WW2 Group to Basutoland

[Mervyn Mitton]

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We sometimes forget that Britain had a number of Territories in Southern Africa - separate

to South Africa and Rhodesia.

We controlled as Colonies - Bechuanaland ; Swaziland - and Basutoland.

When they became Independent territories in the 60's and 70's they all re-named

themselves - apart from Swaziland. Bechuanaland became Botswana - and Basutoland

became Lesotho.

The Sotho are a major tribe that stretch across the top of South Africa - the Ba Sotho - an off shoot clan,

settled into a very mountainous region between the Eastern Cape and the Orange Free State

and several wars were fought against them by the British - at least four VC's over the years.

Eventually they became a Crown Colony with an Administrator. What isn't generally known is

that all three Colonies supported Britain in both World Wars. Over 20,000 Basutos (as it was

eventually known) volunteered for service and were attached to the South African Command.

This meant they were in North Africa and Italy.

Being a British Colony their medals are not named - as for Britain. They were entitled to the Defence

Medal - which South Africans were not - and in the case of this group - the man went to Palestine

and was awarded his Army GSM.

[Mervyn Mitton]

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[Mervyn Mitton]

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[Mervyn Mitton]

YOU WILL SEE THAT HE WAS IN THE ARMY PAY CORPS.

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[paul wood]

YOU WILL SEE THAT HE WAS IN THE ARMY PAY CORPS.

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Have you got his service papers? was he APC for the duration of WWII.

Paul

[Mervyn Mitton]

Paul - no there were no papers. The group was brought down from Lesutho. They will be difficult to find

details for - Lesotho would probably not have them and in that case they would come under British Regs..

Had it not been for the GSM there would not have been a link and they would have gone down as British.

Mervyn

[1314]

Mervyn

Should refer to African Pioneer Corps,originally the African Auxilliary Pioneer Corps, a Regiment of The Royal Pioneer Corps.

Raised to provide manpower for construction,dock labour and transport duties.

The APC took men from all three High Commission Territories,post war serving in Egypt and Palestine.

Please see the following -

www.wartimememoriesproject.com

www.thuto.org/ubh/bw/ww/wwp2.htm

[Mervyn Mitton]

1314 - thankyou for that important correction. How easily in our minds we associate initials for something

we are familiar with - and are quite wrong. I had wondered why a Colonial soldier would be in the Paycorps ?

Mervyn

[peter monahan]

1314 - Thanks for the new information! 'Never too old... etc, etc'. I wondered the same thing - what would a Basuto, even a literate one [no slight intended there] have been doing in the Pay Corps. Noqw I know that there was an African Pioneer Corps. I knew there was an Indian one but had never made the leap to Africa. Thanks again. One wonders what the gent would have made of Palestine too. Not exactly on of the jewels in the crown of the King Emperor!

Edited April 2, 2012 by peter monahan

[Michael Johnson]

Quite an interesting unit. Several thousand of them trained and served as Gunners.with Heavy Antiaircraft Regiments in order to free up British personnel for reallocation to other regiments.

633 members of the APC were killed when the S.S. Erinpura was sunk by air attack.

Several gallantry awards, including two BEMs for firefighting at a POL depot fire. They were apparently also very good firemen.

Michael

Edited November 17, 2012 by Michael Johnson

[Mervyn Mitton]

Thanyou Michael for that additional info.. I have seen several to this unit since then. Mervyn

[Michael Johnson]

Thanyou Michael for that additional info.. I have seen several to this unit since then. Mervyn

The group you have is obviously a "full house". Companies which served in Syria and Lebanon would just have Defence, War and GSM, and late enlistments probably just War Medal and GSM.

Have you seen any other complete groups?

Michael