Native Military Corps

Native Military Corps
Directorate Non European Army Services badge
Active1940 – 1947
DisbandedSeptember 1947
CountrySouth Africa
AllegianceUnion of South Africa South Africa
BranchNon-European Army Services
Size76,000 – 80,000
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Colonel Ernest Thomas Stubbs
Lt. Colonel B.W. Martin

The Native Military Corps (NMC) was a South African military unit during World War II. It consisted of Black South African volunteers recruited into the Union Defence Force (UDF). Despite the unit's name, they had no combative role and served as labourers attached to white South African UDF military units. The objective was to free up the limited number of white recruits in the UDF for combat roles.

Background

On 12 July 1940 the UDF created the Directorate of Non-European Army Services (NEAS) to recruit non-white South Africans into the military.[1]: 1 [2]: 242  The NEAS would consist of three units, Cape Corps, the Indian & Malay Corps and the Native Labour Corps, prior to its name change in August 1940 to the Native Military Corps.[1]: 1 [2]: 242 

The NEAS was under the command of a director and deputy director who would be responsible for their soldiers when in the Middle East.[1]: 8  The first commander was Lt. Colonel B.W. Martin, previously a Director of Native Labour on the Witwatersrand, but he was shifted to the role of deputy director of NEAS troops in the Middle East in November 1940 when Colonel Ernest Thomas Stubbs became director, appointed by General Jan Smuts.[1]: 9  Stubbs' previous military role was as a recruiter with the South African Native Labour Corps during World War I.[1]: 9  This would cause conflict between the two and poor cooperation between the NEAS in South Africa and the NEAS command in the Middle East with the black troops caught in the middle.[1]: 9 

Recruitment

Opposition to recruitment

General Jan Smuts had narrowly succeeded in parliament in having South Africa join Britain and France in the war with Germany.[1]: 15  A considerable number of white Afrikaners opposed supporting Britain in its war with many having pro-German sympathies.[1]: 15  To supplement the shortage of white soldiers, Jan Smuts and Major WHE Poole, Deputy Chief of the General Staff believed non-white recruitment was required.[3]: 645  Sir Pierre van Ryneveld, Chief of the General Staff opposed the suggestion.[3]: 645  White South Africans were also not sympathetic to the idea of black soldiers serving with equal authority with white soldiers and their close contact with the latter as well being exposed to overseas societies and their politics.[1]: 16  Black soldiers would serve in non-combatant roles as the 1912 Act that created the UDF dictated no combat roles for any who serve the organisation.[1]: 16  Like during World War I, mines, industry and farmers were opposed to the recruitment of black soldiers fearing the loss of cheap labour.[1]: 20 

The African National Congress (ANC) and other black organisations supported the war and initially the role of blacks soldiers on condition that they were armed and that there were political rewards for the black population thereafter.[1]: 19–20  There was opposition by blacks to the use of labour battalions.[1]: 21  Prior to its final name it was called the Native Military Guards precisely for that reason, though these guards would only carry traditional weapons.[1]: 21 

Recruiting

Corps stretcher bearers Western Desert

In early 1940, the NEAS had set recruitment levels at 8,000 black troops, but by 1941, requirements had changed drastically and the NEAS were looking at levels of 60,000 men.[1]: 26  Recruitment came to an end in 1943 as the Allies gained the upper hand over the Axis forces in North Africa and the need for these types of troops reduced.[1]: 26  Figures differ over the final levels with 77,239 as a UDF estimate to others as high 80,479 which may include recruits that were rejected.[4]: 77  Figures show the highest recruitment came from the Transvaal, 52,037, mostly because of a drought in the Northern Transvaal, 9,555 from the Cape Province, 7,366 from Natal, 4,522 from the Orange Free State and 7,000 from South-West Africa.[4]: 77  Thirty percent of recruits came from urban South Africa with the other seventy percent coming from the rural areas.[1]: 44 

