Let's build-South African/Rhodesian units in North Africa

[Panzer Leader]

I was wondering if anybody wanted to gather information with me on the South African and Rhodesian units in the North African threate of operations during World War II?

[Panzer Leader]

1st South African Infantry Division


Commanders of the 1st South African Infantry Division in North Africa
Lieutenant-General George Brink(August 13th,1940-March 10th,1942)
Major-General Daniel Pienaar(March 10th,1942-?)*


*Killed in plane crash


Areas Of Operations of the 1st South African Infantry Division
South Africa: 13 August 1940 to 4 November 1940
At Sea: 4 November 1940 to 11 November 1940
East Africa: 11 November 1940 to 13 January 1941
Abyssinia: 13 January 1941 to 8 March 1941
East Africa: 08 March 1941 to 21 April 1941
At Sea: 22 April 1941 to 3 May 1941
Egypt: 3 May 1941 to 18 November 1941
Libya: 18 November 1941 to 12 December 1941
Egypt: 12 December 1941 to 30 January 1942
Libya: 30 January 1942 to 15 June 1942
Egypt: 15 June 1942 to 01 January 1943


Nicknames
N/A


South African 1st Infantry Dvision Order Of Battle
I South African Infantry Brigade:
1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles
1st Royal Natal Carabineers
1st Transvaal Scottish

II South African Infantry Brigade:
1st Cape Town Highlanders
1st Natal Mounted Rifles
1st/2nd Field Force Battalion

III South African Infantry Brigade:
1st Imperial Light Horse
1st Rand Light Infantry
1st Royal Durban Light Infantry
3rd South African Armoured Car Reconnaissance Regiment
One Machine Gun Battalion, consisting of:
B Company, Die Middellandse Regiment
Regiment President Steyn

Field Artillery Regiments:
1st Field Regiment, Cape Field Artillery, South African Artillery
4th Field Regiment, South African Artillery
7th Field Regiment, South African Artillery
1st Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, South African Artillery
1st Anti-tank Regiment, South African Artillery


Battles, Skermishes ,and Engagements
[edit] 1941
El Yibo: 16 January 1941 to 18 January 1941
Turbi Road: 24 January 1941 to 25 January 1941
Gorai: 1 February 1941 to 1 February 1941
El Gumu: 1 February 1941 to 1 February 1941
Hobok: 2 February 1941 to 2 February 1941
Banno: 8 February 1941 to 9 February 1941
Yavello Road: 15 February 1941 to 15 February 1941
Mega: 15 February 1941 to 18 February 1941
Tobruk: 18 November 1941 to 10 December 1941

1942
Battle of Gazala: 26 May 1942 to 21 June 1942
Mersa Matruh: 26 June 1942 to 30 June 1942
First Battle of El Alamein: 1 July 1942 to 27 July 1942
Tel el Eisa: 10 July 1942 to 11 July 1942
Second Battle of El Alamein: 23 October 1942 to 4 November 1942


Source for this information is Wikipedia, However I will add more information and sources as I go along and find more.

[Jon G.]

The index is your friend

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=96391

I might move this thread to the Allies/Neutral States section. I haven't yet made up my mind.

[Panzer Leader]

The index is your friend

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=96391

I might move this thread to the Allies/Neutral States section. I haven't yet made up my mind.

Could you please keep it here as it has to do with the war in North Africa. Also please don't delete it because I'm trying to create an in depth look at the forces.

Thank you

[Panzer Leader]

2nd South African Infantry Division


Commanders of the 2nd South African Infantry Division
Major-General Isaace Pierre de Villiers(1940-1942)/(September 5th,1941-May 14th,1942)
Brigadier FH Theron(July 26th,1941-September 5th,1941)
Major General HB Klopper(May 14th,1942-June 21st,1942)*



*Forced to surrender at Toburk.




