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6th South African Armoured Division
6th South African Armoured Division
	; Shoulder flash. Triangles of green and yellow felt.
Active	1 February 1943 - 2 May 1945
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Allies of World War II
Branch	Army
Type	Armour
Size	Division
Colors	Green and Yellow
Engagements	Italian Campaign
Disbanded	1946
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Maj-Genl WH Evered Poole

The South African 6th Armoured Division was the first armoured division in the military history of South Africa. It was formed during World War II and, equipped with tanks and armoured cars, served with great distinction as part of the British Eighth Army and the Fifth United States Army during the Italian Campaign.

[edit] History

Field Marshal JC Smuts (Prime Minister), Maj-Gen Poole (GOC) and Lt-Gen Sir Pierre van Ryneveld (SA Chief of Staff), in Chiusi, Italy, 24 June 1944

This division was formed in South Africa on 1 February 1943 out of the remnants of the earlier South African 1st and 2nd Infantry Divisions. After completing its training in Egypt, the division landed at Taranto, Italy on 20 April 1944; the division was destined to fight exclusively in Italy during its existence.

Having formed part of British 8th Army's reserve, the division was attached at the end of May 1944 to Canadian I Corps after the Canadians and Poles of Polish II Corps had breached the Hitler Line north of Cassino. Whilst the U.S. 5th Army on the left of the Allied front marched into Rome, 8th Army continued to drive north with the Division now forming part of British XIII Corps. The division was one of the first allied units to enter Florence two months later. During the autumn 1944 Allied offensive on the Gothic Line and the spring offensive in 1945 the Division was part of U.S. 5th Army's IV Corps.

The division's active role in the war ended when the German forces in Italy surrendered on 2 May 1945.

Major General W.H.E. Poole was the sole divisional commander during its existence.^[1]^[2]

General Poole gave the campaign statistics regarding South African casualties as follows: Killed - 711; wounded - 2 675; missing - 157; total - 3 543.

[edit] Higher formations served under

List of higher formations^[3]
Higher formation	From	To
HQ British Troops Egypt	1 May 1943
III Corps	1 January 1944	14 March 1944
Egypt Force	14 March 1944	14 April 1944
8th Army Reserve	21 April 1944	28 May 1944
1st Canadian Corps	28 May 1944	6 June 1944
XIII Corps	6 June 1944
8th Army Reserve	6 August 1944	20 August 1944
IV US Corps	20 August 1944	7 October 1944
5 US Army	7 October 1944	31 October 1944
IV US Corps	31 October 1944	15 January 1945
II US Corps	15 January 1945	30 April 1945
5 US Army	30 April 1945

[edit] Brigades under command

[edit] 11 South African Armoured Brigade

(8 February 1943 to 8 May 1945)

Unit	duration
1st Pretoria Regiment	09 Feb 43 – 08 May 45
Prince Alfred's Guard	09 Feb 43 – 08 May 45
Special Service Battalion	09 Feb 43 – 08 May 45
Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment	05 Oct 43 – 24 Feb 45
The Kimberley Regiment	09 Feb 43 – 05 Oct 43
4th/13th Frontier Force Rifles	13 Jan 44 – 08 May 45

[edit] 12 South African Motorised Brigade

(8 February 1943 to 8 May 1945)

Unit	Duration
1st Witwatersrand Rifles	09 Feb 43 – 30 Jun 43
First City/Cape Town Highlanders Regiment	05 Oct 43 – 08 May 45
Regiment de la Rey	09 Feb 43 – 30 Jun 43
Royal Natal Carbineers	28 Jul 43 – 08 May 45
The First City Regiment	09 Feb 43 – 05 Oct 43
Witwatersrand Regiment/de la Rey Regiment	30 Jun 43 – 08 May 45
Regiment Botha/Regiment President Steyn (heavy company)	Mar 45?–08 May 45

[edit] 13 South African Motorised Brigade

(13 January 1945 to 8 May 1945)

