial Infantry Battalion and 60th Colonial Infantry, 585th Blackshirt Battalion, 9th Pack Artillery Battery.
Moyale: 2nd Italian Brigade HQ, 12th Colonial Infantry, 105th Blackshirt Battalion and the 25th Artillery Pack Battery.
Klein II Pg 110 The Italians had well established and entrenched advance positions at Goai Crater, El Gumu and Hobok – which were to be taken before the main forces at Mega-Moyale could be attacked. 2nd Brigade was assigned to attack Gorai on the right, while 5th Brigade was to assault El Gumu. The attack commenced early morning on 1 February and by 1600 both objectives had been secured. The armoured cars however failed to cut off the remnant Italian forces, and they retreated back towards Mega and Moyale.
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:...
and the armoured cars attacked Fort Hobok, sited on a ridge 30 km west of El Gumu supported by artillery. The armoured cars again covered the flanks and tried to cut off any retreating forces. By afternoon, the fort had been captured. The 2nd Brigade now held Gorai and the 5th Brigade, Hobok (Map 1: Point 1). It was again hoped that these raids would ignite the Shifta uprising
Shifta
Shifta is term used in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia for rebel, outlaw, or bandit. The word is derived from shúfto. Historically, shifta served as local militia in the lawless rural mountainous regions on the Horn of Africa...
, but as with the previous occasion, this never materialised.
Battle for Mega
Having two "finger salient’s" extending into Ethiopia, Cunningham and Brink decided to consolidate and to secure their lines of supply in face of the oncoming rainy season which would make the Chalbi desertChalbi Desert
The Chalbi Desert is a small desert in northern Kenya near the border with Ethiopia. The desert is located east of Lake Turkana, the largest permanent desert lake in the world. The settlement of North Horr lies in the desert. Marsabit is the closest major city....
impassable. The key to supply in the area were the towns of Mega
Mega, Ethiopia
Mega is a town in southern Ethiopia. Located between Moyale and Yabelo on the paved highway south to Kenya, in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1740 meters above sea level...
and Moyale
Moyale
Moyale is a market town on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya, which is split between the two countries: the larger portion is in Ethiopia , and the smaller is in Kenya . There are four disputed locations within the Moyale district between the Somali and Oromo regions...
, overlooking the two major roads into Abyssinia from Kenya. These were to be taken in a two brigade assault, by first attacking Mega (Map 1: Point 2) and then Moyale (Map 1: Point 3).
The Italians inadvertently opened the offensive when one of their supply columns from Yavello
Yabelo
Yabelo is a town in southern Ethiopia. An alternative name for this town is Obda, which is also the name of a nearby mountain. Located northwest of Moyale in the Guji Zone of the Oromia Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation of 1857 meters above sea level...
drove into a 2nd Brigade detachment deployed to control the Yavello-Mega road. Poor defensive arrangemts by the South Africans allowed the Italians and Banda irregulars
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...
to drive into the centre of the detachment. After much reactive maneuver and intervention by the armoured car company, the Italian supply column and supporting troops were destroyed. The South African positions now known to the Italians, they were attacked by a detachment of Italian light tanks on 16 February, which caused the armoured cars to flee westwards and allowed the tanks to descend on the unprotected infantry. After a brisk but fierce fire-fight, the Italian tanks returned to Mega, leaving the South African detachment dispersed and disorganised.
South African Irish Regiment
The South African Irish 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.-Origins:...
(Col. Dobbs) were tasked to take the ridges east of Mega fort while the 3rd Transvaal Scottish (Lt-Col. Walter Kirby) were to occupy the a series of hills west of the fort and were to advance in line with the SA Irish. 2nd Brigade was to launch a direct attack on the fort and the Mega defensive complex. Despite incoming artillery fire, the Irish and Scottish regiments advances progressed well – but there was no sign of the 2nd Brigade who had not yet crossed the start-line, threatening to destroy the planned attack! At noon, a torrential rainstorm erupted and a thick mist enveloped the heights around Mega and it became obvious that the fort would not be taken by nightfall. The next morning, cloud and mist prevented air support – and the Irish and Scottish battalions re-started their advance. It was only after the third day that the 2nd Brigade managed to reach their designated start-line due to poor navigation and the failure to identify serious terrain obstacles on their line of advance during reconnaissance. Clear skies on the third day evenutally permitted a coordinated attack and with air support, artillery and the two brigades now attacking together – leading to an Italian surrender late that afternoon (18 February).
Operations west of Lake Rudolf
West of Lake Rudolf, the 25th East African BrigadeOrder of Battle, East African Campaign (World War II)
The Order of Battle, East African Campaign shows the ground forces available to both sides in East Africa on the date that the Italians declared war on Britain and France, 10 June 1940...
(Brig. W. Owen) marched on Namaraputh with the objective of taking the town of Kalam
Kalam
ʿIlm al-Kalām is the Islamic philosophical discipline of seeking theological principles through dialectic. Kalām in Islamic practice relates to the discipline of seeking theological knowledge through debate and argument. A scholar of kalām is referred to as a mutakallim...
(Map 1: Point 4). Opposition from Merille tribesman in the area was so fierce, that the Brigade was compelled to cease its advance and to go over to the defensive. Any advance west of the lake would first require wide area operations to subdue these irregular forces. By the time Moyale
Moyale
Moyale is a market town on the border of Ethiopia and Kenya, which is split between the two countries: the larger portion is in Ethiopia , and the smaller is in Kenya . There are four disputed locations within the Moyale district between the Somali and Oromo regions...
fell, allied forces had captured Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
to the east and this success encouraged General Wavell to advise Cunningham that the South African division should be readied to deploy to Egypt at short notice. Cunningham thus replaced 2nd and 5th Brigades with the 21st East African Brigade
Order of Battle, East African Campaign (World War II)
The Order of Battle, East African Campaign shows the ground forces available to both sides in East Africa on the date that the Italians declared war on Britain and France, 10 June 1940...
and withdrew them back into Kenya.
Transfer to Egypt
The Division HQ, Division troops and 5 SA Infantry Brigade arrived in SuezSuez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
, after an eleven day voyage from Mombassa on 3 May 1941. The 2nd Brigade arrived in Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
on 8 June from Berbera
Berbera
Berbera is a city and seat of Berbera District in Somaliland, a self-proclaimed Independent Republic with de facto control over its own territory, which is recognized by the international community and the Somali Government as a part of Somalia...
and was forthwith assiged to 2 SA Infantry Division. The 1st Brigade sailed from Massawa
Massawa
Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa Massawa, also known as Mitsiwa (Ge'ez ምጽዋዕ , formerly ባጽዕ is a city on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. An important port for many centuries, it was ruled by a succession of polities, including the Axumite Empire, the Umayyad Caliphate,...
on 12 June 1941 to Egypt. At the peak of operations in 1940, there were 77,000 troops in Kenya of which 27,000 were South African.
Situation
- The initial advance by the Italians to the Egypt border had been checked (August 1940), with constant raids being launched across the border fence. The Italians were demoralised and had lost approximately three thousand men against British losses of little more than one hundred.
