The South African Navy in WW2

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The South African Navy (SA Navy) is the naval warfare branch of the South African National Defence Force.
The Navy is primarily engaged in maintaining a conventional military deterrent, participating in counter-piracy operations, fishery protection, search and rescue, and upholding maritime law enforcement for the benefit of South Africa and its international partners.
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#ww2 #wwii #worldwar2 #history #warships #navy

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

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[@henrydekock4398]

Hindden wrong flag wrong flag

[@malcolmmoodie6512]

Wrong flag , get the flag correct for WW 2

[@johnlamb3101]

Totally agree. Remove Mandela’s blanket from the post. Ugh! Get the OranjeBlanjeBlou in the post - fast.

[@unstoppabletigertalukan6710]

​​@@johnlamb3101wrong We only got independence after WW2 Our flag would have been the union jack or if you want to be technical That red flag with the union jack at the top left that all the colonies got

[@bullitzfromabove5376]

@@unstoppabletigertalukan6710 wrong, we used the same flag as the original oranje independence flag, we were a colony of the commonwealth. Australia, NZ, Canada and South Africa all used unique flags as we were main colonies. Only sub colonies used the Union jack such as Egypt, falklands, Tuvalu, Uganda. Get history right

[@SesethuNomqhuphu]

your 💩💩flag is not recognized booeeer

[@spheleleNgubane-wf4de]

@@johnlamb3101 It seems you don't want a correction of flags,you're simply racist and hate the new south africa?Correct me if i'm wrong.

[@jeffnic3116]

How about using the correct flag for the period? That is what one does with German. The first conflict South Africa entered in WWII was the East African campaign, when Italy declared war on Britain, South African Airforce struck the unexpecting Italians in Abyssinia from Kenya.

[@michaelhardman7788]

Dellville Wood, France, WW1.

[@scipioafricanus4328]

South Africa didn’t have a big navy before WW2 because it didn’t need one, as a member of the British Empire it’s maritime interests were fully protected by the Royal Navy.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)

[@l.b.7543]

You are using the wrong country and flag for this video. The Union of South AfriKA was larger in size back 1939 than it is in 2024. Also the flag of the that nation was entirely different

[@cboffard8350]

How was SA larger in 1939?

[@vilarseirei]

I'm pretty sure it included Namibia back then

[@nunosilva7505]

@vilarseirei:correct,known as South West Africa then,taken from Germany in 1915.

[@AJZulu]

Germany lost control of SWA (South West Africa) after WW1 and was under the Administration of the League of Nations. After WW2 it fell into the administration of South Africa up until 1990 when SWA gained independence and became known as Namibia. Not counting the border war and all that into this comment...

[@paulbarthol8372]

03:21 wrong flag. Try googling before you publish

[@jrwatkins3872]

AGREE! Love the old RSA & Rhodesia!

[@MangoTroubles-007]

Don't be mean

[@ConradAinger]

Possibly he knows this. If he doesn't, he is astonishingly ignorant.

[@willactually7509]

Well done for posting this! One item worth mentioning is that HMSAS Natal performed the unique feat of sinking a U-boat while still on sea trials - only vessel on record to do so during WW2, if not ever!

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

I’ll have to add that to my list, thanks!

[@ricwilmot6617]

My Dad was on HMSAS Natal.

[@alandowning1320]

Thank you for that video. At the start of the war the SA navy was called the Seaward Defence Force (SDF) which became the South African Naval Force (SANF) in 1942. My father served in the SANF on board whalers and trawlers converted into minesweepers and anti-submarine vessels, including T 42, (HMSAS Brakpan) pictured at 6.06. He described them as being extremely wet and uncomfortable in the heavy seas around the SA coast. My godfather served on HMSAS Southern Maid in the Mediterranean. On July 11, 1942 she and HMSAS Protea sunk the Italian submarine Ondina.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Thank you to him for his service! Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)

[@jeffnic3116]

Thanks for explaining that, I never heard of those terms.

[@kentimmins9171]

My father was on the same converted whalers ..39 until 45. .His brother was on board HMS Hermes when she was sunk off Singapore...rough experiences!