Area Of Operations Of The 2nd South African Infantry Division

South Africa: 23 October 1940 to 20 April 1941
At Sea: 20 April 1941 to 6 June 1941
Egypt: 6 June 1941 to 22 March 1942
Libya: 22 March 1942, 21 June 42


Nicknames

N/A



Order Of Battle Of The 2nd South African Infantry Division

III South African Infantry Brigade:
1st Imperial Light Horse
1st Rand Light Infantry
1st Royal Durban Light Infantry
IV South African Infantry Brigade:
2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry
The Kaffrarian Rifles
Umvoti Mounted Rifles
VI South African Infantry Brigade:
1st South African Police
2nd South African Police
2nd Transvaal Scottish
7th South African Reconnaissance Battalion
Machine Gun Unit:
Die Middellandse Regiment
Field Artillery Regiments:
1st Field Regiment, Cape Field Artillery, South African Artillery
2nd Field Regiment, Natal Field Artillery, South African Artillery
3rd Field Regiment, Transvaal Horse Artillery, South African Artillery
2nd Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, South African Artillery
2nd Anti-tank Regiment, South African Artillery



Battles,Skermishes,and Engagements


Clayden's Trench (Sollum): 11 January 1942 to 12 January 1942
Gazala: 26 May 1942 to 21 June 1942
Tobruk: 20 June 1942 to 21 June 1942

[JonS]

South Africa:
http://members.tripod.com/~nigelef/saregt.htm

Rhodesia:
http://members.tripod.com/~nigelef/colregt.htm

[David W]

Good topic.


Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Wasn't it 1st Battalion 2nd Field Force? Rather than 1st/2nd Field Force Battalion?


I eagerly await the next installment !

[Panzer Leader]

Good topic.


Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Wasn't it 1st Battalion 2nd Field Force? Rather than 1st/2nd Field Force Battalion?


I eagerly await the next installment !

Thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoy this in depth look at forces that I feel have been somewhat overlooked.

[Panzer Leader]

South Africa:
http://members.tripod.com/~nigelef/saregt.htm

Rhodesia:
http://members.tripod.com/~nigelef/colregt.htm

Thanks Jon.

[David W]

Panzer Leader.

Do you intend to look at the smaller independent units as well?
The South African Recce units were held in high esteem.

[Panzer Leader]

Good topic.


Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Wasn't it 1st Battalion 2nd Field Force? Rather than 1st/2nd Field Force Battalion?


I eagerly await the next installment !

I'll have to look that up because I've been using Wikipedia for alot of this and alot of information about this is hard to come by, but I'm gathering it as I go along.

[JonS]

Take a look at the NZ OHs. They are available in full for free online, and have reasonably extensive mention of the Yarpies when relevant. The volumes you are looking for are "Relief of Tobruk", "Battle for Egypt, the", "Alam Halfa and El Alamein", and "Bardia to Enfidaville". Also "Point 175" and the various battalion histories may be of use in tracking down particular units - even just browsing the index will give a quick idea of which SA units are mentioned in the text.

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-corpus-WH2.html

Regards
Jon

[Panzer Leader]

3rd South African Infantry Division



Commanders Of The 3rd South African Infantry Dvision

Maj General M Botha(August 23rd,1940-April 4th,1942)



Area Of Operations Of The 3rd South African Infantry Division

South Africa(August 23rd,1940-April 4th,1942)



Nicknames

N/A


Order Of Battle For The 3rd South African Infantry Division










Divisional Troops
Artillery

Field Regiments

6th Field Regiment, SAA
Engineers

Field Companies

10th Field Company, SA Engineers

12th Field Company, SA Engineers

16th Field Company, SA Engineers

9th Field Company, SA Engineers

Field Park Companies

17th Field Park Squadron, SA Engineers

Field Squadrons

8th Field Squadron, SA Engineers
Infantry

Machine Gun

Special Service Battalion


Brigades
7 SA Motorised Brigade

1st Pretoria Highlanders

1st Pretoria Regiment

1st Witwatersrand Rifles

Prince Alfred's Guard

Regiment de la Rey

The First City Regiment

6th Field Regiment, SAA

88th Field Company, SA Engineers

A Squadron, 1st Armoured Car Commando,
8 SA Infantry Brigade

1st Cape Town Highlanders

Prince Alfred's Guard

The First City Regiment

9 SA Infantry Brigade

Cape Town Highlanders

1st Pretoria Highlanders

1st Regiment Botha



2nd Natal Mounted Rifles

2nd Pretoria Regiment

2nd Rand Light Infantry

2nd Royal Natal Carabineers

2nd Transvaal Scottish

Die Middllandse Regiment

Regiment President Steyn

Regiment Westelike Provinsie

The First City Regiment
Special Service Battalion
10 South African Infantry Brigade