- By September the Italians had attacked and taken Sollum, Halfaya PassHalfaya PassHalfaya Pass is located in Egypt, near the border with Libya. A high escarpment extends south eastwards from the Egyptian-Libyan border at the coast at as-Salum , with the scarp slope facing into Egypt...
, and Sidi BarraniSidi BarraniSidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
and dug in around Sidi BarraniSidi BarraniSidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
and established several fortified campsin the area, stopping eighty miles west of the British defences at Mersa Matruh. - In December 1940, the Western Desert Force launched Operation CompassOperation CompassOperation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
, the British counterattack. The Italians were caught completely off-guard and by 10 December, the British and Indian forces had taken more than 20,000 Italian prisoners. The following day, the British and Indian forces attacked Sollum. Sidi BarraniSidi BarraniSidi Barrani is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the border with Libya, and around from Tobruk, Libya.Probably named after Sidi Mohammed el Barrani, a Senussi fighter in the early 1900s, the village is mainly a Bedouin community...
fell on the same day. - The 4th Indian Division was replaced with the newly arrived Australian 6th DivisionAustralian 6th DivisionThe 6th Division of the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force during World War II. It served in the North African campaign, the Greek campaign and the New Guinea campaign, including the crucial battles of the Kokoda Track, among others...
. The Australians then pressed on to capture BardiaBardiaBardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
and TobrukTobrukTobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
, with little or no opposition. In early February, the Italians were in headlong retreat along the coast, pursued by the Australians. - An overland advance by the 7th Armoured Division through MechiliMechiliMechili is a small village in Cyrenaica, Libya and the former site of a turkish fort. It’s nearly east of Benghazi, and west of Timimi.-Geography:Because of its location in the desert, Mechili suffered in the past from isolation...
to Beda FommBeda FommBeda Fomm is a small coastal town in southwestern Cyrenaica, Libya located between the much larger port city Benghazi to its north and the larger town of El Agheila further to the southwest...
, cut off the Italian line of retreat. Combe ForceCombe ForceCombe Force, or Combeforce, was an ad hoc flying column formed by the British Army for a specific purpose during the latter stages of Operation Compass. Combe Force was formed to cut across the open desert of Cyrenaica and cut off the retreating Italian Army which was traveling along the coastal...
, an ad hoc flying column was sent racing ahead of the tanks and they reached Beda FommBeda FommBeda Fomm is a small coastal town in southwestern Cyrenaica, Libya located between the much larger port city Benghazi to its north and the larger town of El Agheila further to the southwest...
just ahead of the Italians, and established a roadblock. After a hard and narrowly won battle on 6 February, the Italians surrendered 25,000 men, 200 artillery guns, 100 tanks and 1,500 vehicles. During the course of this battle, the Western Desert Force was renamed as XIII CorpsXIII 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...
. - In early 1941, after the decisive British and Commonwealth victory in CyrenaicaCyrenaicaCyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
, the military position was soon reversed. Wavell ordered a significant portion of O'Connor'sRichard O'ConnorGeneral Sir Richard Nugent O'Connor KT, GCB, DSO & Bar, MC, ADC was a British Army general who commanded the Western Desert Force in the early years of World War II...
XIII Corps to support Greece as part of Operation LustreOperation LustreOperation Lustre was an action during World War II, involving the dispatch of British, Australian, New Zealand and Polish troops from Egypt to Greece in March and April 1941, in response to the failed Italian invasion and the looming threat of German intervention, revealed through Ultra.It was seen...
and the Germans initiated their Operation Sunflower (Unternehmen Sonnenblume). This was the deployment of the newly formed German "Afrika KorpsAfrika KorpsThe German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
" (Deutsches Afrikakorps) as reinforcements to the Italians to prevent total collapse. The German corps included fresh troops with better equipment and a charismatic commander, General Erwin RommelErwin RommelErwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
. - Rommel quickly defeated the Allied forces at El AgheilaEl AgheilaEl Agheila is a coastal city at the bottom of the Gulf of Sidra in far western Cyrenaica, Libya. In 1988 it was placed in Ajdabiya District; between 1995 and 2001 the district name is not known; however, it was again placed into Ajdabiya District in 2001...
on 24 March. He then launched an offensive which, by 15 April, had pushed the British back to the Egyptian border at Sollum, recapturing all of Libya except for TobrukTobrukTobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
which was encircled and besieged with the front lines now stabilised at the Egyptian border. - The Western Desert Force launched Operation BrevityOperation BrevityOperation Brevity was a limited offensive conducted in mid-May 1941, during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. Conceived by the commander-in-chief of the British Middle East Command, General Archibald Wavell, Brevity was intended to be a rapid blow against weak Axis front-line...
in May 1941. This was an inconclusive attempt to secure more ground to launch the main effort to relieve TobrukTobrukTobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
. - Operation BattleaxeOperation BattleaxeOperation Battleaxe was a British Army operation during the Second World War in June 1941 with the goal of clearing eastern Cyrenaica of German and Italian forces; one of the main benefits of this would have been the lifting of the Siege of Tobruk....
was launched in June. After the failure of Battleaxe, Wavell was replaced by Claude AuchinleckClaude AuchinleckField Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE , nicknamed "The Auk", was a British army commander during World War II. He was a career soldier who spent much of his military career in India, where he developed a love of the country and a lasting affinity for the soldiers...
as Commander-in-Chief Middle East and the British forces were reinforced with XXX Corps. - The next offensive, Operation CrusaderOperation CrusaderOperation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941. The operation successfully relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk....
was planned for November 1941.
Discontented South Africans
Deployed at MatruhMatruh
Matrouh Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. Located in the north-western part of the country, it borders Libya. Its capital is Marsa Matrouh.-Overview:...
and responsible for constructing defensive positions, the division was still not considered ready for operations by the end of June – having 90% of its allotted transport (many vehicles being those which had been used in the East Africa campaign
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 90% of its arms and equipment. Severe administrative problems, as well as organizational issues related to integration of the Division into the Western Desert Force, caused discontent and eventually lead Gen. Brink
George Brink
Lieutenant-General George Edwin Brink CB CBE DSO was a South African military commander.In 1913, Brink joined the Union Defence Forces...
to raise the issues with Field-Marshal 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...
and the Chief of SA General Staff when they visited Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
in early July. Discussions indicated that Lt-Gen. Sir Alan Cunningham and Wavell were of the opinion that South Africa could not field two divisionsin terms of both manpower as well as logistical resources. The 2nd South African Infantry Division had by this time also arrived in Egypt for lack of resources. Smuts claimed that the manpower shortages were due to troops being retained for protection duties in East Africa and that a lack of shipping precluded the arrival of a further 3,000 men and he rejected the idea of reducing the South African forces into divisions of two brigade strength, as was recommended by Wavell. In addition, Brink continued to express his displeasure at the fact that the 1st Division was being utilized to construct defensive positions, instead of training in order to prepare for operations.
