South African Overseas Expeditionary Force

The South African Overseas Expeditionary Force (SAOEF) was a volunteer military organisation in World War I.

Organisation

The South African government formed the SAOEF in July 1915, as its contribution to the British war effort against the Central Powers. As South African legislation restricted the Union Defence Forces (UDF) to operating in southern Africa, an entirely new force, made up entirely of volunteers, had to be raised for service in other theatres of war.

Many volunteers came from UDF units, but they enrolled as individuals, not as contingents, and there was no formal link between SAOEF and UDF units as such.

The SAOEF consisted of several arms of service:
* SA Heavy Artillery
* SA Field Artillery
* SA Horse (mounted rifles): ten battalions
* SA Rifles (dismounted rifles): two battalions
* SA Infantry: twelve battalions
* Cape Corps: two infantry battalions and a labour battalion
* Engineer, signals, supply and transport, medical, and veterinary units
* SA Native Labour Contingent.

SAOEF units and formations did not serve as distinct South African forces, but were integrated into the British imperial armies and divisions in the field.

Campaigns

The SAOEF fought in four campaigns.

Egypt Campaign (1916)

The "1st SA Infantry Brigade" was deployed in British operations against the Sanusi in Egypt from January to March 1916. It fought in the battles of Halazin and Agagiya.

Western Front Campaign (1916-1918)

The "SA Heavy Artillery" and the "1st SA Infantry Brigade" fought in the trenches of the Western Front against German forces in France and Belgium, from May 1916 until the war in Europe ended on 11 November 1918. They fought in the battles of the Somme in 1916; Arras, Ypres, and Menin in 1917; and Passchendaele, Messines, Mont Kemmel, and Cambrai in 1918.

The two events of the campaign that are still commemorated are the Battle of Delville Wood (part of the Somme offensive), and the sinking of the troopship "Mendi", with the loss of more than 600 African members of the "SA Native Labour Contingent" (1917).

Two SAOEF members, Pte William Frederick Faulds and L Cpl William Henry Hewitt, won the Victoria Cross for gallantry.

German East Africa Campaign (1916-1918)

During the East African Campaign (World War I), there was strong South African participation and leadership. "SA Field Artillery", the "1st" and "2nd SA Mounted Brigades", the "2nd" and "3rd SA Infantry Brigades", and the "Cape Corps" fought in British operations against German forces in German East Africa (now Tanzania) from January 1916 until the war in Africa ended on 25 November 1918. Two South African generals, Lt. Gen. Jan Smuts and Lt. Gen. Sir Jacob van Deventer, commanded the operations. Their major battles were: Salaita Hill, Kilimanjaro, and Kondoa-Irangi in 1916; and Behobeho, Narungombe, and Nyangao in 1917.

Captain William Anderson Bloomfield won the Victoria Cross for gallantry.

Palestine Campaign (1917-1918)

The "SA Field Artillery" and the "Cape Corps" fought in British operations against Turkish forces in Palestine from August 1917 until the end of the war in November 1918. They fought in the battles of Gaza, El Mughar, and Nebi Samwil in 1917; and Tel Asur, Battle of Megiddo 1918, Sharon, and Nablus in 1918.

Disbandment

The SAOEF units and formations were disbanded in 1919. As there were no formal links between SAOEF units and the Union Defence Forces units which had provided their initial manpower, the SAOEF's war record, including its many honours, was not perpetuated by the UDF (except for the "Cape Corps" battle honours, which were allowed to the "SA Cape Corps Service Battalion" formed in 1973).

ee also

*Military history of South Africa

References

* Adler, F; Lorch A.E.; Curson, H.H. (1958). "The South African Field Artillery in German East Africa and Palestine".
* Brown, J.A. (1991) "They Fought for King and Kaiser".
* Buchan, John (1920). "The South African Forces in France".
* Collyer, J.J. (1939). "The South Africans with General Smuts in German East Africa".
* Digby, Peter (1993). "Pyramids and Poppies".
* Miller, C. (1974). "Battle for the Bundu".
* Nothling, C.J. (1994). "Suid-Afrika in die Eerste Wereldoorlog".
* Uys, Ian (1973). "For Valour - The Story of South Africa's Victoria Cross Recipients".
* Uys, Ian (1983). "Delville Wood".