1st Pretoria Highlanders

1st Regiment Botha

2nd Natal Mounted Rifles

2nd Witwatersrand Rifles

Prince Alfred's Guard

Regiment Suid-Westelike Districtke

The First City Regiment

The Kimberley Regiment


Battles,Skermishes,and Engagements

None




*The 3rd South African Infantry Division was designated as a sort of training division and was based back home in South Africa to train other forces and prepare home defenses. However in 1942 it was combined with the 3rd South African Armored Division for a active fighting role in North Africa and we will look at the 3rd South African Armored Division in the next update.

[JonS]

Rhodesian Official History available here: http://www.rhodesia.nl/

[JonS]

Lifted out of "The Sidi Rezeg Battles 1941" by Agar-Hamilton and Turner:

APPENDIX 1

FORCES ENGAGED IN THE SIDI REZEG BATTLES

The information which follows has been abstracted, in respect of forces of the United Kingdom, principally from the Preliminary Narrative of the Cabinet Office Historical Section, whose permission to quote is gratefully acknowledged. The information regarding the Italian forces is derived, with permission, from their Official History, and particulars of the German forces come from the official papers of the Panzergruppe Afrika. It is not an Order of Battle, but should supply the significant particulars concerning the forces on either side in November 194 1. In order to keep the Appendix within some sort of bounds, Engineers, Signallers, Medical and other services have not been included, since these tend to maintain a normal proportion to the number of formations engaged.

The Preliminary Narrative of the United Kingdom states: “The total enemy forces in Cyrenaica were estimated at about 102,000 men with approximately 380 medium tanks, 1,140 medium, field and anti aircraft guns, and an air force. As against these, the strength of the Eighth Army was approximately 118,000 men with 126 light, 529 cruiser and 205 infantry tanks, and 849 medium, field and anti tank guns, and an air force amounting possibly to 512 aircraft.” Exact figures for the composition of the forces in Panzergruppe are not available, but Rommel's own statistics for November 1941 and January 1942 and the most recent estimate by British historians are given in Appendix II.

MIDDLE EAST COMMAND
Commander in Chief: General Sir Claude Auchinleck.

EIGHTH ARMY: Lieutenant General Sir Alan Cunningham.
Brigadier General Staff: Brigadier A. Galloway.

ARMY TROOPS

2ND SOUTH AFRICAN DIVISION: Major General I.P. de Villiers.
G.S.O.I: Col. H. B. Klopper.

7th S.A. Reconnaissance Battalion (less Detachment).
1st S.A. Field Regiment.
2nd S.A. Field Regiment.
5th S.A. Field Regiment.
2nd S.A. Anti Tank Regiment (detached to 4 Indian Division, 12 Nov.).
2nd S.A. Light Anti Aircraft Regiment.
. . 5th Battery.
. . 6th Battery.
Die Middellandse Regiment (Machine Gun Battalion).

3rd South African Infantry Brigade: Brigadier C.E. Borain.
1st Imperial Light Horse.
1st Royal Durban Light Infantry.
1st Rand Light Infantry.

4th South African Infantry Brigade: Brigadier A.A. Hayton.
Umvoti Mounted Rifles.
2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry.
Kaffrarian Rifles.

6th South African Infantry Brigade: Brigadier F.W. Cooper.
2nd Transvaal Scottish.
1st S.A. Police Battalion.
2nd S.A. Police Battalion.

OASIS Group: Brigadier D. W. Reid.
Force E: Brigadier D. W. Reid.
Headquarters 29th Indian Infantry Brigade (less rearward Headquarters)
7th S.A. Reconnaissance Battalion (less one company): Lieut.-Col Colonel P. H. Grobbelaar.
4th Field Battery 2nd S.A. Field Regiment.
C Battery 73rd Anti Tank Regiment R.A. (less one troop) (four 18 pounder and twelve 2 pounder guns).
6th Light AntiAircraft Battery R.A. (less X Troop).
3rd Battalion 2nd Punjab Regiment (less carrier platoon).
6th S.A. Armoured Car Regiment (less one squadron and a detachment): Lieut Colonel V.O'B. Short.