Differences between British and South African administration were becoming more pronounced (and so too were differences between the South Africans and other Commonwealth troops!)When a group of Springboks (South Africans) entered a bar in Cairo in October 1941, they were confronted by a group of Australians. An Australian stood up and offered the leading South African a chair – "Sit down cobber and take a drink. You look all in. What’s the matter..... just ran all the way from Tobruk?" What followed was one of the most spectacular bar fights in the Middle East, even taking into account the destruction of Shepherds Hotel Bar in the First World War. Latimer Pg146 The insistence by the Australian government to retain the Australians in the theatre (at Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
at that stage) as a unified corps, caused manpower shortages in other areas in the Western Desert. Brink
George Brink
Lieutenant-General George Edwin Brink CB CBE DSO was a South African military commander.In 1913, Brink joined the Union Defence Forces...
feared that the division would be split up and deployed piece-meal to fill these gaps, as had happened in East Africa. His insistence in this regard to Auchinleck
Claude Auchinleck
Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE , nicknamed "The Auk", was a British army commander during World War II. He was a career soldier who spent much of his military career in India, where he developed a love of the country and a lasting affinity for the soldiers...
further widened the gap between the South Africans and the Army commander.The forces of the Dominions of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were composed exclusively of troops from those countries and Eighth Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
had no jurisdiction over disciplinary, training or administrative matters for these troops. The Australian and New Zealand formation commanders had the right to refer any matter which they did not agree with, back to their respective governments, circumventing the chain of command. Maj-Gen Dan Pienaar and the 1st SA Division, however, did not have this right of referral to the Union of South Africa Government. This gave the commanders of 9th Australian, 2nd New Zealand and 1st South African Divisions a very different constitutional arrangement in respect of the 8th Army command as well as with the respective Corps command structures. Barr Pg46
Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941. The operation successfully relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk....
– and that he required an additional 21 days for training. After consideration by Cunningham and Auchinleck
Claude Auchinleck
Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE , nicknamed "The Auk", was a British army commander during World War II. He was a career soldier who spent much of his military career in India, where he developed a love of the country and a lasting affinity for the soldiers...
, the division was permitted three days for training and was required to be available for the commencement of Crusader on 18 November, subject to Brink confirming that the division was ready for operations. Brink was faced with the dilemma of either committing untrained troops to battle, or holding back the division and having them replaced by the Indian Division – which would invariably relegate the division to defensive duties and a significant loss of prestige to the South Africans. He declared the division "ready" and 1 SA Division was deployed for Operation Crusader.
Sidi Rezeg: November 1941
This account only reflects the role of the 1st SA Infantry Division.Operational plan
Following the costly failure of Operation BattleaxeOperation Battleaxe
Operation Battleaxe was a British Army operation during the Second World War in June 1941 with the goal of clearing eastern Cyrenaica of German and Italian forces; one of the main benefits of this would have been the lifting of the Siege of Tobruk....
, General Archibald Wavell was relieved as Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command and replaced by General Claude Auchinleck
Claude Auchinleck
Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE , nicknamed "The Auk", was a British army commander during World War II. He was a career soldier who spent much of his military career in India, where he developed a love of the country and a lasting affinity for the soldiers...
. The Western Desert Force was reorganized and renamed the Eighth Army under the command of Lieutenant-General Alan Cunningham and at this stage, the Division comprised only two brigades. The plan for Operation Crusader (See Map 2) was to engage the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
with the 7th Armoured Division while the 1 SA Division and the 22 Guards Brigade
22nd Guards Brigade
The British 22nd Guards Brigade was a British Army unit during the Second World War .-History:The 22nd Infantry Brigade was formed by the conversion of the 29th Infantry Brigade on 3 September 1939 and in March 1940 became responsible for all the troops in the Mersa Matruh Garrison area...
covered their left flank. Meanwhile, on their right, 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...
, supported by 4th Armoured Brigade (detached from 7th Armoured Division), would make a clockwise flanking advance west of Sidi Omar and hold position threatening the rear of the line of Axis defensive strongpoints which ran east from Sidi Omar to the coast at Halfaya. Central to the plan was the destruction of the Axis armour by 7th Armoured Division to allow the relatively lightly armoured XIII Corps to advance north to Bardia
Bardia
Bardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
along the coast while XXX Corps continued northwest to Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
and link up with a planned breakout by the 70th Division.
Advance
The Division advance commenced at 0600 on 18 November with uneventful progress through the empty desert, save for two air attacks by Italian aircraft (Point 1 on Map 3). Having steadily advanced northwards, 1 SA Division was advised on 20 November to “mask” Bir el Gubi and to prevent interference from the Ariete Div into the flank of 7 Armoured Div (Point 2 on Map 3). El Gubi had now become a lesser objective after the capture of Sidi Rezeg and early morning on 21 November, the 21st and 15th Panzer had withdrawn to the north-west, not aware of the Allied advance to their south – creating the impression within the Division, that the Axis forces had already been defeated.Totensonntag"Death Sunday"
By the 23rd, 5th Brigade had joined up with 7 Armoured Div, deploying straight from its advance into the centre of the armoured division area of deployment to the south of the airfield. The 1st SA Brigade was expected later the morning, from its night march from El Gubi. Unbeknown to the division – Rommel’s plan was to attack 7 Armoured Division in a frontal assault with the Afrikakorps and to launch an attack into the rear of 7 Armoured Division with the armoured Ariette Division. The 5th SA Brigade was caught in the middle of this armored attack.By late morning, the 15th Panzer had launched their attack with 150 tanks aimed to link up with the Ariette Division and panzers were cutting through the rear of 7 Armoured Division into the support B Echelons. 5 SA Brigade had most of their transport and supplies destroyed in this action, but did destroy a number of German tanks. After destroying significant logistical elements – the 15th Panzer withdrew so as to by-pass the 7 Armoured Division / 5th SA Brigade positions and to engineer a link-up with the Ariette Division. They achieved this by 1235 and Gen Crüwell
Ludwig Crüwell
Ludwig Crüwell , was a German general known for his involvement with the Afrika Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or...
prepared for a decisive attack on the Allied armour. Advance elements of 1 SA Brigade had now met elements of 5 Brigade, but the brigades never physically linked up.
By 1315 a major tank battle was underway between Axis forces and 7 Armoured Division. At 1555 – 1 SA Division were passing a signal to 5 SA Brigade when the brigade interjected "wait....." Those were the last words received from 5 SA Infantry Brigade. Some units retained some form of unity and managed to escape east through the New Zealand and Indian fronts. Against the German tanks, the South African infantry had no real means of defence with limited Anti-Tank capabilities, they were compelled to use 25-pounders in a direct fire role. By the time the panzers had broken into the rear of the brigade, the artillery had been subdued and all anti-tank capabilities had been destroyed. By nightfall, all that remained of 5 SA Brigade was "...little groups of disconsolate prisoners.....between frequent flares and the light of burning ammunition."
