We know all about Rommel and his Africa Korps and Montgomery’s X Corps. The Battle of El Alamein is one of the most famous battles of World War 2, but all of this took place in the North of Africa

Very little is known about the South African involvement in WWII.

During World War II, many South Africans saw military service. The Union of South Africa participated with other British Commonwealth forces in battles in North Africa against Erwin Rommel and his Afrika Korps, and many South African pilots joined the Royal Air Force and fought against the Axis powers in the European theatre.

On the eve of World War II, the Union of South Africa found itself in a unique political and military quandary. While it was closely allied with Great Britain, being a co-equal Dominion under the 1931 Statute of Westminster with its head of state being the British king…