ru led ▁nation . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁the ▁Union ▁formed ▁a ▁South ▁African ▁O verse as ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force ▁to ▁fight ▁for ▁the ▁Al lies . ▁Th ous ands ▁of ▁South ▁African ▁serv ic emen ▁died ▁at ▁Del ville ▁Wood , ▁( B attle ▁of ▁the ▁Som me ▁( 1 9 1 6 )) ▁and ▁at ▁Pass ch end ae le ▁( 1 9 1 7 ). ▁Form er ▁Bo er ▁leader ▁Jan ▁Sm uts ▁distinguished ▁himself ▁by ▁leading ▁successful ▁campaign s ▁in ▁German ▁East ▁Africa ▁( T anz ania ) ▁and ▁German ▁South - West ▁Africa ▁( today ▁Nam ib ia ). ▁ ▁South ▁Africa ▁also ▁contributed ▁heavily ▁to ▁the ▁Al lied ▁war ▁effort ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁fun nel ing ▁arms ