‘The Thin Edge of the Wedge’: Anglo-South African Relations, Dominion Nationalism and the Formation of the Seaward Defence Force in 1939–1940

Abstract

Through the 1930s, J. B. M. Hertzog's government moved South Africa steadily down the path of nationhood. Yet, one of the most pressing military questions facing Hertzog's government was how to position South Africa, as a small state tied to Britain, on a strategic landscape that was increasingly uncertain. The neutrality debates, including the question of Simon's Town and war-time cooperation with the Royal Navy, divided his cabinet. The crisis came to a head in September 1939; South Africa entered the war, but Jan Smuts' government, caught between support for the war effort and political survival, wrested control of the naval reserves and coastal defences from the Royal Navy. Yet, as London impressed upon her officials on the spot, the only course was to cooperate, even if this led to the development of a separate, dominion navy. This article sketches the politico-strategic environment in South Africa and explores the moves behind the creation by South Africa of an embryonic navy in 1939–1940, in opposition to British thinking and Admiralty planning, and reveals the often difficult relationships between South African officials and their British counterparts.

Keywords:

• Admiralty
• Dominion Nationalism
• Naval Defence
• Second World War
• Simon's Town
• South Africa

Acknowledgements

This article is a revision of a paper presented at the 5th War and Society in Africa Conference, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University, 13–15 September 2006. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are the author's own, although he is grateful for insights shared with Cdr Mac Bisset (SAN retired), Kent Fedorowich, Deon Visser and Andrew Stewart.

Notes

Ian van der Waag, MA (Pretoria), PhD (Cape Town), is an Associate Professor of Military History at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. His recent publications include ‘Rural Struggles and the Politics of a Colonial Command: The Southern Mounted Rifles of the Transvaal Volunteers, 1905–1912’, in Soldiers and Settlers in Africa, 1850–1918 , edited by Stephen Miller (Brill, Leiden, 2009): 251–85.

  [1] C-in-C South Atlantic to Admiralty, 2 November 1939, and C-in-C South Atlantic to Secretary of the Admiralty, 2 November 1939, ADM 116/4344, The National Archives, Kew, London (TNA).

  [2] Goosen, South Africa's Navy, 38.

  [3] The eight unpublished chapters were edited by W. M. Bisset and appeared as Gordon-Cumming, ‘Unpublished Chapters’, 1–52.

  [4] Scholtz, Hertzog en Smuts.

  [5] For a discussion of the official historians see Van der Waag, ‘Contested histories’, 27–52.

  [6] The ‘Botha Boys’ were the young South Africans trained by the South African Naval Service on the General Botha Training Ship in Cape Town.

  [7] Harris, War at Sea, 9–10.

  [8] Clutterbuck to Stephenson, 29 September 1939, DO 35/1008/7, WG 429/13, TNA. Simon's Town is the correct form; however, in most Second World War documentation it is given as Simonstown. The former is used in this article except in the case of direct quotation.

  [9] Spiers, ‘The British Army’, 83.

 [10] Brady, ‘Dominion Nationalism’, 11. Australia is well served by Hyslop, who focuses specifically on the formal and legal links between the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Navy.

 [11] See, Gill, Royal Australian Navy; McGibbon, Blue Water Rationale; Collins, Royal Indian Navy.

 [12] See, for example, Nicholls, ‘Colonial Naval Forces before Federation’, 136–137. This book is dedicated to Admiral Sir George King-Hall, ‘perhaps the most popular British admiral to serve on the Australia Station’, who ‘displayed an extraordinary sympathy with the aspirations and ideals of the Australian people’ and who ‘perceived that the situation surrounding the establishment of an Australian navy was far more a national than simply a naval one.’

 [13] F. C. Erasmus, ‘Die agtergrond van ons verdedigingsbeleid’, c. 1939 (f.1/1/2355), Dr D. F. Malan Collection, Special Collections, J. S. Gericke Library, Stellenbosch University (SU).

 [14] Smuts to Brand, 13 November 1939, in Van der Poel, Smuts Papers, VI, 199.

 [15] Stewart, Empire Lost.

 [16] Jackson, British Empire.

 [17] Hyam and Henshaw, Lion and the Springbok.

 [18] Pirow, Hertzog, 221–41. M.I.5 Report on Southern Africa, 2, KV3/10, TNA. Kent Fedorowich is thanked for this reference.

 [19] Malan to Hertzog, 1 September 1939 (f.1555) and Malan to Hertzog, 3 September 1939 (f.1557), Dr D. F. Malan Collection, SU.

 [20] Stewart, ‘The British Government and the South African Neutrality Crisis’, 947–72.

 [21] Dimbleby, Hostilities Only, 3. See also Clark to Eden, 13 September 1939 and 19 October 1939, DO 35/1003/16, WG3/4/1, TNA.

 [22] Kerr to Duncan, 28 June 1911, BC294 Duncan Papers, A31.13, University of Cape Town Libraries (UCT).

