On 8 September 1914 South Africa joined the WWI, on the side of the Allied Forces. On 15 July 1916, the S.A. Infantry Brigade was ordered to clear the wood at dÉlville, north-east of the village of Longueal, France, of enemy soldiers thereby covering the flanks of the British Brigade under Major-General H.T. Lukin.

On the 20th of July, after six days and five nights of ferocious fighting and no surrender, the brigade was relieved. Only 750 soldiers remained of the Brigade’s 3433 soldiers, the rest had either been killed or wounded. Members of the Black community were also involved in this battle as unarmed combatants and non/military personnel. Labourers, cooks, stretcher bearers etc.

The Battle of Delville Wood went down in the history of WWI as an example of extreme sacrifice and heroism and remained the most costly action the South African Brigade fought on the Western Front.

A memorial site was erected in the wood in remembrance of those who died in the Battle and was unveiled by the widow of General Louis Botha on 10 October 1926.

146 000 Whites volunteered for service in WWI, while altogether 83 000 Blacks and 2000 Coloured did service in non-combatant capacity.

Black Labour Contingent

Previously unseen image of South Africans in WII, and for a change it’s one of rest, camaraderie and a little fun. Here troops of the 4th South African Regiment are seen having a little fun during a rest period at Blangy, France, 3 May 1917.

Images copy right- Imperial War Museum.

Notwithstanding South Africa’s own contribution - Australia, new Zealand, Canada and especially Newfoundland were to be forever scarred by the massive contribution and loss of men to the war � so much so after the war, Newfoundland as an independent British Dominion ceased to exist � it had lost so many of its men in the war that it had to be incorporated into Canada to remain economically stable.

In Good Company

The mascot of a South African Regiment is the only animal in military history to be accorded full funeral honours and to be buried in an Allied War Cemetery.

She was Nancy, the famous springbok mascot of the 4th South African Infantry Regiment (Transvaal Scottish) who died of pneumonia at Hermeton in Belgium during the severe winter of 1918 during World War I.

Nancy began her career in March 1915, when her owner, Mrs McLaren-Kennedy of the farm Vierfontein in the Orange Free State, took her to Potchefstroom. Nancy was the family pet and was just over a year old when Mrs McLaren-Kennedy volunteered her for service.

“I feel” she wrote to General Lukin, “that if Nancy were adopted by a South African Regiment as a mascot, she would keep the memories of South Africa alive.

Commonwealth in Arms

ARE YOUR FOLKS ASHAMED OF YOU?

[MEN]

WWI 100 YEARS

Nancy

Wearing their distinct Murray of Atholl tartan kilts the 4th SA Infantry, the regiment was led by Lt Col.F.A Jones, DSO, and became known as the South African Scottish.

It was raised from the Cape Town Highlanders Regiment (A Company) while members of the 1st Bn Transvaal Scottish Regiment was made up mostly of the B Company. The C company came from the 2nd Transvaal Scottish Regiment. Recruits were encouraged to enlist by the Caledonian Societies of Natal and Orange Free State who made up D Company