Department of Military History

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Browsing Department of Military History by browse.metadata.advisor "Kleynhans, Evert Philippus"

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    The Pretoria Highlanders Regiment and the Madagascar Campaign, 1942
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-12 ) Matloga, Philemon Moraka; Kleynhans, Evert Philippus ; Monama, F. L.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Military Sciences. School for Security and Africa Studies. Dept. of Military History.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Imperial Japan’s entry into the Second World War in December 1941, held far-reaching consequences for the Allied war effort as well as for the safety and security of the Union of South Africa. British strategists using the available intelligence at their disposal, calculated that Madagascar might in due course become the target of Japanese aggression. Matters were compounded by the fact that the Vichy French administration of Madagascar was pro-Axis and could possibly allow Japan to establish forward operating bases on the island. A decision was thus taken by the Allies to invade and occupy Madagascar to prevent it falling into Japanese hands. Initially, a British-led expedition, designated Force 121, invaded northern Madagascar at the beginning of May 1942, and occupied Antsirane and the strategic harbour of Diego Suarez without meeting much opposition. Despite these setbacks, the Vichy French administration still occupied large parts of Madagascar and were unwilling to enter into negotiations with the Allies. Thus, it became necessary for the Allies to occupy and garrison the entire island. This course of action required more troops, which resulted in the 7 South African Infantry Brigade, including the Pretoria Highlanders Regiment, being deployed to Madagascar as garrison troops. After a limited Japanese naval attack on Diego Suarez at the end of May 1942, the final decision was taken to occupy the rest of Madagascar and conduct a series of offensive operations in the process against the Vichy French defenders. The subsequent Allied offensive operations were entirely successful and following the signing of an armistice in early November 1942, the Madagascar campaign was concluded. The historiography on the Second World War is immense. When the focus is narrowed down to South Africa’s participation in the war, the mainstay of historical attention remains centred on the major campaigns in which the Union Defence Force was involved – namely to East Africa, North Africa, and Italy. However, the historiography dealing with the Madagascar campaign in general, and the deployment of 7 South African Infantry Brigade and the Pretoria Highlanders Regiment in particular remain limited. This gap in the historiography persists despite the wealth of primary archival material that is available in South Africa and the United Kingdom. This study examines the participation and experience of the Pretoria Highlanders Regiment in the Madagascar campaign during the Second World War, and in doing so addresses an evident gap in South Africa’s military historiography.