Category: South African Armed Forces

A booklet with postcard-size photographs of ships in some way connected with South Africa, with an accompanying page of text describing some notable event of the war. Covers not only warships and troopships but also merchantmen. Intended as the first of a series.

HARRIS, C. J. with WILLIAMS, R. Copey's Castle: The Story of (HM)SAS Unitie. viii, 209p., illus., index. Cape Town: Unitie Trust, 1996. ISBN: 0620195762.

A history of the naval training establishment opened in 1905 and nicknamed for its first Commander. It was completed by Williams after Harris's death.

GORDON-CUMMING, H. R. Official History of the South African Naval Forces during the Second World War (1939-45). xix, 352p., illus., index. Simon's Town: Naval Heritage Trust of South Africa, 2008. ISBN: 0620432764.

The first narrative of the South African Naval Forces during the Second World War was written by Cdr H.R. Gordon-Cumming for the Union War Histories Section in the Office of the Prime Minister and appears to have been completed in December 1950. A number of chapters from this work were included in War In the Southern Oceans 1939-45 which was published by OUP in 1961.This was co-authored by Gordon-Cumming, and became known as the “short history”, drawing on material now published in full for the first time as the “long history”.

TURNER, L. C. F., GORDON–CUMMING, H. R., & BETZLER, J. E. War in the Southern Oceans 1939–45.(Department of the Prime Minister: Union War Histories Section). xvi, 288p., bibliog., illus., index. Cape Town: OUP, 1961.

The official history of the war in South African waters. Covers all actions in the theatre and not just those of South African vessels.

Continues his fictionalised autobiography with an account of recovery from wounds in a South African naval hospital, the work of the coastal minesweepers at Cape Town and a return to civilian life in the Diplomatic Service in 1945.

A factionalised account of the operations of the South African whalecatchers which operated in the Mediterranean.

First published as a newspaper article in the Week-end Argus. A light-hearted account of the dog from the Simonstown base. A revised and expanded version was published by Spectrum in 1968.

The dog which ran HMS Afrikander at Simonstown from 1939 to 1944.

Another light account of the much loved dog from Simonstown.

The Official History covering the Home Front and with much on the naval situation.

A pamphlet recording the wartime commission of HMS Good Hope, as an establishment for the promotion and training of temporary RNVR officers of the South African Naval Forces and those of other Dominion Navies. It has the flavour of a school magazine.

A limited edition of 1,000 copies lovingly recalling the work of this short-lived group who took over work which released men for sea service.

A popular and anecdotal series of tales of the South African Navy and of those South Africans who served with the RN. Covers everything from service on Arctic convoys to HMSAS Natal's U-boat sinking exploit.

A good general history with seventy pages on WWII.

An autobiography. He joined up as an Able Seaman in the Seaward Defence Force in mid-1940, working on the converted minesweepers protecting the Cape. After seventeen months of fruitless patrols he took a commission after training at "Copey's Castle". As the South African Forces expanded he rose rapidly through the ranks of the local minesweeping and escort forces. In mid-1943 he commissioned HDML 1202 used for anchorage patrol off Durban. He soon moved back to escort vessels, by 1944 with his own command of a converted whalecatcher, where he stayed until wars end. A fairly factual account of his war is enlivened with anecdotes and interwoven with a full history of submarine warfare in South African waters.

The little known maritime squadron of the SAAF operated crash boats recovering survivors of plane crashes, maritime disasters and sinkings. Has extensive coverage of their wartime record.

The book is in three chronological sections with one devoted to the WWII Navy, largely ex-trawlers and whalers. A well-illustrated and full account, with career details.

The South African author served for 14 months on the cruiser Cornwall, mainly in the Indian Ocean, until her sinking. He then held various appointments in South African waters, all of which are described.

The book places on record the thanks of a representative 6,000 soldiers, sailors, and airmen who benefited from the hospitality of the South African Womens' Auxiliary Services. Amongst other things contains a great deal of information on warships which called at South African ports and on the WS series of convoys. A limited edition of 700 copies.

A pamphlet reference work on the record of the South African Naval Force.