- Yes
- No
Introduction
Established in early 1943, the 6th South African Armoured division was a mechanised division representing the bulk of South Africa’s heavy armour during WW2. The division was composed of South African volunteers and integrated Allied forces. Under the command of Major General W.H.E. Poole, the division was trained in Egypt for much of 1943, before being deployed into the invasion of Italy alongside the British, Americans, and other Allies.
Over the course of the campaign, the 6th South African Armoured Division distinguished itself highly, including during the liberation of Florence and battles in the Apennine Mountains. It played a vital role in disrupting German defensive lines, utilising its tanks effectively, despite often being significantly outmatched by Axis armour. The Italian campaign was an absolute hellish slog, against well entrenched German forces, but the South Africans consistently managed to do more with less. By the end of the war, the division had a well-earned reputation as an effective fighting force, leaving a lasting legacy in South African military history.
The tank discussed in this suggestion is the M10 tank destroyer, known as the ‘Grouse’ in South African service. It is a lend-lease vehicle that served with the 6th, specfically the 1/11 Anti-Tank Regiment, SAA, representing the main self-propelled tank hunting capability of the division. It served from 1944 to the end of the war in the Italian campaign, attached to various other divisions, including the 11th Armoured and 24th Guards Infantry. At the end of the Italian Campaign, the M10 Grouse also took part in the Monza Victory parade, famously being photographed in full colour (above).
Specifications
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Images
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