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Australian Army Museum of Western Australia > Records

World War 2, Middle East, SUTTON, Royal Australian Engineers, 1942

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1942

Overview

Informal outdoor portrait of W Sutton (R) and South African soldier

Historical information

The South African soldier is wearing the orange-scarlet shoulder tabs indicating he had volunteered for service outside South Africa, The South African Defence Act (Act No 13 of 1912) was vague in its description of where members of the Union Defence Force could be deployed. Because the act could be interpreted as not making provision for active service by UDF units beyond the Union's borders. Jan Smuts, the prime minister, declared that only volunteers would make up a fighting force beyond the country's borders. Volunteers were required to sign a document known as the 'Africa Oath', in which they declared that they would be prepared to fight anywhere in Africa.

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-32-P1985.188.3a

Item type

Themes

War and Conflict
War and Conflict > World War 2

Year

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Australian Army Museum of Western Australia

Organisation Details
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