6th Armoured Division (South Africa)

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The South African 6th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the South African Army during World War II.

[edit] History

This division - the first armoured division in South African military history - 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 WHE Poole was the sole divisional commander during its existence.