British & Commonwealth Orders of Battle

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1 SA Infantry Div

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Old South African flag

1sasign1.gif (2464 bytes)

 

 

(1 SA Infantry Div symbol, early)

1sasign2.gif (3563 bytes)

 

(late symbol)

 


 1 SA Infantry Division
     
13-Aug-40 The division is formed in South Africa with HQ at the Military College
01-Jan-43 Returned to SA as part of plan to form two armd divisions
      

Commanders

13-Aug-40 Brig George Brink

10-Mar-42 Maj Gen DH Pienaar
    

Divisional Troops
Artillery

Antitank Brigades

1st Anti-Tank Brigade, SAA 25-Jan-41 12-Jun-41 reformed as atk regt

Antitank Regiments

1st Anti-Tank Regiment, SAA 01-Jun-41 01-Jan-43

Field Brigades

3rd Field Brigade, THA, SAA 29-Dec-40 11-Aug-41 reformed as fld regt

4th Field Brigade, SAA 13-Aug-40 30-Jul-41 reformed as fld regt

7th Field Brigade, SAA 13-Aug-40 11-Aug-41 reformed as fld regt

Field Regiments

1st Field Regiment, CFA,SAA 20-Apr-42 01-Jan-43

3rd Field Regiment, THA, SAA 11-Aug-41 25-Jun-42

4th Field Regiment, SAA 31-Jul-41 01-Jan-43

7th Field Regiment, SAA 11-Aug-41 01-Jan-43

Light Antiaircraft Regiments

1st Light Antiaircraft Regiment, SA Artillery 01-Sep-41 01-Jan-43
Engineers

Field Companies

12th Field Company, SA Engineers 13-Aug-40 02-Apr-41

1st Field Company, SA Engineers 13-Aug-40 01-Jan-43

2nd Field Company, SA Engineers 01-May-42 01-Jan-43

3rd Field Company, SA Engineers 03-May-41 01-Jan-43

5th Field Company, SA Engineers 05-Dec-40 01-Jan-43

Field Park Companies

19th Field Park Company, SA Engineers 01-Apr-42 01-Jan-43

21st Corps Field Park Company, SA Engineers 01-Dec-40 30-Apr-42
Infantry

2nd Regiment Botha 05-Feb-42 01-Jan-43

Machine Gun

B Coy, Die Middllandse Regiment 27-Jun-42 01-Jan-43

Regiment President Steyn 08-Jun-41 01-Jan-43
Ordnance

1st South African Division Ordnance 13-Aug-40 01-Jan-43
RAC

8th Royal Tank Regiment 27-Sep-42 05-Nov-42 (attached)
Recce

3rd SA Reconnaissance Battalion (later 3 SA Armd Car 01-Jun-41 31-Dec-42

Recce Regt)
Signals

1st South African Division Signals 13-Aug-40 01-Jan-43
ST

1st South African "Q" Services Corps 13-Aug-40 01-Jan-43
   

Brigades
1 SA Infantry Brigade 13-Aug-40 01-Jan-43

1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles 20-May-40 18-Jan-43

1st Royal Natal Carabineers 19-May-40 18-Jan-43

1st Transvaal Scottish 20-May-40 18-Jan-43
2 SA Infantry Brigade 13-Aug-40 01-Jan-43

1st Cape Town Highlanders 16-Apr-41 01-Jan-43

1st Field Force Battalion 01-Jan-40 01-Apr-41

1st Natal Mounted Rifles 23-May-40 01-Jan-43

1st/2nd Field Force Battalion 01-Apr-41 01-Jan-43

2nd Field Force Battalion 01-Jan-40 01-Apr-41
3 SA Infantry Brigade 20-Apr-42 01-Jan-43

1st Imperial Light Horse 08-Jun-40 01-Jan-43

1st Rand Light Infantry 08-Jun-40 01-Jan-43

1st Royal Durban Light Infantry 08-Jun-40 01-Jan-43
5 SA Infantry Brigade 13-Aug-40 23-Nov-41

1st South African Irish 08-Jun-40 23-Nov-41

2nd Regiment Botha 08-Jun-40 23-Nov-41

3rd Transvaal Scottish 08-Jun-40 23-Nov-41
       

Higher formations served under

East Africa Force 11-Nov-40 21-Apr-41

GHQ Middle East Forces 22-Apr-41 03-May-41

HQ British Troops Egypt 03-May-41 25-May-41

Western Desert Force 25-May-41 01-Oct-41

XXX Corps 01-Oct-41 13-Dec-41

8th Army 13-Dec-41 29-Jan-42

XXX Corps 29-Jan-42 30-Jan-42

XIII Corps 30-Jan-42 25-Jun-42

XXX Corps 25-Jun-42 15-Jul-42

9 Australian Infantry Division 15-Jul-42 18-Jul-42

XXX Corps 18-Jul-42 05-Nov-42

XIII Corps 05-Nov-42 30-Nov-42

GHQ Middle East Forces 30-Nov-42 01-Jan-43
      

Formations attached

25 East African Infantry Brigade 28-Dec-40 06-Apr-41

21 East African Infantry Brigade 27-Feb-41 06-Apr-41

Polish Ind Carpathian Rifle Brigade 03-Feb-42 18-Mar-42

Free French Brigade 03-Feb-42 10-Feb-42

6 SA Infantry Brigade 18-Mar-42 20-Apr-42
     

Theatres

South Africa 13-Aug-40 04-Nov-40

At Sea 04-Nov-40 11-Nov-40

East Africa 11-Nov-40 13-Jan-41

Abyssinia 13-Jan-41 08-Mar-41

East Africa 08-Mar-41 21-Apr-41

At Sea 22-Apr-41 03-May-41

Egypt 03-May-41 18-Nov-41

Libya 18-Nov-41 12-Dec-41

Egypt 12-Dec-41 30-Jan-42

Libya 30-Jan-42 15-Jun-42

Egypt 15-Jun-42 01-Jan-43
     

Battles, actions and engagements

1941

El Yibo 16-Jan-41 18-Jan-41

Turbi Road 24-Jan-41 25-Jan-41

Gorai 01-Feb-41 01-Feb-41

El Gumu 01-Feb-41 01-Feb-41

Hobok 02-Feb-41 02-Feb-41

Banno 08-Feb-41 09-Feb-41

Yavello Road 15-Feb-41 15-Feb-41

Mega 15-Feb-41 18-Feb-41

TOBRUK, 1941 18-Nov-41 10-Dec-41

1942

GAZALA 26-May-42 21-Jun-42

MERSA MATRUH 26-Jun-42 30-Jun-42

DEFENCE OF ALAMEIN LINE 01-Jul-42 27-Jul-42

Tel el Eisa 10-Jul-42 11-Jul-42

EL ALAMEIN 23-Oct-42 04-Nov-42

with thanks to David A Ryan for additional details

Order Today!: Pendulum of War: Three Battles at El Alamein
 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information