South African Overseas Expeditionary Force
| South African Overseas Expeditionary Force | |
|---|---|
Cap badge of the 1st SA Infantry Brigade
|
|
| Active | 1915–1919 |
| Country |
 Union of South Africa
|
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Engagements | Egypt Campaign (1916) Western Front Campaign (1916–1918) German East Africa Campaign (1916–1918) Palestine Campaign (1917–1918) |
| Decorations | Pte William Frederick Faulds VC L Cpl William Henry Hewitt VC Captain William Anderson Bloomfield VC |
| Battle honours |
Belatedly awarded to the 1915 Cape Corps in 1973:
|
| Disbanded | 1919 |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Lt-Genl Jan Smuts Lt-Genl Sir Jacob van Deventer Maj-Genl Sir Henry Timson Lukin |
Belatedly awarded to the 1915 Cape Corps in 1973:
The South African Overseas Expeditionary Force (SAOEF) was a volunteer military organisation in World War I.
The South African government formed the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force (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 of volunteers, had to be raised for service in other theatres of war. As they were not officially a South African force, the SAOEF was placed under British operational command for operations on the Western Front.
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:
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.
The SAOEF fought in four campaigns.
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.
The 1st SA Infantry Brigade was deployed in British operations against the Sanusi in Egypt from January to March 1916. It fought in the Action of Halazin and the Action of Agagiya.
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Wikipedia