[@airsoftholmes9642]

Heyy, im a South African and have a pretty cool story. My great-grandfather was on the HMS Cornwall when it sunk, he survived on floating debris for 3 days before finally being rescued.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Thank you to him for his service, a true hero! Appreciate you watching and have a great rest of your week :)

[@bluesky521]

Wow! That is cool

[@jrwatkins3872]

WRONG FLAG FOR SUBJECT ERA!

[@neilcombrink5231]

Rong navy emblem too

[@Redgolf2]

Pat Pattle should get more recognition as one of the greatest fighters ever. Another South African was Sailor Malan, his book is an excellent read

[@paulcorrigan3753]

You mentioned Australia and Canada. You ignored New Zealand, which declared war on Germany at the same time as Britain, and in its own right as an independent Commonwealth nation.

[@PhansiKhongoloza]

Don't forget the majority of South Africans would have preferred to fight for Germany considering what Britain (as well as her Empire troops from New Zealand, Australia and Canada) had done to their civilian population and POW's just 40 years prior. So it took huge parliamentary debate, and even a change of government, to get the bill passed. Even so, South Africa managed to scare up 335 thousand volunteers. Not bad considering the population numbers were on a par with New Zealand's in 1939.

[@davesherry5384]

Dominion. NZ was (and is) a British Dominion. Until 1948 (IIRC) NZers were all British Citizens. There was no such thing as "The Commonwealth" then.

[@jeffnic3116]

A Japanese spy plane flew over Durban, probably to check for shipping in the area.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)

[@andydusautoy1382]

There were also reports of Jap plane flying over Cape Town and PE launched from aircraft carrying submarine from 1942 onwards. Japan had sent 5 of these submarines to operate in the Indian Ocean.

[@LINDOKUHLEMTETANDABA]

Proud of my country ❤ ,,🇿🇦. I'm tired of other countries geopolitics . Thanks again man

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)

[@Verita1975]

South Africa in general has never had an affinity for the sea ( or navy) reason is simple. South Africa’s geography it has a small coastal belt and a large interior, and almost no navigable rivers. South Africa if necessary can survive on its own .. it does not need to import much. Unlike Australia or NZ it’s not surrounded by water. Being so far away from a front there is almost a zero chance of an amphibious assault which can be defended using an good Army ( Which is what South Africa has always focussed on ) …

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)

[@PhansiKhongoloza]

Even so. Our navy was large enough to deter Russian and Chinese fishing fleets from poaching in our waters.

[@Verita1975]

@@PhansiKhongoloza That’s correct and it’s what our navy has always been used for . But we have never need aircraft carriers, battleships etc etc . Patrol Boats a few subs and some frigates are more than enough

[@willactually7509]

So sad that politicians refused to allow centenary celebrations of the SAN in 2022!

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Wow! Appreciate you watching and have a great weekend :)

[@kentimmins9171]

The SA bantu isn't fond of our white South African history 😢

[@davidblyth5495]

​@kentimmins9171 it's not white history but SA history

[@willactually7509]

@@davidblyth5495 Indeed it is! When the Apartheid government took over in 1948, they also wanted to bury South Africa's wartime history. The ANC government did the same with the SA Air Force, which was to have its centenary in 2022 (After the RAF, the oldest air force in the world)

[@davidblyth5495]

@@willactually7509correct! Around 2005, Maj Gen Robbertse told me about the Nats' efforts to remove WW2 veterans shortly after coming to power. PW Botha however was in favour of the WW2 veterans wearing their medals, etc. Several of them rose to high positions eg Adm HH Bierman as C SADF. I'd retired by 2022, so I missed what would be the SAAF 100 celebrations. If I'm not mistaken, we had SAAF 75 with several aircraft sporting that on their fuselages

[@chejagger1]

My family is connected to your video clip , Lt JL Jagger ( called Leslie John) was the commander of HMSAS Parktown a mine sweeper. It was this small boat took part in the extraction of the garrison of Tobruk in June of 1942. It was spotted by an axis plane and attacked by a Eboat, the commanding officer and 4 others were killed. He was mentioned in dispatches . The men of the garrison who were being towed in a barge survived to fight again

[@nixops]

There was a memorial to HMSAS Parktown in Parktown, it was vandalised when I saw it in 2012 though. Parktown was a legendary ship!

