The Pretoria Highlanders Regiment and the Madagascar Campaign, 1942

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dc.contributor.advisorKleynhans, Evert Philippus en_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorMonama, F. L.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMatloga, Philemon Morakaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Military Sciences. School for Security and Africa Studies. Dept. of Military History.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-10-17T07:10:11Z
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-08T14:01:59Z
dc.date.available2023-10-17T07:10:11Z
dc.date.available2024-01-08T14:01:59Z
dc.date.issued2023-12
dc.descriptionThesis (MMil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH 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.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Japannese toetrede tot die Tweede Wêreldoorlog in Desember 1941 het verreikende gevolge gehad vir die Geallieerdes se oorlogspoging sowel as die veiligheid en sekuriteit van die Unie van Suid-Afrika. Die Britte het die beskikbare inligting benut en bereken dat Madagaskar moontlik die teiken sou word van Japannese aggressie in die Indiese Oseaan. Die situasie was vererger deur die feit dat die Vichy Franse regering in Madagaskar goedgesind was teenoor die Spilmagte, en dat hulle heel moontlik Japan sou toelaat om operasionele basisse op die eiland te vestig. ʼn Besluit was dus geneem om Madagaskar in te val en te beset om sodoende te verhoed dat Japan die eiland oorneem. ʼn Britse taakmag, bekend as Taakmag 121, het die noorde van Madagaskar ingeval in Mei 1942, waarna Antsirane en die strategiese hawe van Diego Suarez beset is sonder groot teenstand deur die Vichy Franse magte. Ten spyte van die operasionele terugslag, was die Vichy Franse administrasie steeds in beheer oor die meerderheid van die eiland, en was hulle ongewillig om met die Geallieerdes te onderhandel. Dit was dus nodig vir die Geallieerdes om die hele Madagaskar te verower en te beset. Heelwat meer troepe was benodig vir so ʼn onderneming, en dus is die 7 Suid-Afrikaanse Infanterie Brigade, insluitende die Pretoria Highlanders Regiment, ontplooi om te help met die verowering en beset van Madagaskar. Nadat Japannese vlootmagte ʼn verassingsaanval geloods het op die Diego Suarez hawe in Mei 9142, was die finale besluit geneem om die res van Madagaskar te beset deur ʼn aantal offensiewe operasies te loods teen die Vichy Franse verdedigers. Die daaropvolgende Geallieerde offensiewe operasies was heeltemal suksesvol en na die Vichy Franse oorgawe in November 1942 is die Madagaskar veldtog voltooi. Die historiografie rakende die Tweede Wêreldoorlog is aansienlik breed. As die fokus verskuif word na Suid-Afrika se oorlogsdeelname, is die meerderheid van die historiese aandag gerig op die ontplooiing van die Unieverdedigingsmag na die veldtogte in Oos-Afrika, Noord-Afrika en Italië. Nietemin is daar groot leemtes in die algemene historiografie rakende die Madagaskar veldtog, en spesifiek op die ontplooiing van die 7 Suid-Afrikaanse Infanterie Brigade en die Pretoria Highlanders Regiment. Die leemte in die historiografie bestaan ten spyte van die groot hoeveelheid primêre argivale bronne oor die veldtog wat beskikbaar is in Suid-Afrika en die Verenigde Koninkryk. Die proefskrif ondersoek die deelname en ervaringe van die Pretoria Highlanders Regiment tydens die Madagaskar veldtog van die Tweede Wêreldoorlog. Sodoende vul die proefskrif ʼn duidelike leemte in die Suid-Afrikaanse krygsgeskiedenis en historiografie.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentxiii, 131 pages : illustrations
dc.identifier.urihttps://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/128869
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshUnion Defence Forceen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshWorld War, 1939-1945en_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.subject.otherPretoria Highlanders Regimenten_ZA
dc.subject.otherMadagascar Campaign, 1942en_ZA
dc.titleThe Pretoria Highlanders Regiment and the Madagascar Campaign, 1942en_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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