South Africa takes on the SS, and gets a street named after....

[Chris Boonzaier]

... the 6th Armoured division.

A Very interesting article...

http://www.henrileriche.com/2013/01/20/south-africas-forgotten-italy-war/

[Paul R]

Great read. Thanks for sharing Chris.

[Mervyn Mitton]

The 6th SA Armoured Division were under US command and performed exceedingly well. They came up with the SS in Northern Italy

and were accompanied by SA Infantry - including the Kimberley Regt. Some years ago we had the only US Cross of Honour to be awarded to a South African. This is the next highest to the Congressional MofH - which cannot be given to non US citizens.

I have not read the above post , however, the SS had been told to form defensive line positions to allow their main forces to escape.

I have forgotten the name of the young officer - however, I am sure it will be available. He was leading a platoon of his men and they

came across machine gun positions. He held his men back and advanced alone - it is recorded on his Award Certificate that he took

out 6 mg positions. He returned to his men and led them forward - he captured a further mg position and his platoon of some 20 men took over 80 SS troops. A very gallant affair. The US initially awarded a Silver Cross , however, when the medal was awarded in

South Africa some three years later, it had been up-graded to the Cross of Honour. The British awarded him a Mentioned in Despatches - this was because he was under US command. Still a miserable award - this was undoubtedly a VC action. Mervyn