[@GojuRyuKarateCentre]

@@nixopsyes it’s was a special ship. Our family were there when the memorial was unveiled, my grandfather was attached to both the navy and the Transvaal Scottish.

[@Tucker_George]

I like the spin you did on the flag! Only the real historians are going to understand that.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

So true Tucker, so true

[@markpaul-ym5wg]

Thanks HIDDEN HISTORY.I had no idea about the south African situation during WW2.😊😊😊

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)

[@PhansiKhongoloza]

Now do a video on the East African Campaign where South Africa inflicted the first defeat against the Axis powers.

[@johncraig9011]

Thanks for the video. South Africa usually does not get a mention when it comes to ww2, and when it does, its usually negative. Some South Africans are ashamed to have helped the British given the crimes of the Boer War. I didn't know that the SA navy played a significant role.

[@davidblyth5495]

There were many ships sink off SA's coast

[@user-kj8lq7mo2s]

Interesting fact the SOUTH AFRICAN AIRFORCE is older than the AMERICAN AIR FORCE. Its the second oldest after the british air force and it was a south african that had a massive input in the creation of the oldest air force the RAF this being JAN CHRISTIAN SMUTS.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Thanks for watching and have a great week :)

[@gerhardusvanderpoll]

Correction to be made: The Union of South Africa was established in 1910....NOT in 1913.....3:59

[@paulosilva3350]

That wasn't the flag of South Africa in WW2.

[@RianRian-em2ng]

Flag no noooooo noooooo my man

[@gertvanniekerk46]

Forgiving you for the wrong Flag. Thanking you for not forgetting the SA Navy with a well-researched, video and perfect narration and presentation! Please follow up with South Africa's role in Mid, North Africa, Italy and the Middle East Army and Airforce. Thanking you again-South African.

[@afgetje]

Well researched.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)

[@Ibby.M.I.786]

No matter HOW MANY of us say "Get the Flag right!" they can't, otherwise people's feelings will get tickled and the video will get taken off. The Old flag was and STILL IS a part of South African history. It's a symbol of what we have overcome and every citizen should be proud of that. It's not the Nazi flag. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@richardmccrea138]

Thank you!

[@erichpizer1]

good vid overall . images : Table bay vs wrong port image for Simons Stad as well. plus also the ports were extremly heavily fortified further diminishing the need to add to the already well stocked British navy holding SA as a vassal state

[@VoicesofWW2YT]

hell yeah

[@Waldemarvonanhalt]

The Union of South Africa also administered South West Africa as a de facto extra province under League of Nations mandate during this period. Also, wrong flag.

[@brucepaul1376]

WRONG FLAG FOR THE ERA!!!! COME ON!!!!

[@sandyarbuckle8584]

Wrong naval badge for ww2

[@neilcombrink5231]

It's not safe it was the UDF UNION DEFENCE FORCE

[@EchoesofWarYT]

Beasts

[@clint1969]

Insulting to the memory of all that served in the SAN, in WW2 and up to 1990, that is the wrong flag, and the wrong navy emblem. This is a disgusting rewriting of history! Redo this video with the correct flags and emblems!

[@cboffard8350]

It's a mistake, not insulting, not disgusting. Un-knot your panties.

[@djtigerrawr7303]

I can agree, as a South African it is quite insulting that the wrong flag was being used

[@Iamnotdepressedanymore]

Wrong flag buddy, And wrong land borders

[@South-African-powered]

Yes, old me

[@Spacechampion1]

My country was at WAR awesome

[@neilcombrink5231]

The SAN has the only women in ww2 to sink a germen sub in saldanna Bay an she did it all on her own

[@robert-trading-as-Bob69]

The world's first concentration camps? NO. Please check your facts. Rhodesia was the first Commonwealth country to declare war on Germany, if I'm not mistaken, on 3rd September 1939.