Initial recruitment was through posters and film. Recruitment posters were often mounted in public places frequented by black men.[1]: 27  Propaganda recruitment films showing recruits in training were used too, making use of mobile film vans that showed films in black regions of the country.[1]: 27  Attempts were made to use Native Commissioners to recruit black men but they were more a hindrance to the process as most black people mistrusted them to begin with.[1]: 27  An attempt was made to private companies to promote recruitment to their own black staff but this was frowned upon by the white owners.[1]: 27 

Another method was to approach the Black chiefs in rural areas and with monetary incentives get them to command some of their men to sign recruitment papers.[1]: 29  This method was open to abuse by the chiefs in the choice of who went as well as fraudulent practices of accepting state money followed by the failure to provide recruits.[1]: 31 

There were also issues concerning the perceptions about the war and expectations of what their roles would be in Military Native Corps. Most rural black people had little understanding of what the war in Europe was about and there was an expectation by some potential recruits that their training would involve the learning of new trade excluded by racial labour employment laws within the country.[1]: 38 

Poor pay rates also hampered recruitment. As within civilian life, pay rates were based on race with black people on the lowest end of the scale with basic pay in the corps set at 1s 6p a day for unmarried troops and those with dependents, 2s 3p as opposed to basic white troops who were paid 5s a day.[1]: 40  The highest rank that black troop could achieve was a sergeant.[1]: 44  The other obstacle was the refusal of lower white ranks to take orders from a black soldier of higher rank.[1]: 45  This would could only be overcome if a white officer gave the black soldier permission.[1]: 38 

Roles in the unit

South African Native Military Corps stretcher-bearers in the Western Desert in 1941

The recruits' role was envisioned to initially be guards and labourers. They would guard military installations, vital infrastructure and prisoners of war.[1]: 22  The latter did not go down well within the white population and they would in future be guarded by white soldiers only.[1]: 22  By 1941, due to shortages of UDF manpower, black soldiers' roles were increased to transport drivers, dispatch riders, medic and office roles at home and abroad.[1]: 23 

Prisoners of war

During the war, 1,753 Native Military Corps soldiers were captured by German and Italian forces and most taken prisoner at Tobruk.[1]: 239  The Germans were said to have treated the black soldiers better than the Italians though most continued performing menial and dangerous tasks in the war zone as POWs for those forces.[1]: 239  Some would be later be repatriated from Africa to France, Italy and Germany.[1]: 241  The prisoners would receive the same Geneva Convention rights as other prisoners including Red Cross visits, food parcels and letters from home.[1]: 239 

Decorations

Unlike black troops during World War I, black troops of the Native Military Corps were awarded medals for service during conflict in World War II. 119 medals or commendations were awarded to the troops with one Distinguished Conduct Medal awarded for exceptional acts of bravery, sixteen Military Medals (MM) for bravery in battle and two British Empire Medals for meritorious military service.[1]: 235  One King's Medal for Bravery, 21 Mentions in Dispatches, 6 Gazetted Commendations, 3 Commendation Cards and 69 Certificates of Good Service were also awarded.[4]: 86 

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Corporal Lucas Majozi was awarded a DCM for evacuating wounded soldiers from the battlefield under fire and wounded himself.[1]: 235  His medal, one below the Victoria Cross is now in possession of the South African National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg.[5]: 14 

Military Medal

The Military Medal was instituted in 1916 and was awarded to warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and privates for bravery in the field. Recipients are entitled to use the letters MM behind their name. The following Native Military Corps (NMC), Coloured Corps (CC) and Indian and Malay Corps (IMC) South Africans were awarded the Military Medal:[6]

