Page 70 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

KALK BAY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

“Cape Fortress"

Barrie Gasson

Introduction

When South Africa declared war on Germany on 6 September 1939 the country was
unprepared for hostilities. By degrees, more and more facets of national life were geared to

the demands of a war economy, while the volunteer Union Defence Force was readied for

combat under the leadership of Lieut-General Sir Pierre van Ryneveld, Chief of General
Staff. On 15 June 1940 the First South African Brigade departed from Durban for Kenya to

protect Kenya's northern boundary from any Italian incursion from Abyssinia.

The advent of war once again emphasised the Cape’s significance, both economically and
geographically. Economically it was the second largest centre of national production and

so a substantial contribution to the war effort was expected from it. Geographically, its

strategic location on the sea routes connecting different theatres of a steadily globalising
war was self-evident and was reinforced after the Mediterranean was effectively closed to

Allied merchant shipping from 11 June 1940 with Italy's entry into the war, and after the
fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 when Simon’s Town became the most important

Allied naval base in the southern hemisphere.

In response the Cape Command was renamed the "Cape Fortress" for the duration of the

war. The Fortress consisted of a centralised command structure, personnel in the local land,
sea, and air forces, a variety of key points on the Peninsula and in its hinterland, and the

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