"The 5th SA Brigade had been caught by an overwhelming force in the open desert, quite unprepared and without inflicting any negligible damage on its opponents." The 5th SA Infantry Brigade went into battle on 23 Nov 41 with a strength of 5,700 men. A month later, after all the survivors had been found in Mersa Matruh, total strength was 2,306. Only 5 field guns and two 2-pounders were got out to join 1 SA Division. However, when compared to casualties sustained by Afrikakorps, they indicated sustained fighting. Agar-Hamilton Pg271 The battle had resulted in a decisive victory for the Afrikakorps, but the 7th Armoured and 1st South African Divisions had not been annihilated and the loss of the 5th SA Brigade was not enough to set off the loss of almost 50% of the Afrikakorps tanks which went into battle. At 0100 on 24 November, Brink reported to XXX Corps that 5th SA Brigade had “ceased to exist as a fighting formation.”
Aftermath
Having failed to link up with 5 SA Brigade, 1 Brigade withdrew south to Bir Taieb el Esem and commenced to establish a strong-point to effect its own defence. Between 24 and 26 November, elements of 1 SA Brigade were deployed north east in attempts to support the New Zealand Division in their assault on Tobruk. Attempts to join up with the New Zealanders were repeatedly blocked (at one stage Gen Norrie himself lead a combat group from the SA Brigade) by Axis actions.The same day, Rommel committed himself to a "dash for the wire" – with the intention of exploiting the disorganisation and confusion in the enemy's bases and cutting their supply lines. The Germans attacked towards Egypt to relieve his garrisons at Bardia
Bardia
Bardia is a geographic region in the Democratic Republic of Nepal.Bardia comprises a portion of the Terai, or lowland hills and valleys of southern Nepal. The Terai is over 1,000 feet in elevation, and extends all along the Indian border...
and Sollum. The advance came on a route that took the Afrikakorps in succession through the headquarters of XXX Corps, 7th Armoured Division, 1 SA Division, 7th Support Group
7th Support Group (United Kingdom)
.The 7th Support Group was a brigade size formation within the British 7th Armoured Division.-History:The 7th Support Group provided whatever support the division's armoured brigades needed for the operation in hand...
and 7th Armoured Brigade. By 1145 General Norrie stated that the "Matruh Stakes" had officially started – as 8th Army A and B Echelons hurriedly withdrew east (Point 5 Map 3). However, fighting continued at El Duda north west of Sidi Regez, with the South Africans being involved in fierce battles in Die KesselThe "Boiling Pot" or "Pressure Cooker" of Sidi Regez on 29 and 30 November. But the pressure was too great and an eastward withdrawal was inveitable. Finally, the Afrikakorps stalled as it outran its supplies and met stiffening resistance. By early December, Rommel had withdrawn to a line of defences east of Tobruk at Gazala, and the division occupied defensive positions at Mersa Matruh.
After the Sidi Regez battles, the division brigades were deployed in various offensive and defensive roles from Mersa Matruh, of which the following are noteworthy:
- The Imperial Light Horse found an unprotected Axis tank repair depot on 9 December – and their attack resulted in the destruction of 38 tanks (Five Mk IV's, 26 Mk III's and five Mk I's);
- On 18 December 2 Coy of the 3rd Recce Bn of the armoured car regiment in cooperation with the 4/11 Sikhs destroyed 12 Ju52 transports on the ground and took 300 prisoners and captured five 88mm AA guns when they attacked an airfield at Derna.
Preparing defences at Gazala and change of command
Although it had been agreed that Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
would no longer be "held at all costs" in the event of an Axis attack, it formed a critical forward base to protect the Gazala Line
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
from air, land or sea attack. Auchinleck
Auchinleck
Auchinleck ; is a village five miles south-east of Mauchline, and a couple of miles north-west of Cumnock in East Ayrshire, Scotland.Near the village is Auchinleck House, past home of the lawyer, diarist and biographer James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck.Auchinleck has much been associated...
recommended to Ritchie
Neil Ritchie
General Sir Neil Methuen Ritchie GBE, KCB, DSO, MC, KStJ was a senior British army officer during the Second World War.-Military career:...
that the forthcoming battle was to be fought west of Tobruk, and not on the frontier. For this reason, 2nd Brigade was also moved forward to support the 1st. By 10 Feb, the Gazala defences were organised on a two division basis, with the left (southern) sector occupied by the 4th Indian Division and 1 SA Division taking respnsibility for the right sector, reaching down to the sea. On 10 March, Brink injured his back and was evacuated back to South Africa – he was replaced by Dan Pienaar
Dan Pienaar
Major General Daniel Hermanus Pienaar CB, DSO & Bar was a South African World War II military commander.Pienaar joined the artillery branch of the Natal Police in 1911, and transferred to the Union Defence Forces when they took over the NP in 1913...
from the 1st Brigade, who had now been promoted to Maj-General.
On 26 May 1942, in his Order of the Day, Gen Pienaar
Dan Pienaar
Major General Daniel Hermanus Pienaar CB, DSO & Bar was a South African World War II military commander.Pienaar joined the artillery branch of the Natal Police in 1911, and transferred to the Union Defence Forces when they took over the NP in 1913...
warned the division (now, for the first time deployed with all three brigades under Division command) of an impending attack – directly aimed at their front.
Gazala: May 1942
This account only reflects the role of the 1st SA Infantry Division."The Cauldron"
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
diary speaks of a bright moonlit night where they advanced without having any contact with the enemy. They were wrong! The 4th SA Armoured Car Regiment had been tracking their advance and reporting the progress three to four times per hour. The following morning, the German—Italian forces made contact with the 7th Armoured Division, east of Bir Hakeim
Battle of Bir Hakeim
Bir Hakeim is a remote oasis in the Libyan desert, and the former site of a Turkish fort. During the Battle of Gazala, the 1st Free French Division of General Marie Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May-11 June 1942 against attacking German and Italian forces directed by Lieutenant-General ...
where General Messervy
Frank Messervy
General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, KCSI, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, , was a British Indian Army officer in both the First and Second World Wars...
of the 7th Armoured Division was taken prisoner. 7th Armoured as well as the Free French at Bir Hakeim
Battle of Bir Hakeim
Bir Hakeim is a remote oasis in the Libyan desert, and the former site of a Turkish fort. During the Battle of Gazala, the 1st Free French Division of General Marie Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May-11 June 1942 against attacking German and Italian forces directed by Lieutenant-General ...
held up the advance but by late morning, Axis forces had advanced well behind the southern flank and were now heading north behind the Allied lines. The 90th Light captured and held El Adem. With Allied forces now recovering and re-deploying into better assault positions, the Axis forces were caught in an area known as "The Cauldron" between Bir Hakeim
Battle of Bir Hakeim
Bir Hakeim is a remote oasis in the Libyan desert, and the former site of a Turkish fort. During the Battle of Gazala, the 1st Free French Division of General Marie Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May-11 June 1942 against attacking German and Italian forces directed by Lieutenant-General ...
to the south, Tobruk to the north east and the Allied minefields between the Axis and their supply lines to the west. Three days armoured fighting ensued in the area of the Cauldron. To better secure his positions, Rommel then drove two Italian formations directly west, through the Allied minefields to re-establish his supply channels. All this time, opposite the 1st SA Division positions to the north of the Gazala Line, the German 15th Rifle Brigade (Brigade Stab zbv (mot) 15), and the Italian Sabratha
Sabratha
Sabratha, Sabratah or Siburata , in the Zawiya District in the northwestern corner of modern Libya, was the westernmost of the "three cities" of Tripolis. From 2001 to 2007 it was the capital of the former Sabratha wa Sorman District. It lies on the Mediterranean coast about west of Tripoli...
and Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
Divisions remained quiet.It was at this time, conducting probing fighting patrols into the Italian positions that Sgt Q. Smythe lead his platoon under enemy fire, earning him the Victoria Cross. Refer section titled "Awards for Gallantry"
By 12 June, the remaining Free French had been forced to withdraw from Bir Hakeim
Battle of Bir Hakeim
Bir Hakeim is a remote oasis in the Libyan desert, and the former site of a Turkish fort. During the Battle of Gazala, the 1st Free French Division of General Marie Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May-11 June 1942 against attacking German and Italian forces directed by Lieutenant-General ...