 [23] Dimbleby, Hostilities Only, 1. See also Martin and Orpen, South Africa at War, 29.

 [24] Clark to Eden, 13 September 1939, DO 35/1003/6, WG3/4/1, TNA.

 [25] Pound, Evans, 218.

 [26] Memorandum on South African Coast Defences, c. 10 September 1935, DO 119/1052, TNA.

 [27] Ibid.

 [28] Van der Waag, ‘The Union Defence Force Between the Two World Wars’, 193.

 [29] Memorandum on South African Coast Defences, c. 10 September 1935, DO 119/1052, TNA.

 [30] Memorandum of interview SO SANS with CGS, 23 September 1935, DO 119/1052, TNA.

 [31] Bisset, ‘Coast Artillery in South Africa’, 333–57.

 [32] CGS to Minister of Defence, 11 September 1939, UWH, Box 86, MS11, Military Archives, Pretoria (MAP).

 [33] Turner et al., War in the Southern Oceans, 4–6.

 [34] Roskill, The War at Sea, 25.

 [35] Batterbee to Clark, 10 September 1935, DO 119/1052, TNA.

 [36] Clark to Harding, 10 October 1935, BC81 Papers of Sir W. H. Clark, Ca3, UCT.

 [37] Hyam, Britain's Imperial Century, 281.

 [38] Quoted by Cannadine, Ornamentalism, 137.

 [39] Clark to Harding, 8 March 1937, BC81 Papers of Sir W. H. Clark, Ca5, UCT.

 [40] Africa Station War Orders, 15 February 1939, ADM 199/2351, TNA.

 [41] C-in-C Africa Station to Commanding Officers, H. M. Ships, 9 February 1939, ADM 199/2352, TNA.

 [42] Africa Station Emergency Order No. 5, 19 June 1939, ADM 199/2351, TNA.

 [43] Memorandum CGS 99/A, 17 March 1939, QMG Gp 1, Box 70, Q.91/101, MAP.

 [44] C-in-C Africa Station to Commanding Officers, H. M. Ships, 9 February 1939, ADM 199/2352, TNA.

 [45] Secretary for Defence to C-in-C Africa Station, c. March 1939, MS, Box 207, M.S.232, MAP; and ‘Naval Men Wanted’, Cape Argus, 2 March 1939.

 [46] SO SANS to SOO, 3 March 1939, MS, Box 207, M.S.232, MAP.

 [47] Note, 7 March 1939, MS, Box 207, M.S.232, MAP.

 [48] ‘Naval Hands for Erebus; Good Response to Union Appeal’, Cape Argus, 10 March 1939.

 [49] O. Pirow in the South African House of Assembly (Hansard, 23 March 1939, col.2280), quoted in Visser, ‘“Mutiny” on HMS Erebus’, 62.

 [50] SO SANS to Navals Durban, 21 February 1939, MS, Box 207, M.S.233, MAP.

 [51] Memorandum on Seaward Defence of South Africa, 20 October 1939, UWH, Box 86, MS11, MAP.

 [52] Adjutant General to CGS, undated, UWH, Box 86, MS11, MAP.

 [53] DCGS to Director of Training and Operations, 3 August 1939, CGS Gp 2, Box 209, CGS 367/13/9, MAP.

 [54] CGS to Minister of Defence, 30 September 1939, UWH, Box 86, MS11, MAP.

 [55] SO SANS to DCGS, 15 August 1939, CGS Gp 2, Box 209, CGS 367/13/9, MAP.

 [56] DCGS to SO SANS, 19 August 1939, CGS Gp 2, Box 209, CGS 367/13/9, MAP.

 [57] CGS to Director of Training and Operations, 24 August 1939, CGS Gp 2, Box 209, CGS 367/13/10, MAP.

 [58] Clark to Eden, 13 September 1939, DO 35/1003/6, WG 3/4/1, TNA.

 [59] Minute Sheet, SO SANS, 5 September 1939, DO 119/1110, TNA.

 [60] Collyer to Van Ryneveld, 22 September 1939; Smuts to Secretary for Defence, 26 September 1939; Clark to Smuts, 27 September 1939; Smuts to Clark, 7 October 1939, UWH, box 87, MS 16, MAP.

 [61] Senior Naval Officer Simon's Town (SNO) to Admiralty, 3 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [62] SNO to Admiralty, 6–7 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA. See also, Smuts to Gillett, 21 September 1939, and Smuts to Amery, 11 October 1939, in Van der Poel, Smuts Papers, VI, 192, 195.

 [63] SNO to Secretary for Defence, 7 September 1939, DO 119/1110, TNA.

 [64] SNO to Secretary for Defence, 7 September 1939, DCS, Box 22, C.D.7/2, vol. 1, MAP.

 [65] Clark to Harding, 5 May 1939, DO 35/543/13, 101769, TNA.

