The South African 2nd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the army of the Union of South Africa during World War II. The division was formed on 23 October 1940 and served in the Western Desert Campaign and was captured (save for one brigade) by German and Italian forces at Tobruk on 21 June 1942. The remaining brigade was re-allocated to the South African 1st Infantry Division.

History The division was formed on 23 October 1940 with its divisional HQ at Voortrekkerhoogte, South Africa. On 21 June 1942 two complete infantry brigades of the division as well as most of the supporting units were captured at the fall of Tobruk.

Bardia and the Western Desert The division capture of Bardia was part of the Libyan campaign against Rommel's Afrika Korps from November 1941 to January 1942. They defeated a numerically superior Axis force in a strongly fortified position with a combined infantry and tank force.

Order of battle 21 September 1941 3rd South African Infantry Brigade Comd. Brig. C. E. Borain Troops 1st Imperial Light Horse 1st Rand Light Infantry 1st Kaffrarian Rifles (under command from 1000 hrs 25 Dec. 41) B and C Companies, Durban Mounted Rifles (D.M.R.) 2nd South African Field Company, less one section One section, 10th South African Field Company One platoon, 4th Brigade Signal Company (under command from 1000 hrs 26 Dec.) 5th Brigade Signal Company, less one platoon 3rd South African Brigade 'Q' Services Company Three detachments, 14th South African Field Ambulance (under command from D.-1) With in support: One regiment, 1st Army Tank Brigade Artillery as arranged by C.R.A. Task: To attack Bardia through the perimeter defences as described in Para 6(a) and in Operation Instruction No. 21 (Appx 'A'). NORTHFORCE Comd. Lt. Col. J. Butler-Porter , 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry Troops 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry Section, 2nd South African Field Company Platoon, 5th Brigade Signal Company Detachment, 16th Field Ambulance (under command from 1000 hrs 26 Dec.) With in support: New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment, less one squadron Task: To contain and demonstrate against enemy forces within the perimeter along the general line of enemy defences from incl 51143960 – incl 51554030, in accordance with Operation Instruction No. 22 (Appx 'C'). KINGFORCE Comd. Lt. Col. W. Kingwell , Durban Mounted Rifles (D.M.R.) Troops Durban Mounted Rifles (D.M.R.), less B, C and D Companies and one platoon of A Company Two platoons, 7th South African Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion Detachment, 4th South African Field Company (under command from 1000 hrs 26 Dec.) With in support: One squadron, New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment Task: To contain and demonstrate against enemy forces along the general line of the perimeter defences from incl 51973860 – excl 51143960, in accordance with Operation Instruction No. 23 (Appx 'D'). SOUTHFORCE Comd. Maj. P. J. Jacobs, 7th South African Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion Troops 7th South African Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion, less one company and two platoons Detachment, 4th South African Field Company Detachment, 14th South African Field Ambulance (under command from 1000 hrs 26 Dec.) Task: To contain and demonstrate against enemy forces along the general line of perimeter defences from incl Marsa er Ramla 52423868 – excl 51973860, in accordance with Operation Instruction No. 24 (Appx 'E'). RESERVES Comd. Lt. Col. R. J. Palmer, 1st South African Police Troops One regiment, 1st Army Tank Brigade 1st South African Police Section, 4th South African Field Company Detachment, 14th South African Field Ambulance Task: To rendezvous by Zero and remain in an area selected by the force commander, not more than 5,000 yards from the perimeter defences, ready to carry out Phase 2 in accordance with Operation Instruction No. 25 (Appx 'D') on receipt of orders from the Division Commander.

"Fortress Tobruk"

Surrender

After the capture of the rest of the division, 3rd South African Infantry Brigade and the 1st Field Regiment of the Cape Field Artillery became part of the South African 1st Infantry Division.

Order of battle

Initial operational deployment: 2 December 1941 On 18 September 1941 the division was re-allocated from X Corps command to falling under General HQ command and were responsible for protecting the railway and water supply lines between Alexandria and Mersa Matruh. On 11 October, the Kaffrarian Rifles were detached from the division and deployed to protect the landing fields in the Daba-Fuka-Bagush area. On taking over responsibility for the Frontier area on 2 December 1941 the divisional order of battle, as part of the 8th Army was:

HQ 2nd Infantry Division (Maj-Gen I. P. de Villiers ) One Squadron, 6th South African Armoured Car Regiment Braforce (Brig. Medley) 2nd South African Infantry Brigade (Brig. W. H. E. Poole ) 4th South African Infantry Brigade (less one battalion) (Brig. A.A. Hayton ) 4th Field Regiment, S A Artillery One Battery, 5th Field Regiment, S A Artillery One Troop, 67th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery One Troop, 68th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery C and D Companies, Die Middellandse Regiment 3rd South African Infantry Brigade (Brig. C. E. Borain ): Imperial Light Horse 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry Rand Light Infantry 5th Field Regiment, S A Artillery (less one battery) 6th South African Infantry Brigade (Brig. F. W. Cooper ): 2nd Transvaal Scottish 1st South African Police Battalion 2nd South African Police Battalion 1st Field Regiment, Cape Field Artillery Railhead Force (Lt. Col. G. E. L. L'Estrange ): Umvoti Mounted Rifles Die Middellandse Regiment Detachment TDS (approx 30 "I" Tanks) 10th Field Company, South African Engineering Corps 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade Group

Order of battle: The Fall of Tobruk Order of Battle as at 20 June 1942

Division troops Die Middellandse Regiment (Machine-gun battalion) 7th South African Reconnaissance Battalion 2nd Field Regiment, Natal Field Artillery, South African Artillery 3rd Field Regiment, Transvaal Horse Artillery, South African Artillery 6th Anti-Tank Battery, South African Artillery 2nd Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, South African Artillery 2nd Battery, Cape Field Artillery (composed of men from Umtata, Transkei) 4th and 10th South African Field Companies, S A Engineers 4th South African Infantry Brigade 2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry Umvoti Mounted Rifles Kaffrarian Rifles Blake Group (a composite battalion ex 1 SA Div) 6th South African Infantry Brigade 1st South African Police Battalion 2nd South African Police Battalion 2nd Transvaal Scottish Regiment

Theatres of operation The theatres that the division served in were as follows:

South Africa: 23 October 1940 to 20 April 1941 At Sea: 20 April 1941 to 6 June 1941 Egypt: 6 June 1941 to 22 March 1942 Libya: 22 March 1942 to 21 June 1942

Battles, actions and engagements The division took part in the following battles, actions and engagements: Bardia: 31 December 1941 to 2 January 1942. Some 8,000 Allied prisoners of war were freed and some 6,000 Axis prisoners were taken. Clayden's Trench (Sollum): 11 January 1942 to 12 January 1942 Gazala: 26 May 1942 to 21 June 1942 Tobruk: 20 June 1942 to 21 June 1942. The number of South African prisoners taken at Tobruk has been recorded as 10,772

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