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3rd Infantry Brigade (South Africa)
The 3rd South African Infantry Brigade was an infantry Brigade (military), brigade of the South African Army, army of the Union of South Africa during Military history of South Africa during World War II, World War II. The Brigade formed part of the 1st Infantry Division (South Africa), South African 1st Infantry Division and was formed on 13 August 1940. It served in the Libyan Desert, Western Desert and was disbanded on 1 January 1943. During the Western Desert Campaign (at the time of the Second Battle of El Alamein), the Officer Commanding was Brig. R.J. Palmer and the brigade comprised the following units:Orpen Vol III Appendix 4 *3rd Infantry Brigade(South Africa), 3rd South African Infantry Brigade ** 1st Imperial Light Horse SA Infantry Corps ** 1st Rand Light Infantry 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 Citations Bibliograp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Union Of South Africa
The Union of South Africa ( nl, Unie van Zuid-Afrika; af, Unie van Suid-Afrika; ) was the historical predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into existence on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange River colonies. It included the territories that were formerly a part of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. Following World War I, the Union of South Africa was a signatory of the Treaty of Versailles and became one of the founding members of the League of Nations. It was conferred the administration of South West Africa (now known as Namibia) as a League of Nations mandate. It became treated in most respects as another province of the Union, but it never was formally annexed. Like Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the Union of South Africa was a self-governing dominion of the British Empire. Its full sovereignty was confirmed with the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and the Statute of Westminster 1931. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South African Army
The South African Army is the principal land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Service. The Army is commanded by the Chief of the Army, who is subordinate to the Chief of the SANDF. Formed in 1912, as the Union Defence Force in the Union of South Africa, through the amalgamation of the South African colonial forces following the unification of South Africa. It evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by Boer Commando (militia) forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies. Following the ascension to power of the National Party, the Army's long-standing Commonwealth ties were afterwards cut. The South African Army was fundamentally changed by the end of Apartheid and its preceding upheavals, as the South African Defence Force became the SANDF. This process also led to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine infantry. Although disused in modern times, heavy infantry also commonly made up the bulk of many historic armies. Infantry, cavalry, and artillery have traditionally made up the core of the combat arms professions of various armies, with the infantry almost always comprising the largest portion of these forces. Etymology and terminology In English, use of the term ''infantry'' began about the 1570s, describing soldiers who march and fight on foot. The word derives from Middle French ''infanterie'', from older Italian (also Spanish) ''infanteria'' (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin '' īnfāns'' (without speech, newborn, foolish), from which English also gets '' infant''. The individual-soldier term ''infantry ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brigade (military)
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Brigades formed into divisions are usually infantry or armored (sometimes referred to as combined arms brigades). In addition to combat units, they may include combat support units or sub-units, such as artillery and engineers, and logistic units. Historically, such brigades have sometimes been called brigade-groups. On operations, a brigade may comprise both organic elements and attached elements, including some temporarily attached for a specific task. Brigades may also be specialized and comprise battalions of a single branch, for example cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, air defence, aviation, engineers, signals or logistic. Some brigades are classified as independent or separate and operate independently from the traditional divi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Military History Of South Africa During World War II
During World War II, many South Africans saw military service. The Union of South Africa participated with other British Empire forces in battles in North Africa against Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps, and many South African pilots joined the Royal Air Force and fought against the Axis powers in the European theatre. Political choices at outbreak of war On the eve of World War II, the Union of South Africa found itself in a unique political and military quandary. While it was closely allied with the United Kingdom, being a co-equal Dominion under the 1931 Statute of Westminster with its head of state being the British king, the South African Prime Minister and head of government on 1 September 1939 was J.B.M. Hertzog – the leader of the pro-Afrikaner and anti-British National Party. The National Party had joined in a unity government with the pro-British South African Party of Jan Smuts in 1934 as the United Party. After Adolf Hitler's forces attacked Poland on 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1st Infantry Division (South Africa)
