Blog Archive

Wednesday 18 July 2018

The 6th South African Armoured Division

The 6th South African Armoured Division was the second armoured division of the South African Army and was formed during World War II. Established in early 1943, it was based on a nucleus of men from the former 1st South African Infantry Division who had returned to South Africa after the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942. The division was initially transferred to Egypt for training, after which it served in the Allied campaign in Italy during 1944 and 1945. In Italy, the division was initially deployed as part of the British Eighth Army, under command of Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese, and was then transferred to the U.S. Fifth Army, under Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark, 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.






Thursday 12 July 2018

Visit to the South African National War Museum

A couple of years ago I finally got do do a trip to the National War Museum in Johannesburg, For some strange reason my wife and daughter didn't want to come with so my brother-in-law and my daughters boyfriend and I made the trip, We arrived at about 09:00 and left at 17:00, so it was a day well spent (Apologies for the links not working, I have repaired them so all should be good)

Crashed GermanWW2 Messerschmidt Bf109 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_Bf_109)

GermanWW2 Messerschmitt Me 262 B-1a/U1 Nightfighter  This is the only one of this particular 

GermanWW2 PaK 38, 50-mm (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_cm_Pak_38)  
anti-tank gun and PaK 4075 mm  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.5_cm_Pak_40)

GermanWW2  8.8cm Flugzeugabwehrkanone (Flack) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8.8_cm_Flak_18/36/37/41)

South African Bush War to present G6 Rhino (http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/south_africa/rhino)



Allied WW2 Sherman M4 with composite hull
  (http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M4_Sherman.php)


Douglas C-47 Dakota used by the South African Air Force
  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_C-47_Skytrain)

South African Air Force Dassault Mirage III
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_Mirage_III)

South African Air Force Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.50
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Buccaneer)

British WW2 Diamler "Dingo" Scout Car (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimler_Dingo)

South African WW2 Marmon-Herrington M.IV Armoured car
(http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/south_africa/Marmon-Herrington_Mk4.php)

South African WW2 Marmon-Herrington M.I/II Armoured car
(http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/south_africa/Marmon-Herrington_MkII.php)

South African WW2 Marmon-Herrington M.III Armoured car
(http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/south_africa/Marmon-Herrington_MkIII.php)

British WW2 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarine_Spitfire)