Military history of South Africa (One of them, John Vorster, was to become future Prime Minister of South Africa.) (See Jan Smuts during World War II.) Prime Minister Jan Smuts was the only important non-British general whose advice was constantly sought by Britain's war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Smuts was invited to the Imperial War Cabinet in 1939 as the most senior South African in favour of war. On 28 May 1941, Smuts was appointed a Field Marshal of the British Army, becoming the first South African to hold that rank. Ultimately, Smuts would pay a steep political price for his closeness to the British
4th Infantry Brigade (South Africa) 4th Infantry Brigade (South Africa) The 4th South African Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the army of the Union of South Africa during World War II. The Brigade formed part of the South African 2nd Infantry Division. The brigade served in the Western Desert Campaign until it was captured by German and Italian forces at Tobruk on 21 June 1942. It appears to have been formed within the Orange Free State Command, as it was within the command boundaries on 3 September 1939. On that day it comprised Regiment President Steyn, Regiment Louw Wepener, Regiment De Wet, and