. At Bir el Hatmat, Rommel had dispersed the tactical HQs of the two British Divisions as well as the HQs of the 9th and 10th Indian Infantry Brigades and other smaller units and the 22nd Armoured Brigade had been forced from the battlefield by renewed attacks from 15th Panzer. In "The Cauldron", three Indian infantry battalions, a reconnaissance regiment and four artillery regiments had been virtually destroyed. On the day before, Axis forces had pushed towards El Adem and had forced the 201st Guards Brigade to withdraw from the Knightsbridge Box on the Gazala Line back to the Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
perimeter. On the 14th, Auchinlek authorised Ritchie to withdraw from the Gazala line and the 1st SA and the 50th Northumbrian Divisions were ordered to withdraw along the coastal road back towards Tobruk.
Retreat
While 1 SA and 50th Divisions were preparing for their withdrawal on the Via BalbiaVia Balbia
The Libyan Coastal Highway is a highway that is the only major road that runs along the entire east-west length of the Libyan Mediterranean coastline...
, Axis forces were wreaking havoc on the escarpment amongst Allied forces and Rommel dictated his 170mm guns
17 cm Kanone 18
The 17 cm Kanone 18 in Mörserlafette was a German heavy gun used in the Second World War. It was intended to be employed at the Corps level in order to provide long-range counter-battery support. It filled the same basic role as the 21 cm Mörser 18 as well as sharing its carriage, and...
to open fire from the escarpment down onto the Via Balbia as the South Africans and British were destroying their ammunition dumps in the Gazala Line Rommel tasked 15th and 21st Panzer with breaking north and severing the Via Balbia
Via Balbia
The Libyan Coastal Highway is a highway that is the only major road that runs along the entire east-west length of the Libyan Mediterranean coastline...
close to Elwet et Tamar, cutting off the two Divisions to the west. With the road being unable to accommodate two divisions, elements of the 50th Division broke out in a south westerly direction in a wide sweep eventually turning back east towards the Allied lines. The South Africans withdrew to series of defensive boxes at Williams Post, Best Post, "Point 187," Commonwealth Keep and then Acroma
Acroma
Acroma is an alternative rock band formed in Salt Lake City, Utah. The band consists of Jeremy Stanley , Brian Christensen , Tom Collins , and Joshua Zirbel . The band released a three-song demo and was signed by Universal Records in 2002...
. The 21st and 15th Panzer attacks forced 1 SA Division to fight a rearguard action and to withdraw through each of the respective boxes well into the night. Chased by Axis tanks, driving east on the Via Balbia, the first elements reached Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
during the night of 13/14 June. The Division was now spread out between the original Gazala defences and Tobruk, as each element tried to make their way east.
Gazala Gallop
By 1400 on the 15 June, 1st SA Division and elements of the 50th Northumbian Division were close to Gambut, headed towards the Egypt frontier. At the same time, Ritchie had ordered the balance of Eighth Army to withdraw to the defensive positions at Mersa Matruh, some 100 miles east of the frontier, leaving Tobruk to hold out and threaten the Axis lines of communication in much the same way as in 1941 – The Gazala Gallop had started! At dawn on 21 June, the Tobruk Garrison surrendered to the Axis forces. On the same day, 1 SA Division were ordered to withdraw a further 220 miles east, to El Alamein.First Battle of El Alamein: July 1942
Main article: First Battle of El AlameinFirst Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought between Axis forces of the Panzer Army Africa commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Allied forces The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert...
. This account only reflects the role of the 1st SA Infantry Division.
Having arrived back from the Gazala Line, the Division spent two weeks improving defences on the El Alamein defences in the "Alamein Box". Auchenlik had issued an order instructing all surplus personnel to be sent back to the Delta, which greatly displeased Pienaar. The Division had been deploying two brigades of infantry, each accompanied by a battery of artillery to protect the areas west and south of the defensive box. Auchinlecks order effectively meant that Pienaar could only hold the box with one under-strength brigade Before these troops could be returned, battle was joined with the 90th Light Infantry Division in the early morning hours of 1 July.
At 0605 Axis transports were seen advancing to within 2,000 yards of the 3rd Brigade positions and they were engaged with machine- and anti-tank gun fire from the Imperial Light Horse. During the early morning hours, the 90th Light had lost direction and veered too far north, resulting in the clash with ILH. While the Rand Light Infantry
Rand Light Infantry
The 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:...
were driving off German towed artillery, South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
Boston light bombers bombed their supply columns. By 0730 the 90th Light had been halted and were pinned down by the South Africans, determined to avenge Gazala and the surrender of Tobruk. The 90th Light only managing to extracate themselves under cover of a dust storm later in the day. The Axis attack had been stopped all along the Allied line of defence.
Rommel launched one more assault on 31 August, aimed at Alam el Halfa ridge. The Division responded by launching a number of successful raids at the enemy forces after last light, once they had stopped their advance for the night on 31 August. By noon on 1 September, 15th Panzer were immobilised by lack of fuel south of Alam Halfa. Pienaar re-organised the Division to occupy the positions with one brigade and released two brigades as part of "battle groups" to act against the immobilised Axis division. The report that these forces were available was not welcomed at Corps and Army headquarters, and these mobile formations were not used. After the counter-attack was eventually organised, the Axis had already started to withdraw and fighting was broken off on 7 September.
Cracks Widen
Cracks and fissures had again become visible between the 1 SA Div and the Army command. 1 SA Brigade had been deployed on the flank, on Ruweisat RidgeFirst Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought between Axis forces of the Panzer Army Africa commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Allied forces The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert...
and by this time they had become somewhat isolated during the previous days fighting and the Allied bombing missions of the previous night. The Brigade had lost its Officer Commanding as well as its Brigade Major during the previous two days fighting and over 15,000 shells had fallen on their strongpoint, known as "Hotbox," from the area of the Trieste Division. Pienaar advised Norrie that their position was "untenable" and Norrie replied that if that was the case, he would "...relieve the Brigade, place it in reserve and replace it with another formation." Offended by this – Pienaar called 8th Army HQ and was advised by Dorman-Smith
Eric Dorman-Smith
Eric Edward Dorman-Smith , later de-Anglicised to Eric Edward Dorman O'Gowan, was a British Army soldier who served with distinction in World War I, and then seems to have become something of a bête noire to the British military establishment because of his lively mind, and unorthodox...
that the Brigade was to remain where it was. Not satisfied, Pienaar insisted on speaking to Auchinleck, who ordered that the Brigade hold its ground – but offered to relieve the Brigade within two days when the 9th Australian Division reached 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 :...
