South African Army WW1 & WW2
 

Does anybody know what it is possible to find out about South African soldiers in WW1 and WW2?

Can any of them be researched online, as per the AIF or the CEF?

Can anything be told from their army numbers? Were they issued in "blocks"?

Hi, If you have the names and numbers you can get the service records. The archives normally will do family members free of charge, but you will need a researcher to do it if you have lots. As far as I can see, you can't do it online. I have their e-mail address at work and will try and remember to get it for you tomorrow. Regards Andrew

Thanks Andrew, looking forward to seeing the information.

I don't have vast numbers of soldiers to look up, just the owners of a few identity discs that I have.

South African Soldiers in WW!
 

A rather different angle on the subject, but pencilled into my diary is my having been asked to give a talk in April or May on the approx 600 (?615)South African soldiers of a Labour Battalion who were lost as a result of a collision between two ships in the English Channel during WW1. I know the basic facts, but will have to research it much deeper over the next couple of months. Any info will be welcome, and I would like to show a picture of their cap badge, can anybody post a picture of one please.

Is your talk on the Mendi connected with the men named on Southampton's Hollybrook Memorial?

Hi John, you can look at http://www.navy.mil.za/newnavy/mendi...mendi_hist.htm . Regards Andrew

Mendi incident and Hollybrook
 

You have it right BWEF; Hollybrook does come into it. I must confess to knowing nothing about the scene as yet, and have not yet visited Hollybrook, but the situation is this: I have teamed up with the Vicar to form a local Historical Society.
The Vicar incidently is a tad over six feet tall, built like a brick out-house, fires a black-powder musket occasionally, clued up on military history, and would have been great as Padre in any regiment, a super bloke.
We are holding our first meeting on the Society in March, the Rev. is interested in following up information on the graves of Germans burried at Hollybrook, and I am looking into the South African Labour Corps angle, but only know about it from what I have picked up on the internet. Being partially sighted and disabled (I am 78) makes it a bit difficult for me to get around, so any leads or info on the above will be most welcome.

When I put together the talk I will follow it up with an article in the Society's newsletter, in which I would like to feature a picture of a badge of the SA Labour Corps and something of their history.
Regards,

john

SA Labour Bn.
 

Thanks for that link Traist. that is right on the money, and exactly the sort of thing I am looking for.......real background stuff.

Kindest regards,

John

Interesting stuff John.

I can't help with the cap badge. However, I am quite sure that some here can.

Meanwhile:

http://wessexarch.co.uk/projects/mar...endi/index.php

Is about the Mendi, and the link "A White Man's War" shows the SALC in uniform, badges can not be seen on their slouch hats.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/hampshir...00/8537404.stm

You might also be able to track down a copy of this documentary that was on BBC Radio 4:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00fgvbq

SA Labour Bn.
 

Some great links there BWEF, for which many thanks. Armed with that background , and my knowledge of South Africa/Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, I reckon I can put together a talk on the subject, but would be glad of any background on the regiment anybody may have.

Regards,

John

The e-mail for the service records is sandfdoc@mweb.co.za . Regards Andrew

When I put together the talk I will follow it up with an article in the Society's newsletter, in which I would like to feature a picture of a badge of the SA Labour Corps and something of their history.
Regards,

john[/QUOTE]

Hi John, The only thing I found in Owen was a title NLC . These type of titles were worn as slouch hat badges during WW1, as in the Boer War. They were also worn as shoulder titles. As far as the cap badge goes, I remember seeing a picture at a museum, and I am sure that they were wearing the General Service Cap badge "The goat in the porthole". Regards Andrew

Thanks andrew, that sounds as though it fits, and I will use that info.

I have found your November 2008 posting on the forum about the General Service badge but cannot download the picture it referred to in the form it appeared, and wonder if you have a picture, or line-drawing of the 'Goat in a Porthole' badge and would post it here please.

Best wishes,

John

Hi John, these badges came in different sizes and strikings. It appears that different groups arriving didn't always get them from the same manufacturer. I have seen group pictures with guys from the same regiment wearing 3 different versions of this badge. Anyway, this is 1 example that was used in France. Regards Andrew

Hi John

If it's of any interest, quite a bit of official attention has been given to the sinking of the Mendi in recent years. It's now up there with Delville Wood as the outstanding SA events of WWI. Inter alia:
- the naval strike craft SAS Frans Erasmus was renamed 'SAS Isaac Dyhoba' in honour of the padre who comforted the men as the Mendi was going down;
- one of the current naval corvettes is named SAS Mendi;
- the country's highest decoration for non-combat bravery is the Order of Mendi (in three classes - equivalent to the GC, GM, and QGM);
- a memorial to the Mendi victims was erected in Soweto

You may find this article useful - it includes a photo of the Mendi :
http://rapidttp.co.za/milhist/vol101gs.html

There seems to be some uncertainty as to whether the C in SANLC stood for 'Contingent' or 'Corps'.