[@paulcorrigan3753]

No, it was New Zealand.

[@robert-trading-as-Bob69]

@@paulcorrigan3753 Going by Huggins of Rhodesia: The Man and His Country- (When Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939 following the invasion of Poland, Southern Rhodesia issued its own declaration of war almost immediately, before any of the dominions did.[10] Huggins backed full military mobilisation) This was copied from the Wikipedia entry of 'Southern Rhodesia in WWII', under the heading: Outbreak of War.

[@dominodarkhate8424]

You got allot wrong. That comy flag is the first thing!

[@emersonclements5780]

South african military was impressive compared to other african militaries, but they were no where near the same power as the US, Soviet and Nazi militaries, those three were in a different league altogether, the SA military was overestimated a little bit, they would NEVER have survived a direct conflict with the germans, SA had the geographical advantage yes, but the germans were a very efficient and disciplined force, and their industrial base/weapons production was making steady progress, (not that SA wasn't, but they were much slower in comparison), in fact, both the US and the USSR recruited german scientists after the war to help them develop other weapons. That is why the nazis, the soviets and the old SA government all failed.. and the US kept expanding, because they were one step ahead, the other regimes only pursued nationalist agendas, but the US understood that globalization was the next step. Today, SA is only but a small regional power with an active force of 70,000, some of its specialised units are impressive, but they lack the overall manpower and equipment to survive a real war, they are not prepared

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)

[@The_Daily_Tomato]

Comments. 50% Flag complaining. 40% Racism. 10% Other.

[@user-ez9en7vk2z]

What a daft comment. 100% troll.

[@dominodarkhate8424]

You got allot wrong here. That comy flag is the first thing!

[@99IronDuke]

You have the WRONG flag! Wrong naval Ensign AND wrong National Flag. Do some research.

[@charlestellis7021]

Get the flag right please as South Africa was the Union of South Africa 😡 everything depicted here of emblems and flags are wrong, what you're showing here is emblems and flags after April 1994, get it right please 😡

[@zolisamaine3518]

Why tea?

[@harryhole5786]

You are using the wrong flag; Can the rest be correct? I doubt.

[@donxz2555]

Get the flag right for WW2

[@lesliewebb6367]

Your choice of flag is extremely offensive.

[@HiddenHistoryGaming]

A once great country

[@johanterblans8266]

Wrong historical flag!

[@christhirion9474]

Wrong flag that one is winny Mandela's g string

[@gamerjohn4705]

bru lol

[@RobinLee-p6q]

As a south african are you offending us😢

[@propellerhead428]

Wrong Flag

[@user-nz3ne1bz4u]

Our navy cant even swim...

[@mrrn100]

Complete disrespect for the brave SA troopers who gave their lifes for a free world. Shame on you

[@gpromburgh]

Wrong flag bro. Times have changed here, dirty tricks and politics I won't go to deep in detail but how can we focus on a big navy when a country is so corrupt that it's people can't get electricity from a state owned electrical grid? We got problems a navy won't solve at this point, electricity is just the tip unfortunately. We recently and very narrowly just escaped a state capture event for an example of how things are going,

[@user-ez9en7vk2z]

Well made video and great context. Pity wrong flag. South Africa only really become a country 1920 before that the British Navy filled the void with The Cape and Natal been colonies * the Afrikaners were inland. The SA Navy did pack a punch above its weight during the Angolan bush war in 80s. Many SA sailors & pilots fought directly with the RAF & Royal Navy.

[@davidblyth5495]

SA was founded on 31 May 1910

[@user-ez9en7vk2z]

@@davidblyth5495 Union or Republic?

[@davidblyth5495]

@@user-ez9en7vk2zUnion in 1910, Republic in 1961

[@gerritsmit8541]

Wrong flag!

