|
|allegiance=Allies |branch=South African Army |type=Armour |role= |size=Division |command_structure= |garrison= |garrison_label= |nickname= |patron= |motto= |colors=Green and Yellow |colors_label= |march= |mascot= |equipment= |equipment_label= |battles=Italian Campaign |anniversaries= |decorations= |battle_honours= |disbanded=1946 |commander1=Feb 1943 to May 1945: Major General William John 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〕 |commander1_label=Commander |notable_commanders= |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_label= }} }} The South African 6th Armoured Division was the first armoured division in the South African Army and was formed during World War II. Established in 1943, it was based on a nucleus of men from the former South African 1st Infantry Division who had returned to South Africa after the Second Battle of El Alamein. The division was initially transferred to Egypt for training, after which it served in Italy during 1944 and 1945. In Italy, the Division was deployed as part of the British Eighth Army and was then transferred to the United States Fifth Army for the remainder of the Italian Campaign. The Division operated as a strongly reinforced division and was frequently used to spearhead the advance of the Corps and Army to which it was attached. They returned home after the end of the war in Italy and were disbanded in 1946. The division was also briefly active after the war from 1 July 1948 to 1 November 1949. ==Founding== The possibility of forming a South African armoured division was discussed as early as April 1941 between Major-General George Brink, Commander of the South African 1st Infantry Division and Prime Minister (Field Marshal) Smuts. At this time, South Africa was struggling to maintain the manpower levels needed to sustain two infantry divisions in the field. The 3rd Division was based in South Africa and was to provide the pool from which reinforcements were drawn to supplement the 1st and 2nd Divisions. All South Africans serving outside of South Africa were volunteers and far fewer men than expected volunteered their services and the view was held that if this trend continued, it would be necessary to convert one infantry division to an armoured division, as an armoured division would require fewer men. Later, the vision was to establish two armoured divisions, as lower manpower levels became more pronounced.〔Orpen (1975) p. 1〕 After the Second Battle of El Alamein, the 1st Infantry Division was withdrawn to Quassasin with the understanding that its 1st Brigade would return to South Africa to regroup with the 7th Infantry Brigade (at this time the 7th Infantry Brigade was in Madagascar) to form the 1st South African Armoured Division. 1st Infantry Division's 2nd and 3rd Brigades would remain in Egypt to form the 6th South African Armoured Division which would replace the 2nd Infantry Division which had been captured at Tobruk in June 1942.〔 By January 1943, the Allied leaders had decided at the Casablanca Conference to pursue the war by invading Sicily, reducing the need for the number of armoured divisions as compared to those needed in the Western Desert.〔Orpen (1975) p. 2〕 This, together with further manpower shortages led to the plans for a 1st South African Armoured Division being abandoned, with only the 6th Division being considered viable. All of the 1st South African Infantry Division brigades were returned to South Africa for re-training and amalgamation with other units to form the nucleus of the armoured division. The division was officially formed in South Africa on 1 February 1943 with Major-General W.H.E. Poole as commander and sailed for Port Tewfik in Suez on 30 April 1943 as a two brigade division, comprising 11th Armoured Brigade and 12th Motorised Brigade.〔Orpen (1975) p. 3, 7〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「6th Armoured Division (South Africa)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|