Were the 1st, 2nd and 3rd SA Infantry Divisions part of the ACF?
 

Hello everyone,

Perhaps a stupid question, albeit one that I myself have not been able to find an answer to.

Were the 1st, 2nd and 3rd South African Infantry Divisions part of the Active Citizen Force during the second world war?

All I personally know is that most (if not all) units serving under the aforementioned divisions were part of the Active Citizen Force.

I don't know that the WWII divisions were regarded as being specifically Permanent Force or ACF, but rather as Union Defence Forces (Land Forces) formations.

As you say, most of the units were ACF -- or rather their "volunteer counterparts", as the ACF as such could not legally be deployed outside southern Africa. However, many of the senior officers, e.g. Maj Gens George Brink, Dan Pienaar and Hendrik Klopper were PF. Maj Gen I.P. de Villiers (2nd Div) was from the SA Police, which also fielded two battalions of volunteers for the 6th SA Inf Bde. Maj Gen Manie Botha (3rd Div) was, I think, a reservist.

All members, whether they came from the PF, ACF, the reserves, the SAP or the general public, had to attest specially for service "anywhere in Africa" (the so-called 'red oath').