WW2 SA 6th Armoured Division Framed Map. Signed By Field Marshal Montgomery.
A WW2 map of Italy bordered by the insignia of all the South African brigades involved in the Italian Campaign. The top displays the insignia of the 6 South African Armoured Division flanked by the insignia of the American Fifth Army and the British Eighth Army. The bottom states W.H. Evered Poole C.B. D.S.O. General Officer Commanding 6 South African Armoured Division. Below this is a signature in pen by "Montgomery of Alamein F.M." (Field Marshal). The map is in overall good vintage condition and is framed behind non-reflective glass. Please see images above.
Size (frame) : 64 x 54cm
The South African 6th Armoured Division was the first armoured division in the South African Army and was formed during World War II.
This division, the first true armoured division in South African military history, was formed in South Africa on 1 February 1943 from new recruits and units that had served in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd SA Infantry (and Armoured) Divisions. It was based on a nucleus of men from the former South African 1st Infantry Division who had returned to South Africa after the Second Battle of El Alamein. The Division was initially transferred to Egypt for training, after which the division landed at Taranto, Italy on 20 April 1944. In Italy, the Division was deployed as part of the British Eighth Army and was then transferred to the United States Fifth Army for the remainder of the Italian Campaign. The Division operated as a strongly reinforced division and was frequently used to spearhead the advance of the Corps and Army to which it was attached.
Despite leading the advance on Rome, the division was denied the honour of "taking" the city (entering the city first) by the United States Army. However, the division was one of the first allied units to enter Florence two months later. The division's active role in the war ended when the German forces in Italy surrendered on May 2, 1945. Major General WHE (Evered) Poole was the sole divisional commander during its existence.
They returned home after the end of the war in Italy and were disbanded in 1946.
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