 [66] SNO to Admiralty, 6–7 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [67] Collier to C-in-C Africa Station, 16 October 1939, and Military Secretary to CGS, 6 October 1939, UWH, Box 86, MS11, MAP.

 [68] Clark to Van Ryneveld, 12 September 1939, 16 September 1939, CGS Gp2, Box 114, O(CD) 20, MAP.

 [69] High Commissioner to Dominion's Office, 9 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [70] SNO to Admiralty, 9 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [71] SNO to Admiralty, 8 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [72] SNO to Secretary for Defence, 9 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA. Stuart's emphasis.

 [73] Martin and Orpen, South Africa at War, 20; Turner et al., War in the Southern Oceans, 6.

 [74] CGS to Minister of Defence, 30 September 1939, UWH, box 86, MS11, MAP.

 [75] High Commissioner to Dominion's Office, 9 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [76] C-in-C South Atlantic to SNO, 10 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [77] C-in-C South Atlantic to SNO, 10 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [78] Minute Sheet No. 1, 10 September 1939 and Admiralty to SNO, 12 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [79] Naval Staff Officer Intelligence, Cape Town to Admiralty, 11 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA. There has been some good recent work on the state of South Africa's internal security. Harrison, ‘British Subversion’; Fedorowich, ‘German Espionage’; Furlong, ‘Allies at War?’; Harrison, ‘On Secret Service for the Duce’.

 [80] DCGS to Adjutant General, 12 September 1939, CGS Gp2, Box 209, CGS 367/13/9, MAP.

 [81] Admiralty to SNO, 12 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [82] Captain W. B. Collier, commander of the South African Division of the RNVR, was only dissuaded from resignation on discovering that the RNVR was bound to the Royal Navy by the South Africa Defence Act and could only be separated legally through difficult contest in the South African Parliament. SNO to Admiralty, 4 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [83] They included 28 seamen gunners for the Carnarvon Castle. SNO to Admiralty, 21 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [84] SNO to Admiralty, 13 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [85] SNO to Secretary for Defence, 28 September 1939 and Secretary for Defence to SNO, 30 September 1939, DC, Box 1973, DC 396/38, MAP.

 [86] Clutterbuck to Stephenson, 27 September 1939, DO 35/587/6, G91/270, TNA.

 [87] High Commissioner to Dominion's Office, 28 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [88] High Commissioner to Dominion's Office, 28 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA. CGS to Minister of Defence, 30 September 1939, and Memorandum on Seaward Defence of South Africa, 20 October 1939, UWH, Box 86, MS11, MAP.

 [89] SNO to Admiralty, 21 September 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [90] SNO to Admiralty, 4 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [91] Ibid.

 [92] Stephenson to Barnes, 5 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [93] Admiralty to SNO, 14 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [94] SNO to Admiralty, 20 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [95] Smuts to Clark, 25 October 1939, QMG Gp1, Box 70, Q.91/101, MAP.

 [96] Circular AG(3)709/1, 31 October 1939, CGS Gp2, Box 209, CGS 36/13/9, MAP.

 [97] SNO to C-in-C South Atlantic, 30 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [98] C-in-C South Atlantic to Admiralty, 2 November 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

 [99] SNO to Admiralty, 20 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[100] Admiralty to SNO, 25 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[101] SNO to C-in-C South Atlantic, 30 October 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[102] C-in-C South Atlantic to Admiralty, 2 November 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[103] C-in-C South Atlantic to Secretary of the Admiralty, 2 November 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[104] Ibid.

[105] Ibid.

[106] Ibid.

[107] Minute M012501, 3 November 1939, and minute, S. H. Phillips, 8 November 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[108] Note, 9 November 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[109] High Commissioner to Dominions Office, 10 November 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA.

[110] Phillips to Under Secretary, Dominions Office, 13 December 1939, ADM 116/4344, TNA. Clark to Smuts, 23 November 1939, UWH, box 87, MS16, MAP.

[111] Clark to Smuts, 23 November 1939 and 18 December 1939, UWH, box 87, MS16, MAP.

[112] Director General Operations to DCGS, 8 January 1940, CGS Gp2, Box 209, CGS 367/13/9, MAP. See DGO to CGS, 30 January 1940, CAB Gp1, Box 28, C.A.1, vol. 1, MAP.

[113] Quoted in C. R. Price to Lord Cranborne, 26 May 1941, DO 35/1008/7, WG 429/51, TNA.

[114] Ian Jacob to Prime Minister, 1 July 1952, PREM 11/274, TNA.

[115] Careless, ‘Frontierism’, 1–21; Darwin, ‘Imperialism in Decline?’, 657–679.

[116] Lyon to Captain W. G. Tennant, 4 November 1939 (‘unacquainted with the Union's sins’ and ‘any further signals’), and 1 February 1939 (‘looking forward to the change’), ADM 205/4, vol. 4, TNA.

[117] Brady, ‘Dominion Nationalism’, 9.