Surname Name Rank Service Number Corps Date of action Origin Notes
Moloi Reuben Sgt N14051 NMC Johannesburg Awarded MM after being captured by Germans, escaping and spending 17 days crossing the desert back to Allied lines.[1]: 236  Cited in London Gazette 24 November 1942.[7]
Massemula[1]: 237  Springkaan Pvt N12389 NMC Pretoria Cited in London Gazette 24 November 1942.[7]
Masego Job L/Cpl N4448 NMC Springs Awarded MM when as a POW, he accumulated explosives and sank a German ship in Tobruk before escaping.[1]: 241 [5]: 14  Cited in London Gazette 11 March 1943.[8]
Tshaka Hermanus Pvt N10718 NMC Bloemfontein Cited in London Gazette 24 November 1942.[7]
Gazi Berry Cpl N15769 NMC 1941 Kroonstad Gazi participated in the Western Desert campaign as part of the 2nd Infantry Division and was awarded the Military Medal for rescuing wounded under enemy fire at Bardia, Libya on 16 December 1941. He was the first black South African to be awarded this medal. Cited in London Gazette 3 March 1942.[9]
Booysen John Gnr C276049 CC Graaf-Reinet Cited in London Gazette 22 September 1942.[10]
Fillies Solomon L Cpl M16468 IMC Mossel Bay Cited in London Gazette 8 March 1945.[11]
Gampepe John N19961 NMC Bloemfontein
Kalamure George N9044 NMC Bloemfontein
Loubser William Gnr C304505 CC Cape Town Cited in London Gazette 26 July 1945.[12]
Makgotlho John Pvt N10373 NMC Rustenburg Cited in London Gazette 3 March 1942.[9]
Matale Frank Pvt N22127 NMC Leydsdorp Cited in London Gazette 11 March 1943.[8]
Maluka Moses Pvt N26308 NMC Pietersburg Cited in London Gazette 11 March 1943.[8]
Maoela John N9480 NMC Premier Mine
Masia Alfred Pvt N22191 NMC Duiwelskloof Cited in London Gazette 11 March 1943.[8]
Masie Sameul N7597 NMC Vredefort
Moage Amiel N15887 NMC Zeerust Cited in The London Gazette 31 December 1942.[13]
Mohlala Jack Pvt N18440 NMC Pietersburg Cited in London Gazette 11 March 1943.[8]
Mothapo Jantjie Pvt N18281 NMC Pietersburg Cited in London Gazette 11 March 1943.[8]
Peterson Harry C567276 CC Johannesburg
Phyfer Johannes C301132 CC Laingsburg
Radebe John Cpl N15739 NMC 1941 Warden Stretcher-bearer assigned to RDLI. Radebe was the second member of the NMC to be awarded the MM after Berry Gazi. Citation for his action in February 1941 reads "..worked unceasingly and tirelessly in full view of the enemy and under concentrated artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire, attending to the wounded and arranging the evacuation of the serious cases. He ceased his efforts only when the advancing enemy was 200 yards away, successfully withdrawing the stretcher-bearers under his command. In May 1941 he again displayed outstanding bravery at El Alamein where he evacuated wounded from forward positions, being wounded in the process. MM was awarded in February 1943.[14]
Rayners Jacob Pvt C27294 CC Uitenhage Cited in London Gazette 22 September 1942.[10]
Saphier Nicolas Cpl M16827 IMC Humansdorp Awarded the MM for conspicuous gallantry for lifting mines to allow the extension of a track through the Mareth Line defences of Tripoli while attached to 11 Field Company, SA Engineering Corps. A mine was set off wounding Saphier and twelve other members of the platoon. He refused to have his wounds treated until all the others had been attended to and then proceeded to clear a safe lane for the evacuation of the casualties.[15]
Stevens Johannes L Cpl C274047 CC Vryburg Cited in London Gazette 9 September 1942.[16] He was assigned to 135 Motor Transport Company as a driver. He was driving a truck containing 30 German POWs and in bad weather, he lost contact with the other vehicles in the convoy and erroneously drove into a minefield. One of the rear wheels was destroyed and after changing the wheel Stevens attempted to reverse back out of the minefield following his tracks, but hit a mine on one of the front wheels. He led the prisoners out of the minefield on foot and guarded them through the night. He marched the prisoners under guard to a railway line where he secured transport to deliver the captives to the Allied guards at the designated POW camp.[17]
Stevens William M14487 IMC Cape Town
Tonkin Francis M11795 IMC Cape Town
Volsum Antony M10537 IMC Durban

