South African Army WW1 & WW2 - British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

BWEF · #1 30-01-11, 01:40 AM

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"?

Traist · #2 30-01-11, 10:44 AM

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

BWEF · #3 30-01-11, 02:32 PM

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.

johnG · #4 30-01-11, 05:26 PM

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.

BWEF · #5 30-01-11, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnG

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?

Traist · #6 30-01-11, 06:43 PM

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

johnG · #7 01-02-11, 08:43 AM

Thanks for that info Arthur; terrific stuff, and thanks to all the help I have been given on this forum I reckon I can put together a talk on the subject. Just one thing I still have to check out is if any bodies were recovered and if they are buried here in Southampton

The newsletter article mentions the 'South African National Museum of Military History'. Is that the same museum as the superb one, near the zoo on Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg. I went there several times and enjoyed every visit. Great, and thought provoking display of a Spitfire at the entrance - complete with bullet embedded in its windscreen (if 'windscreen' is the right word), I wonder if it is still there.

Traist · #8 01-02-11, 11:00 AM

That is the same museum. It is excellent.

BWEF · #9 01-02-11, 02:43 PM

Thanks for all feedback. I will contact sandfdoc and/or a researcher via ebay, as soon as I find the time.

Meanwhile, is it possible to tell the soldiers original unit from the number? This can be done for the British army:

http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/mm/...ce_numbers.htm

Also, does anybody have a list of the letters used with some of the South African numbers?

I have noticed both "C" and "M", which seem to be for the Cape Corps (C for Coloured?)) & Indian & Malay Corps (M for Malay?).

Also, a "V" suffix, which I assume stands for Volunteer? I have noticed this on the numbers of a lot of the troops of the 6th South African Armoured Division buried in Italy.

sabrigade · #10 02-02-11, 05:07 AM

If my memory serves me correct, there are approximately 30 plus prefixes for the Africa Service Medal.

The "V" prefix represents volunteer and is one of the more common types found.

Mr Gordon Bickley, a former stalwart member of the South African Medal Collectors Society, has compiled a list of the prefixes and there are specialist collectors in this field.

One of the most sought after medals is the one with the "SR" prefix for Southern Rhodesia. These were the only medals named in a group to a Rhodesian.

I will try get the full list and will then PM it to you.

BWEF · #11 03-02-11, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabrigade

If my memory serves me correct, there are approximately 30 plus prefixes for the Africa Service Medal.

The "V" prefix represents volunteer and is one of the more common types found.

Mr Gordon Bickley, a former stalwart member of the South African Medal Collectors Society, has compiled a list of the prefixes and there are specialist collectors in this field.

One of the most sought after medals is the one with the "SR" prefix for Southern Rhodesia. These were the only medals named in a group to a Rhodesian.

I will try get the full list and will then PM it to you.

Thanks for the information sabrigade. I look forward to seeing the list of prefixes, if you are able to come up with it.

I assume that it is not possible to identify a South African soldiers original unit from their number? Can you please confirm this, so that I can stop looking for the information.

Regards