. Pienaar's demands of the evening of 2 July shook the 8th Army command’s confidence in the morale of the Division and Auchinleck stated that the Division could no longer be exposed to "undue operational strain," fearing that material losses to the Division, especially after the surrender of the 2nd SA Division at Tobruk, would lead to political disaster. Auchinleck deployed the 9th Australian Division to re-enforce the northern sector of the line held by the South Africans three days later. Pienaar had also been falsely accused of supporting the retreat to the Delta and engaging the Axis from behind the Suez Canal – he remained resolved to fight, stating to an American war correspondent at Alam Halfa in July 1942 "....Here I stop, I've retreated far enough, whether we hold the damn thing or not!"
Second Battle of El Alamein: October 1942
Main article: Second Battle of El AlameinSecond Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
. This account only reflects the role of the 1st SA Infantry Division.
Battle plan
For what was to become the final South African assault on the Axis forces (Operation Lightfoot), the Division was tasked attack on a two brigade front to secure the southern end of Mieiriya Ridge. The Indian 4th and Northumbrian 50th Divisions were deployed to their south and to the north, was the 2nd New Zealand Division. The South Africans were to attack towards the south west with 2nd SA Infantry Brigade (Brig. W.H.E. Poole) on the right and 3rd SA Infantry Brigade (Brig. R. Palmer) on the left. 1st SA Infantry Brigade was deployed further south and was responsible for creating an anti-tank screen to protect the left flank of the South African attack (See Map 4). The Australians and Highlanders were to force a northern corridor through the Axis minefields while the New Zealanders and South Africans were to do the same in the southern sector.Break-In: Operation Lightfoot
Operation Lightfoot started at 2140 on 23 October with a five hour fire plan, the start of which signified H-Hour for the infantry assault. Pienaar had deployed each of the lead brigades, with on battalion leading for the first phase to the "red line" – after a pause of and hour and a quarter, the two trailing battalions would pass though to the final objective on Miteiriya Ridge. 1st Brigade – who was not part of the main advance was provided with a special force of armoured cars, machine guns and anti-tank guns to guard their and the Division’s left flank (Refer Map 4). They were also allocated a mobile element of the 8th Royal Tanks. The Divisional artillery, reinforced by three troops from X Corps was to fire a fire-plan of timed concentrations – using smoke on the intermediate and final objectives to cover re-organisation and to help with direction finding.The two South African brigades advanced with 40mm Bofors guns marking the lines of advance between the respective battalions and the first objectives on the Corps objective line called "Oxalic" were occupied by the Natal Mounted Rifles
Natal Mounted Rifles
The Natal Mounted Rifles is an armoured 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...
at 2350. The Cape Town Highlanders
Cape Town Highlanders Regiment
The 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:...
were the last battalion to reach their individual unit objectives on Oxalic – and were established on Miteiriya Ridge by 0800 the following morning. The fact that the 1st and 10th Armoured Divisions had not broken through into the open areas west of the line as originally planned, meant that Montgomery
Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
had to change his orders – moving to an attritional World War I type of battle, which Montgomery in a semblance of a novelty – dubbed "Crumbling Actions." By the evening of 26 October (as from the H-Hour on the 23rd), the South Africans had suffered 600 casualties, as compared to 2,000 in the 51st Division, 1,000 Australians and a similar number of New Zealanders.
"Crumbling Operations"
Oliver Leese
Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver William Hargreaves Leese, 3rd Baronet, KCB, CBE, DSO was a British general during World War II.-Early years:...
issued orders for the 1st SA Division to "side-step" north in conjunction with a similar move by the 4th Indian Division and to extend their lines to occupy the area held by the New Zealand Division and the 9th Armoured Brigade. Once this move was completed, these relieved units were to be withdrawn into reserve. During the order group to issue these instructions, Pienaar again voiced an objection to orders – on the grounds that he had insufficient transport to make the move in the required time. Freyberg
Bernard Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg
Lieutenant-General Bernard Cyril Freyberg, 1st Baron Freyberg VC, GCMG, KCB, KBE, DSO & Three Bars , was a British-born New Zealand Victoria Cross recipient and soldier who later served as the seventh Governor-General of New Zealand.A veteran of the Mexican Revolution, he became an officer in the...
, in a move to "spike his guns" asked Pienaar again, if the only limiting factor was transport? Pienaar confirmed – and when Freyberg offered him transport from the New Zealand Division, no more was heard of the matter and the re-deployment was executed. The South Africans were now stretched on a wider front, between the Australians and 51st Division in the north and the Indian 4th Division on Ruweisat Ridge, with 5th SA Brigade on the right, 3rd SA Brigade on its left and 1st SA Brigade being pulled back as the divisional reserve.
Break-Out: Operation Supercharge
On the night of 2/3 November, the Australians noticed signs of withdrawal by Axis units in the coastal salient and by 1000 Montgomery had received similar reports from the south. Contrary to Hitler's instructions – Rommel had started to withdraw. The final plan to destroy the Axis forces, code named "SuperchargeSecond Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
" was put into action. The 1st SA Division played no role in this phase of the operation – but the South African armoured cars attached to XXX Corps were actively involved in the attempted destruction and subsequent pursuit.
At 0540 on 4 November, after repeated attempts at breaking through the Axis lines – Lt-Col Reeves-Moore lead the South African armoured cars into the rear of the Axis positions, "....the eager children of any mechanized pursuit... scampered at dawn into the open desert beyond the mines and trenches and guns, to make their exuberant mischief amid the disintegrating enemy". They soon started causing the havoc for which they had been intended – A Sqn capturing two 88mm guns, two 105 mm guns
10.5 cm FlaK 38
The 10.5 cm SK C/33 was a German anti-aircraft gun used during World War II by the Kriegsmarine on a number of their larger capital ships. It was later adapted for Luftwaffe as a competitor to the famed 8.8 cm FlaK 18 as the 10.5 cm FlaK 38...
, two 110mm guns, a Breda
Italian Army equipment in World War II
- Infantry weapons :*Bodeo Model 1889 10.35mm revolver*Glisenti Model 1910 9mm Glisenti semi-automatic pistol* Beretta M1934 .380 ACP semi-automatic pistol |image= *Beretta M 1935 .32 ACP semi-automatic pistol |image=...
portee
Portee
A portee is a truck that carries a gun on its bed, such that the gun is not affixed permanently to the vehicle, can be quickly unloaded, and can be fired from the truck....
, six trucks and 130 prisoners; while B Sqn captured five trucks, a staff car, one 105 mm
10.5 cm FlaK 38
The 10.5 cm SK C/33 was a German anti-aircraft gun used during World War II by the Kriegsmarine on a number of their larger capital ships. It was later adapted for Luftwaffe as a competitor to the famed 8.8 cm FlaK 18 as the 10.5 cm FlaK 38...
and one 150 mm gun
15 cm sFH 18
The 15 cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 or sFH 18 , nicknamed Immergrün , was the basic German division-level heavy howitzer during the Second World War, serving alongside the smaller but more numerous 10.5 cm leFH 18...
and 100 prisoners within a matter of hours.