British Empire Medal

The British Empire Medal was instituted in 1917 and was awarded to warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and privates for meritorious and gallant service. Recipients are entitled to use the letters BEM behind their name. The following Native Military Corps (NMC), Coloured Corps (CC) Indian Military Corps (IMC) and Naval Forces (SANF) South Africans were awarded the British Empire Medal:[18]

Surname Name Rank Service Number Corps Origin Notes
Abrahams Ebrahim C12958 CC Paarl
Carelsen Martin Cpl C275994 CC Oudtshoorn Volunteered for service in January 1941 and was attached to 158th Works Company, South African Engineering Corps. Awarded for three years of faultless work and exceptional devotion to duty, particularly for managing all company transport and fifty drivers under battlefield conditions. He displayed natural leadership regardless of his limited education. He ended his service in Morocco in 1945.[15]
Colbert John C276144 CC Bloemfontein
Edwards James C288019 CC Uitenhage
Greeve Martin CN72251 SANF Cape Town
Hlanyane Eugene N68677 NMC Kroonstad
Matlakala Lenong N4736 NMC Maseru
Moeketsi Lesogo N43753 NMC Rustenburg
Plaatjies Hendrik C275004 CC Ladysmith

Casualties

Figures from the war indicate that the Native Military Corps suffered 770 men wounded and 1,519 dead or presumed dead.[4]: 86  The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records 1,677 men of the Native Military Corps buried around the world.[19] The majority of graves are commemorated in South Africa but graves are also found in Egypt, Libya, Italy, France, Germany, Myanmar, Lesotho, Kenya and Namibia.[19]

Other veterans

Other well known black South Africans who were members of the Native Military Corps include:

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an Botha, Kevin Frank (September 1992). Warriors Without Weapons (Thesis). University of Witwatersrand. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b Jackson, Ashley (2006). The British Empire and the Second World War. A&C Black. p. 604. ISBN 9781852854171.
  3. ^ a b Roos, Neil (September 2009). "The Springbok and the Skunk: War Veterans and the Politics of Whiteness in South Africa during the 1940s and 1950s". Journal of Southern African Studies. 35 (3): 643–661. doi:10.1080/03057070903101870. hdl:2263/14717. JSTOR 40283282. S2CID 146792791.| – via JSTOR (subscription required)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Grundy, Kenneth W. (1983). Soldiers Without Politics: Blacks in the South African Armed Forces. University of California Press. pp. 297. ISBN 9780520047105. native military corps.
  5. ^ a b Ho, Ufrieda (12 November 2017). "The man who beat Hitler". Sunday Times (South Africa).
  6. ^ Gleeson, Ian (1994). The unknown force: Black, Indian and Coloured soldiers through two world wars. Rivonia, South Africa: Ashanti Publishing. p. 267. ISBN 1-87-4800-56-1.
  7. ^ a b c "Page 5091 | Supplement 35794, 20 November 1942 | London Gazette | The Gazette". Archived from the original on 5 May 2019.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Page 1177 | Supplement 35934, 9 March 1943 | London Gazette | The Gazette". Archived from the original on 12 February 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Page 997 | Supplement 35473, 27 February 1942 | London Gazette | the Gazette".
  10. ^ a b "Page 4158 | Supplement 35715, 22 September 1942 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Page 1302 | Supplement 36972, 6 March 1945 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  12. ^ "Page 3858 | Supplement 37194, 24 July 1945 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Issue 35840" (PDF). The London Gazette. 31 December 1942. p. 5667. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  14. ^ Gleeson 1994, p. 178.
  15. ^ a b Gleeson 1994, p. 226.
  16. ^ "Page 3951 | Issue 35697, 8 September 1942 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  17. ^ Gleeson 1994, p. 186.
  18. ^ Gleeson 1994, p. 267.
  19. ^ a b "Refine results". Commonwealth Graves Commission. Retrieved 4 October 2017.