[@michaelhardman7788]

Not only the wrong flag, but the story is not correct. Simonstown Naval Base fell under the Royal Navy until the late 50`s earl 60`s. Shortly after SA declared itself a Republic after the 31st of May 1961. The UK handed back the Simonstown Naval base back to the SAN (South African Navy) and the SAN rebuilt is naval capabilities' and was duly assisted by the SAF (South African Air Force) that had WW2 Shackleton's old bombers that patrolled SA coastline from the Kuene river on the Angolan border to the Mozambique border. SA also had ships that the UK left behind and managed to purchase three small diesel-powered submarines from Germany. The world implemented sanctions, so the SADF South African Defence Force focused on Manufactuing its own weapons and bought a few strike craft from Israel. Fast forward to post 1994 (Mandela Government) that's when the wheels came off. They retired experienced white Naval staff from command to engineering and installed unexperienced former ANC Cadres into the new SANS (South African Naval Service). We are the only country in the world that has 5 Admirals, 10 Vice Admirals a couple of ships. Oh, and I forgot 3 subs of which one I think is operational.

[@iancraythorne4014]

The Shackleton was a dedicated maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The RN operated out of Simons Town under the 2957 Simons Town Naval agreement. The SAN operated out of Durban. The agreement was scrapped in the 1970's if my memory serves me right. The submarines were 3 French built Daphne class subs. They were replaced by German built subs under an arms sales agreement. The SAAF operated Buccaneer aircraft from the UK and at one stage Piaggio aircraft in the inshore maritime reconnaissance role. Under the Simons Town naval agreement, SA purchased British built Frigates, destroyers, minesweeper and seaward defence boats. The SAN acquired a tanker which was converted to a replenishment ship. They later built a second in Durban. 3 new build strike craft were purchased from Israel and a futher 6 i think were built in Durban. De Klerk dismissed/got rid of a number of senior military officers when he took over.

[@michaelhardman7788]

@@iancraythorne4014 Shackleton was the only aircraft available at the time. So it was not dedication, it was the only option.

[@michaelhardman7788]

@@iancraythorne4014 either way. I am confused by the date 2957 !!!! . Most importantly we don’t have a navy and the BS written by the author is BS.

[@willactually7509]

@@michaelhardman7788 Nope, the Schakletons were indeed "decicated" and were purpose-built for the SAAF. At the time they were state-of-the-art (at the time) maritime patrol aircraft, 8 of which were operated by 35 Squadron from 1957 till 1984.

[@michaelhardman7788]

@@willactually7509 My uncle was one of the pilots who flew the Shackelton's at that time for SAAF based at Wingfield / DF which were built in 1944. The only conversion was the aviation electronics. / radar.

[@djpretorius4027]

Wrong flak get it right pls it's disrespectfull

[@nephilimorder9622]

Wrong flag

[@user-rc1qn9hj5h]

Wrong flag!!!!!!

[@mamousking]

😂what army ?

[@user-re9iu5in3t]

Only white u see where are the colard people

[@user-nz3ne1bz4u]

Now south africa is a shit show

[@stephanswart3981]

Wonder about our present navy size? It is still controlled by Britain and her palls. We want our own controle over the searoute. CAPE INDEPENDINCE.

[@gamerjohn4705]

well today we have a navy that is barely in working and nor controlled by britain

[@Gekke_Nedje]

I came to downvote this video due to the thumbnail.

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Thanks lol

[@Kilian3142]

Boring video, not historical accurate!

[@Ramasedi008]

A lot of jihadist here 😮 excuse me, i mean a lot of extremists here are complaining about a flag lol

[@HiddenHistoryYT]

Hahaha. Appreciate you watching and have a great week :)

[@willemventer3935]

If that is WW2 RSA, why do you show the ANC flag???

[@cboffard8350]

That's the SA flag. Better than the broederbond flag.

[@willemventer3935]

@@cboffard8350 I'm not familiar with that one. PSE send me an image of one as I have never heard of a brotherhood flag.

[@jaqueslandman1011]

Please take that disgusting smartie box flag of from that ww2 navy ship. Its an insult to a previously proud, great and phenomenal navy and defense force.

[@jacovanjaarsveld3835]

Wrong flag