The 1st South African Infantry Division was an infantry division of the army of the Union of South Africa. During World War II 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 South African Armoured Division. The division was also briefly active after the war from 1 July 1948 to 1 November 1949.South African Defence Review via http://www.rhodesia.nl/sadfhist.htm Outbreak of war When Neville Chamberlain 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 Septemb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Libyan Desert
The Libyan Desert (not to be confused with the Libyan Sahara) is a geographical region filling the north-eastern Sahara Desert, from eastern Libya to the Western Desert of Egypt and far northwestern Sudan. On medieval maps, its use predates today's Sahara, and parts of the Libyan Desert include the Sahara's most arid and least populated regions; this is chiefly what sets the Libyan Desert apart from the greater Sahara. The consequent absence of grazing, and near absence of waterholes or wells needed to sustain camel caravans, prevented Trans-Saharan trade between Kharga (the Darb al Arbein) close to the Nile, and Murzuk in the Libyan Fezzan. This obscurity saw the region overlooked by early European explorers, and it was not until the early 20th century and the advent of the motor car before the Libyan Desert started to be fully explored. Nomenclature The term 'Libyan Desert' began to appear widely on European maps in the last decades of the 19th century, typically identified ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
3rd Infantry Brigade(South Africa)
The 3rd Infantry Brigade was a Regular Army infantry brigade of the British Army, part of the 1st Infantry Division. Originally formed in 1809, during the Peninsular War, the brigade had a long history, seeing action in the Second Anglo-Afghan War, and during both the First and the Second World Wars. Formation The 1st Division was formed during the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal, part of the army commanded by General Arthur Wellesley, later 1st Duke of Wellington. In 1814, the 3rd brigade took part in the Battle of New Orleans, commanded by Lt. Gen. John Keane. It also took part in the Battle of Ali Masjid in November 1878 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. As the Second Boer War ended in 1902 the army was restructured, and a 2nd Infantry division was established permanently as part of the 1st Army Corps, comprising the 3rd and 4th Infantry Brigades. First World War The brigade saw service during the First World War as part of the British Expeditionary Force o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Imperial Light Horse
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texas * Imperial, West Virginia * Imperial, Virginia * Imperial County, California * Imperial Valley, California * Imperial Beach, California Elsewhere * Imperial (Madrid), an administrative neighborhood in Spain * Imperial, Saskatchewan, a town in Canada Buildings * Imperial Apartments, a building in Brooklyn, New York * Imperial City, Huế, a palace in Huế, Vietnam * Imperial Palace (other) * Imperial Towers, a group of lighthouses on Lake Huron, Canada * The Imperial (Mumbai), a skyscraper apartment complex in India Animals and plants * '' Cheritra'' or imperial, a genus of butterfly Architecture, design, and fashion * Imperial, a luggage case for the top of a coach * Imperial, the top, roof or second-storey compartment ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rand Light Infantry
The Rand Light Infantry (RLI) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve unit or United States Army National Guard unit. History Origin The history of this Regiment dates back to the ''Transvaal Cycle Corps'', which was formed in Johannesburg on 1 October 1905 from the Bicycle Section of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment. A small section of this unit subsequently took part in the suppression of the Bambata Rebellion in Zululand. After its return from this conflict the unit recognised the possibilities of mechanisation and members of the Regiment manufactured three armoured cars, creating a motorised fighting unit. This led to the renaming of the unit in 1909 to the ''Transvaal Cycle and Motor Corps''. On 1 July 1913 the Regiment was renamed the ''11th Infantry (Rand Light Infantry)'' and transferred to the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force. Simultaneously, the unit was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Durban Light Infantry
The Durban Light Infantry is a Motorised Infantry regiment of the South African Army. It lost its status as a Mechanised infantry regiment in 2010 in line with the rationalisation of resources. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. History Origin The Regiment was formed as the ''D’Urban Volunteer Guard'', in May 1854. In 1859 the unit became the ''Durban Rifle Guard''. In 1873 the unit became known as the ''Royal Durban Rifles''. In 1889 the unit became known as the ''Natal Royal Rifles (Left half Battalion)''. In 1895 it became the ''Durban Light Infantry''. With the Union Defence Force On the constitution of the ''Union Defence Force'' in 1912, the Unit became the ''Durban Light Infantry'', renamed the ''1st Infantry, (Durban Light Infantry)''. In consequence the Unit was permitted to add to its badge " ''in Africa"'', the motto retained by the unit today in recognition of its foun ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