Oasis Group (less Force E): Lieut Colonel J.O. Knight.
[The forces left behind when Force E set out for Jalo consisted of rearward Headquarters of 29th Indian Infantry Brigade, two battalions of infantry with anti tank and anti aircraft artillery, and two battalions of dummy tanks, with]
detachment 6th S.A. Armoured Car Regiment.
2nd S.A. Field Regiment (less 4th Field Battery) Lieut. Colonel O.W. Sherwell.

70TH DIVISION (TOBRUK FORTRESS): Major General R. MacK. Scobie.
[10 batteries of field artillery (including some 60 pounders, and some Italian 149 mm. and 105 min. guns) and two medium batteries. 4 batteries of anti tank guns.
4 batteries of light and 3 batteries of heavy anti aircraft guns.
2 coast batteries firing the Italian 5.9 inch fixed defence guns.]
1st Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (machine gun unit).
32nd Army Tank Brigade: Brigadier A.C. Willison.
[126 tanks of which 69 were infantry tanks and 30 armoured cars.]

14th Infantry Brigade: Brigadier B.H. Chappel.
[Three United Kingdom battalions and two companies 2nd/15th Australian Infantry Battalion.]

16th Infantry Brigade: Brigadier C. E. N. Lomax.
[Three United Kingdom battalions and 2nd/13th Australian Infantry Battalion, together with five 75 mms. and two 60 pounders manned by the infantry as 'bush artillery'.]

23rd Infantry Brigade: Brigadier C.H.V. Cox.
[Three United Kingdom battalions.]

Polish Carpathian Brigade Group: Major General S. Kopariski.
[Four infantry battalions and two companies: an anti tank company and a machine gun company.]

MATRUH FORTRESS: Brigadier W.H.E. Poole.
4th S.A. Field Regiment
23rd Hong Kong and Singapore Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery, R.A.
5th S.A. Light Anti Aircraft Battery.
Troop 4th S.A. Light Anti Aircraft Battery.
204th Coast Battery R.A.

2nd South African Infantry Brigade: Brigadier W.H.E. Poole.
1st Natal Mounted Rifles.
1st/2nd Field Force Battalion.
Cape Town Highlanders.

LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP: Lieutenant Colonel G. L. Prendergast.

13TH CORPS: Lieutenant General A. R. Godwin Austen.
Brigadier General Staff: Brigadier A. F. Harding.

Corps Troops
[Artillery: Two medium regiments: one anti tank regiment less one battery: three light anti aircraft batteries: one heavy anti aircraft regiment, and one heavy battery.]

4th Indian Division: Major General F.W. Messervy.
Central India Horse (less carrier squadron).
New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment.
[One medium and three field artillery regiments; one anti tank regiment plus one battery R.A.; one light anti aircraft regiment R.A., together with]
2nd South African Anti Tank Regiment.
5th Indian Infantry Brigade: Brigadier D. Russell.
7th Indian Infantry Brigade: Brigadier H.R. Briggs.
11th Indian lnfantry Brigade: Brigadier A. Anderson.

1st Army Tank Brigade: Brigadier H. R. B. Watkins.
8th Royal Tanks.
C Squadron 42nd Royal Tanks.
44th Royal Tanks.
[According to the U.K. Preliminary Narrative the establishment of this brigade was 147 tanks.]
Carrier Squadron Central India Horse.
8th Field Regiment R.A. (sixteen 25 pounders).
Troop light anti aircraft.

New Zealand Division: Major General B.C. Freyberg.
[Three field regiments, one anti tank and one anti aircraft regiment]
27th New Zealand Machine Gun Battalion.
28th (Maori) Battalion.
4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade: Brigadier L.M. Inglis.
5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade: Brigadier J. Hargest.
6th New Zealand Infantry Brigade: Brigadier H.E. Barrowclough.

30TH CORPS: Lieutenant General C. W. M. Norrie.

Corps Troops
Headquarters 6th S.A. Armoured Car Regiment.
One troop 122nd Light Anti Aircraft Battery R.A.
Two troops 1st S.A. Light Anti Aircraft Regiment.