While the armoured cars were dashing west, 1 SA Division had moved further north and over the previous two nights had relieved the 51st Highland Division. During the night of 3/4 November, the last unit to move into its new position was the 1st Cape Town Highlanders
Cape Town Highlanders Regiment
The 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:...
, who moved during a major artillery barrage in support of an attack by the 5th Indian Brigade. The regiment awoke on the 4 November to silence and the absence of gunfire, save for the sound of Allied vehicles advancing west in pursuit of the retreating enemy. For the 1st South African Division, the war had ended.
Disbandment
The Union Defence Force had finalised a decision to convert 1 SA Infantry Division into an Armoured Division and the Axis withdrawal from El Alamein marked the end of fighting for the division in the Middle East. By 1 December, advance parties were already returning to South Africa to assist with the establishment of the intended armoured division and later in the month, Gen. PienaarDan Pienaar
Major General Daniel Hermanus Pienaar CB, DSO & Bar was a South African World War II military commander.Pienaar joined the artillery branch of the Natal Police in 1911, and transferred to the Union Defence Forces when they took over the NP in 1913...
was recalled to South Africa to lead the formation of the new division. He and eleven other officers boarded a Lockheed Lodestar
Lockheed Lodestar
The Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar was a passenger transport aircraft of the World War II era.-Design and development:The prototype of the Lockheed Model 18, which first flew in 1939, was constructed from one of a batch of Lockheed Model 14 Super Electras which had been returned to the manufacturer by...
on 17 December to fly back to South Africa. The aircraft stopped to re-fuel at Kisumu
Kisumu
Kisumu is a port city in western Kenya at , with a population of 355,024 . It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu County. It has a municipal charter but no city charter...
on the shores of Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
and on takeoff on the 19th, it plunged into the lake, killing all on board.
On 1 January 1943, the 1 SA Infantry Division embarked for home, with troops returning to their parent units in South Africa. The Division had been dissolved and many of its former units were to be absorbed into the 6th South African Armoured Division. The designation 1st South African Infantry Division was also used briefly by a successor formation in 1948-49.
Higher formations served under
- 22 July 1940 – 3 May 1941: East African Field ForceEast 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....
: General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham - 4 May – 31 October 1941: XIII CorpsXIII 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...
,XIII Corps was known as the "Western Desert Force" until it formally became XIII Corps in October 1941 8th Army: Lieutenant-General Sir Noel Monson de la Poer Beresford-PeirceNoel Beresford-PeirseLieutenant-General Sir Noel Monson de la Poer Beresford-Peirse KBE, CB, DSO was a British Army officer.-Family background:...
(April 1941 – October 1941). - 1–22 November 1941: XXX Corps, 8th Army: Lieutenant-General Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie
- 23 – 30 November 1941: XIII CorpsXIII 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...
: General Sir Alfred Reade Godwin-AustenAlfred Reade Godwin-AustenGeneral Sir Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen KCSI, CB, OBE, MC was a British Army officer. He served during the First and Second World Wars.-Early life:The second son of Lieutenant-Colonel A. G...
(October 1941 – February 1942) - 1 December 1941 – 1 January 1943: XXX Corps, 8th Army:
- Lieutenant-General Charles Willoughby Moke Norrie (Nov 1941 – July 1942).
- Lieutenant-General William Havelock RamsdenWilliam Havelock RamsdenMajor-General William Havelock Ramsden CB, CBE, DSO, MC was a British Army commander during World War II.-Military career:...
(July 1942 – Sept 1942). - Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver William Hargreaves LeeseOliver LeeseLieutenant-General Sir Oliver William Hargreaves Leese, 3rd Baronet, KCB, CBE, DSO was a British general during World War II.-Early years:...
(Sept 1942 – May 1943).
East Africa (as at 1 January 1941)
According to OrpenDivision Commander: Lieutenant-General George Brink CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
- 2nd South African Infantry Brigade2nd Infantry Brigade (South Africa)The 2nd South African Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the army of the Union of South Africa during World War II. The Brigade formed part of the South African 1st Infantry Division and was formed on 13 August 1940. It served in East Africa and the Western Desert and was disbanded on 1...
(Brigadier F.L.A. Buchanan)- 1st Natal Mounted RiflesNatal Mounted RiflesThe Natal Mounted Rifles is an armoured 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...
- 1st Field Force Battalion
- 2nd Field Force Battalion
- No. 2 S.A. Armoured Car Company
- 12th Field Company, SA Corps of Engineers
- 12th Field Ambulance, SA Medical Corps
- No. 2 Mobile General Workshops, SA Technical Services Corps
- 3 Brigade Signals Company, SA Corps of Signals
- 1st Natal Mounted Rifles
- 5th South African Infantry Brigade5th Infantry Brigade (South Africa)The 5th South African Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the army of the Union of South Africa during World War II. The Brigade formed part of the South African 1st Infantry Division and was formed on 13 August 1940...
(Brigadier Bertram Frank Armstrong)Armstrong was captured at Sidi Rezeg on 23 or 24 November 1941 and was flown directly from North Africa to Germany for interrogation. Matthews, D. Capt. With the 5th South African Infantry Brigade at Sidi Rezegh. South African Military History Journal – Vol 10 No 6.- 1st South African Irish RegimentSouth African Irish RegimentThe South African Irish 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.-Origins:...
- 2nd Regiment BothaRegiment BothaRegiment Botha 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...
- 3rd 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:...
- No. 1 S.A. Armoured Car Company
- 5th Field Company, SA Corps of Engineers
- 11th Field Ambulance, SA Medical Corps
- No. 3 Mobile General Workshops, SA Technical Services Corps
- 1 Brigade Signals Company, SA Corps of Signals
- 1st South African Irish Regiment
- 25th East African Infantry Brigade (Brigadier W. Owen)
- 2/3 King's African RiflesKing's African RiflesThe King's African Rifles was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the various British possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the East African colonies as well as external service as...
, Kenya Territorial Territorial Infantry - 2/4 King's African RiflesKing's African RiflesThe King's African Rifles was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the various British possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the East African colonies as well as external service as...
- 27th Indian Mountain Battery, Royal Artillery Corps
- Detachment Armoured Cars
- Somaliland Camel CorpsSomaliland Camel CorpsThe Somaliland Camel Corps was a unit of the British Army based in British Somaliland from the early 20th century until the 1960s.Camels are a necessity in East Africa, being as important as ponies are in Mongolia...
- 3rd Field Company, SA Corps of Engineers
- 6th Uganda Field Ambulance, Medical Corps
- 25th East African Brigade Gp Company, Signals
- 2/3 King's African Rifles
- Division Troops
- 7th, 8th and 9th Field Batteries, Transvaal Horse ArtilleryTransvaal Horse ArtilleryThe Transvaal Horse Artillery is an artillery 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...