Unit	duration
Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment	24 Feb 45 – 08 May 45
Natal Mounted Rifles	20 Jan 45 – 22 Jan 45
Natal Mounted Rifles/SAAF	22 Jan 45 – 08 May 45
Royal Durban Light Infantry	20 Jan 45 – 08 May 45
15th Field Regiment, SAA	20 Jan 45 – 08 May 45
Regiment Botha/Regiment President Steyn	Mar 45 – 08 May 45
5th Field Company, SA Engineers	20 Jan 45 – 08 May 45
18th Motor Brigade Signals	20 Jan 45 – 08 May 45
19th Field Ambulance, SA Medical Corps	01 Feb 45 – 08 May 45

[edit] 24th Guards Infantry Brigade

(20 May 1944 to 19 February 1945)

Unit	duration
1st Battalion, The Scots Guards	01 Mar 44 – 31 Aug 45
3rd Battalion, The Coldstream Guards	13 Mar 44 – 28 Feb 45
5th Battalion, Grenadier Guards	05 Jun 42 – 28 Mar 45
23rd (Army) Field Regiment, RA	05 Apr 44 – 14 Aug 44
42nd Field Company, RE	13 Mar 44 – 10 Mar 45
201st Guards Brigade Workshop, REME	13 Mar 44 – 31 Aug 44
24th Independent Brigade Group (Guards) Workshop, REME	01 Sep 44 – 10 Mar 45
550th Company, RASC	05 May 44 – 10 Mar 45
137th Field Ambulance, RAMC	14 Aug 44 – 10 Mar 45
226th Field Ambulance, RAMC	21 Apr 44 – 14 Aug 44

[edit] Theatres of operation

South Africa, 1 February to 19 April 1943
At sea,19th to 30 April 1943
Egypt, 30 April 1943 to 16 April 1944
At sea, 16 April to 21 April 1944
Italy, 21 April 1944 to 8 May 1945

[edit] Battles, actions and engagements

Sherman Firefly tanks of Pretoria Regiment in Italy in 1944

Battle, action or engagement	From	To
1944
ROME	22 May 44	04 Jun 44
Advance to the Tiber	22 May 44	04 Jun 44
Celleno	09 Jun 44	09 Jun 44
Bagnoregio	11 Jun 44	13 Jun 44
Allerona	15 Jun 44	15 Jun 44
TRASIMENE LINE	20 Jun 44	30 Jun 44
AREZZO	04 Jul 44	17 Jul 44
ADVANCE TO FLORENCE	17 Jul 44	10 Aug 44
Monte San Michele	18 Jul 44	20 Jul 44
Monte Domini	21 Jul 44	24 Jul 44
Monte Kili	21 Jul 44	23 Jul 44
Paula Line	30 Jul 44	04 Aug 44
GOTHIC LINE	25 Aug 44	22 Sep 44
Monte Porro del Bagno	15 Sep 44	18 Sep 44
Femmina Morta	17 Sep 44	18 Sep 44
Catarelto Ridge	28 Sep 44	03 Oct 44
Monte Vigese	30 Sep 44	06 Oct 44
Monte Stanco	07 Oct 44	13 Oct 44
Monte Salvaro	19 Oct 44	23 Oct 44
1945
BOLOGNA	14 Apr 45	21 Apr 45
Monte Sole	15 Apr 45	18 Apr 45

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ Gomm, Neville (June 1972). "The South African Army College". The South African Military History Society Journal (Volume 2, No. 3). SA ISSN 0026-4016. http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol023ng.html.
^ Beyers C.J., Dictionary of South African Biography, Volume V, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, 1987
^ British & Commonwealth Orders of Battle

[edit] External links

[0] Gomm, Neville (June 1972). "The South African Army College". The South African Military History Society Journal (Volume 2, No. 3). SA ISSN 0026-4016. http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol023ng.html.

[1] Beyers C.J., Dictionary of South African Biography, Volume V, Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, 1987

[2] British & Commonwealth Orders of Battle

[1]

[2]

[3]

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