British & Commonwealth Orders of Battle

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6 SA Armoured Div

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6 SA Armoured Division
 
01-Feb-43 The division is formed in South Africa
20-Apr-44       After a year training in Egypt, the division lands at Taranto, Italy
  

Commanders

01-Feb-43 Maj Gen WHE Poole
        

Divisional Troops
Artillery

Antitank Regiments

11th Anti-Tank Regiment, SAA 15-Feb-43 05-Oct-43

1st/11th Anti-Tank Regiment, SAA 05-Oct-43 08-May-45

Field Regiments

166th (Newfoundland) Field Regiment, RA 18-Aug-44 (attached)

1st/6th Field Regiment, CFA, SAA 05-Oct-43 08-May-45

22nd Field Regiment, SAA 15-Feb-43 05-Oct-43

23rd Field Regiment, SAA 15-Feb-43 05-Oct-43

4/22 Field Regiment, SA Artillery 05-Oct-43 08-May-45

6th Field Regiment, SAA 15-Feb-43 05-Oct-43

7th Field Regiment, SAA 01-Oct-43 05-Oct-43

Light Antiaircraft Regiments

12th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, SAAF 15-Feb-43 05-Oct-43

1st/12th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, SAAF 05-Oct-43 21-Jun-44

Medium Regiments

76th Medium Regiment, RA 13-Jun-44 05-Aug-44 (attached)

7th/23rd Medium Regiment, SAA 05-Oct-43 08-May-45
Engineers

Field Park Squadrons

17th Field Park Squadron, SA Engineers 15-Feb-43

Field Squadrons

12th Field Squadron, SA Engineers 15-Feb-43

622nd Field Squadron, RE 30-Jun-44 (attached)

8th Field Squadron, SA Engineers 15-Feb-43
Infantry

4th/13th Frontier Force Rifles 18-Aug-44 13-Jan-45 (attached)

74th Light Antiaircraft Regiment, RA (as inf) 25-Aug-44 28-Sep-44 (attached)

Cape Town Highlanders 01-Oct-43 05-Oct-43

Imperial Light Horse Sep-43 05-Oct-43

Support Battalion

"DSR" Mar-45 ? 08-May-45

Support Group

Royal Durban Light Infantry Dec-43 20-Jan-45
Medical

19th Field Ambulance, SAMC 05-Aug-44

20th Field Ambulance, SAMC 05-Aug-44
Recce

Natal Mounted Rifles 15-Feb-43 20-Jan-44
       

Brigades
11 South African Armoured Brigade 08-Feb-43 08-May-45

1st Pretoria Regiment 09-Feb-43 08-May-45

Prince Alfred's Guard 09-Feb-43 08-May-45

Special Service Battalion 09-Feb-43 08-May-45

ILH/KimR (Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment 05-Oct-43 24-Feb-45

The Kimberley Regiment 09-Feb-43 05-Oct-43

4th/13th Frontier Force Rifles 13-Jan-45 08-May-45
12 South African Motorised Brigade 08-Feb-43 08-May-45

1st Witwatersrand Rifles 09-Feb-43 30-Jun-43

FC/CTH (First City/Cape Town Highlanders Regiment) 05-Oct-43 08-May-45

Regiment de la Rey 09-Feb-43 30-Jun-43

Royal Natal Caribineers 28-Jul-43 08-May-45

The First City Regiment 09-Feb-43 05-Oct-43

WR/DLR (Witwatersrand/de la Rey Regiment) 30-Jun-43 08-May-45

RB/RPS (Regiment Botha/Regiment President Steyn) Mar-45 ? 08-May-45 heavy company,

arrived in Italy Mar-45?
13 South African Motorised Brigade 13-Jan-45 08-May-45

ILH/KimR (Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment 24-Feb-45 08-May-45

Natal Mounted Rifles 20-Jan-45 22-Jan-45

Natal Mounted Rifles/SAAF 22-Jan-45 08-May-45

Royal Durban Light Infantry 20-Jan-45 08-May-45

15th Field Regiment, SAA 20-Jan-45 08-May-45

RB/RPS (Regiment Botha/Regiment President Steyn) Mar-45 08-May-45 heavy company,

arrived in Italy Mar-45?

5th Field Company, SA Engineers 20-Jan-45 08-May-45

18th Motor Brigade Signals 20-Jan-45 08-May-45

19th Field Ambulance, SAMC 01-Feb-45 08-May-45
24 Guards Infantry Brigade 20-May-44 19-Feb-45

1st Battalion, The Scots Guards 01-Mar-40 31-Aug-45

3rd Battalion, The Coldstream Guards 13-Mar-44 28-Feb-45

5th Battalion, Grenadier Guards 05-Jun-42 28-Mar-45

23rd (Army) Field Regiment, RA 05-Apr-44 14-Aug-44

42nd Field Company, RE 13-Mar-44 10-Mar-45

201st Guards Brigade Workshop, REME 13-Mar-44 31-Aug-44

24th Independent Brigade Group (Guards) Workshop, REME 01-Sep-44 10-Mar-45

550th Company, RASC 05-May-44 10-Mar-45

137th Field Ambulance, RAMC 14-Aug-44 10-Mar-45

226th Field Ambulance, RAMC 21-Apr-44 14-Aug-44
 

Higher formations served under

HQ British Troops Egypt 01-May-43

III Corps 01-Jan-44 14-Mar-44

Egypt Force 14-Mar-44 14-Apr-44

8th Army Reserve 21-Apr-44 28-May-44

1st Canadian Corps 28-May-44 06-Jun-44

XIII Corps 06-Jun-44

8th Army Reserve 06-Aug-44 20-Aug-44

IV US Corps 20-Aug-44 07-Oct-44

5 US Army 07-Oct-44 31-Oct-44

IV US Corps 31-Oct-44 15-Jan-45

II US Corps 15-Jan-45 30-Apr-45

5 US Army 30-Apr-45
 

Theatres

South Africa 01-Feb-43 19-Apr-43

At Sea 19-Apr-43 30-Apr-43

Egypt 30-Apr-43 16-Apr-44

At Sea 16-Apr-44 21-Apr-44

Italy 21-Apr-44 08-May-45
 

Battles, actions and engagements

1944

ROME 22-May-44 04-Jun-44

Advance to the Tiber 22-May-44 04-Jun-44

Celleno 09-Jun-44 09-Jun-44

Bagnoregio 11-Jun-44 13-Jun-44

Allerona 15-Jun-44 15-Jun-44

TRASIMENE LINE 20-Jun-44 30-Jun-44

AREZZO 04-Jul-44 17-Jul-44

ADVANCE TO FLORENCE 17-Jul-44 10-Aug-44

Monte San Michele 18-Jul-44 20-Jul-44

Monte Domini 21-Jul-44 24-Jul-44

Monte Kili 21-Jul-44 23-Jul-44

Paula Line 30-Jul-44 04-Aug-44

GOTHIC LINE 25-Aug-44 22-Sep-44

Monte Porro del Bagno 15-Sep-44 18-Sep-44

Femmina Morta 17-Sep-44 18-Sep-44

Catarelto Ridge 28-Sep-44 03-Oct-44

Monte Vigese 30-Sep-44 06-Oct-44

Monte Stanco 07-Oct-44 13-Oct-44

Monte Salvaro 19-Oct-44 23-Oct-44

1945

BOLOGNA 14-Apr-45 21-Apr-45

Monte Sole 15-Apr-45 18-Apr-45

Camposanto Bridge 22-Apr-45 22-Apr-45

 

17 May 2009

 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information