Come Back to Portofino: Through Italy with the 6th South African Armoured Division

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Come Back to Portofino: Through Italy with the 6th South African Armoured Division
With James Bourhill
Part of our Italy 1944 - Monte Cassino and Beyond series
• Monte Cassino and Beyond
Come Back to Portofino chronicles the journey taken by volunteers in the 6th South African Armoured Division. From training camps in Egypt through to the blissful summer of 1945 the ‘Div’ left its mark on towns and villages across Italy. From Monte Cassino to the outskirts of Venice and the River Po, the campaign lasted exactly twelve months.
During the advance through Rome up to Florence, it was a case of constant movement and violent contact with the enemy. Experiences which left an enduring impression on returned soldiers included the periods of rest at Siena and Lucca as well as the four miserable winter months in the northern Apennines. Overall, the casualty rate was surprisingly low considering the ideal ambush country and mountain defences which had to be overcome. In the rifle companies however, the rate of attrition was high and replacements were few. Among the South Africans who are buried in Italy, there are those who died in vehicle accidents, from drowning and falling out of windows or from suicide. For the ordinary soldier the most important part of everyday life was contact with home or foraging for food and wine, and even enjoying the company of signorine when operations permitted.
James Bourhill schooled at St John’s College in Johannesburg, South Africa. Bourhill did national service in a mounted infantry unit. His tertiary education began at Cerara College of Agriculture, after which he went farming in Rhodesia and North America before returning to Rustenburg where he lives today,
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Опубликовано:

10 окт 2024

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Комментарии : 15

@blaisechalmers1464 4 месяца назад

It makes me proud to be a South African to see our exploits in WW2 being recognized. Too often, we were seen to be inferior troops, but we more than proved our mettle. My great grandfather was a sapper in the engineers. He left South Africa in 1939 for East Africa and fought through both the East and North African campaigns attached to the South African 1st Infantry Division. He then went on to Palestine and reformed into the 6th Armored to fight in Italy. I am immensely proud of his contributions. I only wish to have been able to meet him. As a 23 year old, I'm glad channels like WW2 TV and others are keeping the passion for history alive!

@philbosworth3789 4 месяца назад

Thoroughly enjoyed James's chatty style and his photograph collection was superb. Its not often you hear about the South African involvement so that made this episode even more enjoyable.

@davidlavigne207 4 месяца назад

What a fascinating talk! I found James SA accent reminiscent. When I was on active duty in the 1980s, I had a fellow soldier who was of British descent, born in Carlisle, England. When he was seven his family moved to SA. After some time the family immigrated to Georgia in the US. We became good mates serving together and he invited me to his home. He, and his parents spoke in a typical accent from Carlisle, but his younger brother and sister spoke in a SA accent, as they were raised there. They both also could speak Afrikaans as well. It was a wonderful exposure for an American lad to learn form the encounter. James's presentation was equally wonderful and informative. I wonder if the lifestyle of many SA soldiers having lived and worked in the bush gave them a particular toughness. Thanks for the presentation fellows.

@georgecooksey8216 Месяц назад

Excellent presentation and discussion. Thank you gentlemen.

@johncraig9011 4 месяца назад

I read James's book on the SA 6th Armored div in Italy some years back. Bloody well written book! Even this great slide show with interesting and amusing slides doesn't do James's book credit. Pity he didn't mention the long battle (10 hour?) the South Africans had with the 16 SS panzer div. to drive them off their positions. The great British military historian Sir Michael Howard served in one of the Guards brigades under the command of SA 6th Armd. Apparently he led the last bayonet charge of the British army in ww2? That the SA 6th armd. were so well led, is due to officer's like Bobby Palmer, Papa Brits, Bob Reeves Moore etc. Certainly the British Guards brigades were grateful. The fact that the Tactics of the SA 6th kept casualties down. Thanks Woody and James.

@hmg40071 4 месяца назад

Outstanding presentation and another fine example of what makes this RU-vid channel so bloody brilliant! My late grandfather served as a tank commander in the 6th SA armoured division; specifically the SSB. Growing up in the 70’s and being fascinated by WW2, I often tried to get him to tell me of his experiences in Italy. He was always extremely reluctant and would rarely ever talk about combat. As such, I knew very little about the reality of this campaign. I eventually came to understand why he was so reticent. As a South African, it is fantastic to hear about our role in WW2. Thank you!

@cameronsimpson-ld8nk 4 месяца назад

I loved this episode. In the Natal Mounted Rifles history there are some unique photos taken by a German Para when them knocking out a Sherman as well as pics of the surving SA crew taken prisoner. The photographer after the war got in touch with the NMR and the men and story was revealed.

@johnlucas8479 4 месяца назад

very interesting presentation especially, the photos and cartoon

@jjflash30 4 месяца назад

Great photographs, cartoons, slides (including the one with the warning to troops in Italy on the dire consequences of VD - to the soldiers and their wives… :-) Enjoyed the chatty, conversational nature of this presentation and the many insights into the lives of South African soldiers outside of combat during the Italian campaign. Nice change of pace from the style of other types of videos on this great channel. 👍

@HGmusiclist 3 месяца назад

Very cool show! South African forces or not often discussed, so nice niche show.

@jimwalsh1958space 4 месяца назад

great presentation by james bourhill. was swept along by the story line. thank you.

@joeblow9657 4 месяца назад

Fascinating stuff! I knew the South Africans and Rhodesians served in Italy but other than that I didn't know much. It's fascinating that the 1st division troops were sent home.

@whitby910 4 месяца назад

Excellent, thanks.

@thegreatdominion949 4 месяца назад

(42:29) I see the South Africans were as browned off as the Canadians with Mark Clark's orders which prevented any 8th Army units from entering Rome first, which in all likelihood would have occurred if the natural course of battle had been allowed to proceed. Undoubtedly, that would have been too bitter a pill for Clark and other 5th Army commanders to swallow given the relative proximity of the 6th Corps to Rome and their relative lack of progress since the initial landings over four months before.