7th Armoured Division: Major General W. H.E. Gott.
Advanced Headquarters (nine cruiser tanks).
11th Hussars (armoured cars).
1st King's Dragoon Guards (armoured cars) (less squadron).
4th S.A. Armoured Car Regiment: Lieut Colonel D. S. Newton King.
[Troops of anti tank and light anti aircraft artillery.]

7th Armoured Brigade: Brigadier G.M.O. Davy.
Headquarters (five cruiser tanks and five close support cruiser tanks)
7th Hussars (thirty seven cruiser and twenty Crusader tanks).
2nd Royal Tanks (fifty two cruisers)
6th Royal Tanks (forty nine Crusaders).
Two batteries of 4th Royal Horse Artillery (sixteen 25 pounders).
One troop 102nd Royal Horse Artillery (Northumberland Hussars) (anti tank).
Battery (less two troops) 1st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment R.A.
A Company 2nd Rifle Brigade.

22nd Armoured Brigade: Brigadier J. Scott Cockburn.
Headquarters (eight Crusaders).
C Battery 4th Royal Horse Artillery (eight 25 pounders).
One troop 102nd Royal Horse Artillery (Northumberland Hussars)(anti tank)
Battery (less two troops) 1st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment R.A.
3rd County of London Yeomanry (forty seven Crusaders and four close support tanks)
4th County of London Yeomanry (forty three Crusaders and five close support tanks).
2nd Royal Gloucestershire Hussars (forty seven Crusaders and four close support tanks).
B Company 1st King's Royal Rifle Corps.

7th Support Group: Brigadier J.C. Campbell.
3rd Royal Horse Artillery (thirty six 2 pounder anti tank guns).
203rd Battery 51st Field Regiment R.A. (twelve 25 pounders).
60th Field Regiment R.A. (twenty four 25 pounders).
12th Battery and troop 1st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment R.A.
1st King's Royal Rifle Corps (less company).
2nd Rifle Brigade (less company).

4th Armoured Brigade Group: Brigadier A.H. Gatehouse.
Headquarters (ten M.3 tanks).
8th Hussars (fifty one M.3 tanks).
3rd Royal Tanks (fifty two M.3 tanks).
5th Royal Tanks (fifty-two M.3 tanks).
2nd Royal Horse Artillery (twenty four 25 pounders).
102nd Anti Tank Regiment R.H.A. (Northumberland Hussars) (less battery).
122nd Light Anti Aircraft Battery R.A. (less troop).
2nd Scots Guards.

22nd Guards Brigade: Brigadier J.C.O. Marriott.
Squadron 6th S.A. Armoured Car Regiment (less one troop).
51st Field Regiment R.A. (twenty four 25 pounders) (less one battery).
73rd Anti Tank Regiment R.A. (less C Battery) (twelve 18 pounders: thirty six 2 pounders).
One battery (less two troops) 1st Light Anti Aircraft Regiment R.A.
3rd Coldstream Guards.
9th Rifle Brigade.
12th Anti Aircraft Brigade R.A. (Army Troops, under command of 22nd Guards Brigade).

1st South African Division: Major General G.E. Brink.
G.S.O.I: Colonel S. Joubert.
3rd S.A. Reconnaissance Battalion.
3rd S.A. Field Regiment (T.H.A.) (twenty four 25 pounders).
7th S.A. Field Regiment (twenty four 25 pounders).
7th.Medium Regiment R.A. (two 4.5 in. batteries).
1st S.A. Anti Tank Regiment (sixteen 18 pounders and forty eight 2 pounders).
1st S.A. Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (thirty six guns) (less six troops).
Regiment President Steyn (Machine Gun Battalion) (less 1st and 3rd Companies).

1st South African Infantry Brigade: Brigadier D.H. Pienaar.
1st Royal Natal Carbineers.
1st Transvaal Scottish.
1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles.
1st Company Regiment President Steyn.

5th South African Infantry Brigade: Brigadier B.F. Armstrong.
1st S.A. Irish.
2nd Regiment Botha.
3rd Transvaal Scottish.
3rd Company Regiment President Steyn.