, SA Artillery Corps - 3rd Anti-Tank Battery, SA Artillery Corps
- One section, 6th Anti-Aircraft Battery, SA Artillery Corps
- One platoon of 1/3 King's African Rifles (Machine gun)
- No 2 Abyssinian Irregular Company
- No 5 Abyssinian Irregular Company
- 21st Field Park Company, SA Engineering Corps
- 7th, 8th and 9th Field Batteries, Transvaal Horse Artillery
Western Desert (as at 17 October 1942: Second Battle of El Alemain)
According to OrpenDivision Commander: Major General Daniel Hermanus ("Dan") Pienaar CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
- 1st South African Infantry Brigade Brig. E.P. Hartshorn
- 1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles SA Infantry Corps
- 1st Royal Natal Carabineers SA Infantry Corps
- 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
- 2nd South African Infantry Brigade2nd Infantry Brigade (South Africa)The 2nd South African Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the army of the Union of South Africa during World War II. The Brigade formed part of the South African 1st Infantry Division and was formed on 13 August 1940. It served in East Africa and the Western Desert and was disbanded on 1...
Brig. W.H.E. Poole- 1st Cape Town HighlandersCape 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:...
SA Infantry Corps - 1st Natal Mounted RiflesNatal Mounted RiflesThe Natal Mounted Rifles is an armoured 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...
SA Infantry Corps - 1st Field Force Battalion SA Infantry Corps
- 2nd Field Force Battalion SA Infantry Corps
- B Company (Machine Gun), Die Middelandse Regiment SA Infantry Corps
- 4th Company (Machine Gun), Regiment President SteynRegiment President SteynRegiment President Steyn is an armoured 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...
SA Infantry Corps - 1st and 2nd Anti-Tank Batteries SA Artillery Corps
- 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery (less two Troops) SA Artillery Corps
- 1st, 3rd and 14th Field Batteries of 1st Field Regt SA Artillery Corps
- 1st Cape Town Highlanders
- 3rd South African Infantry Brigade3rd Infantry Brigade (South Africa)The 3rd South African Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the army of the Union of South Africa during World War II. The Brigade formed part of the South African 1st Infantry Division and was formed on 13 August 1940...
Brig. R.J. (Bobby) Palmer- 1st Imperial Light Horse SA Infantry Corps
- 1st 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:...
SA Infantry Corps - 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry SA Infantry Corps
- One Troop 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Battery SA Artillery Corps
- 2nd Field Company SA Engineering Corps
- Division Troops
- 2nd Regt. BothaRegiment BothaRegiment Botha 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...
, SA Infantry Corps - Regt. President Steyn (less one Coy), SA Infantry Corps
- 3rd SA Armoured Car Regt (less one Sqn), SA Tank Corps
- 8th Royal Tank Regiment8th Royal Tank RegimentThe 8th Royal Tank Regiment was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1960. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It originally saw action as H Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917....
, (part of 23rd Armoured Brigade Group) equipped with Valentine tankValentine tankThe Tank, Infantry, Mk III, Valentine was an infantry tank produced in the United Kingdom during the Second World War. More than 8,000 of the type were produced in 11 different marks plus various purpose-built variants, accounting for approximately a quarter of wartime British tank production...
s
- 2nd Regt. Botha
Attached formations
Not reflected in the above order of battle due to date discrepancies:- 21st East African Infantry Brigade11th (East Africa) DivisionThe 11th Infantry Division was a British Empire colonial unit formed in February 1943 during World War II.-Formation:In 1943, the 11th Division was formed primarily of troops from British East Africa....
from 27 February 1941 to 6 April 1941 - Polish Independent Carpathian Rifle BrigadePolish Independent Carpathian Rifle BrigadePolish Independent Carpathian Brigade was a Polish military unit formed in 1940 in French Syria composed of the Polish soldiers exiled after the Invasion of Poland in 1939 as part of the Polish Army in France...
from 3 February 1942 to 18 March 1942 - Free French BrigadeFree French ForcesThe Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
from 3 February 1942 to 10 February 1942 - 6th South African Infantry Brigade from 18 March 1942 to 20 April 1942
Theatres of operation
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Theatre! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|From
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|To
|-----
|South Africa
|13 August 1940
|4 November 1940
|-----
|At Sea
|4 November 1940
|11 November 1940
|-----
|East Africa
|11 November 1940
|13 January 1941
|-----
|Abyssinia
|13 January 1941
|8 March 1941
|-----
|East Africa
|8 March 1941
|21 April 1941
|-----
|At Sea
|22 April 1941
|3 May 1941
|-----
|Egypt
|3 May 1941
|18 November 1941
|-----
|Libya
|18 November 1941
|12 December 1941
|-----
|Egypt
|12 December 1941
|30 January 1942
|-----
|Libya
|30 January 1942
|15 June 1942
|-----
|Egypt
|15 June 1942
|1 January 1943
|-----
|}
East Africa & Abyssinia
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Battle, action or engagement! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|From
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|To
|-----
|El Yibo
|16 January 1941
|18 January 1941
|-----
|Turbi Road
|24 January 1941
|25 January 1941
|-----
|Gorai
Gorai
Gorai is a village in the North-western part of Mumbai, India. Gorai is accessed more usually by a ferry crossing the Manori Creek which separates Gorai from the island of Salsette or otherwise by the overland route through Bhayander....
|1 February 1941
|1 February 1941
|-----
|El Gumu
|1 February 1941
|1 February 1941
|-----
|Hobok
|2 February 1941
|2 February 1941
|-----
|Banno
|8 February 1941
|9 February 1941
|-----
|Yavello Road
|15 February 1941
|15 February 1941
|-----
|Mega
Mega, Ethiopia
Mega is a town in southern Ethiopia. Located between Moyale and Yabelo on the paved highway south to Kenya, in the Borena Zone of the Oromia Region , this town has a latitude and longitude of with an elevation of 1740 meters above sea level...
|15 February 1941
|18 February 1941
|-----
|}
Western Desert
| Battle, action or engagement | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Siege of Tobruk Siege of Tobruk The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War... |
18 November 1941 | 10 December 1941 |
| Battle of Gazala Battle of Gazala The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942... |
26 May 1942 | 21 June 1942 |
| Mersa Matruh | 26 June 1942 | 30 June 1942 |
| First Battle of El Alamein First Battle of El Alamein The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought between Axis forces of the Panzer Army Africa commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Allied forces The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert... |
1 July 1942 | 27 July 1942 |
| First Battle of Tel el Eisa part of 1st Alamein |
10 July 1942 | 11 July 1942 |
| Second Battle of El Alamein Second Battle of El Alamein The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery... |
23 October 1942 | 4 November 1942 |
Gallantry awards
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Name! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Rank
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Unit
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Date of action
! style="text align: left; background: #eeefff;"|Award
|-
|Allen Harry Ernest Marsden Shaw
|Lieutenant (Acting Captain)
|1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles
|21 April 1941 and 16 May 1941
|Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
|-
|Quentin George Murray Smythe
|Sergeant
|Royal Natal Carabineers
|5 June 1942
|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....
|-
|}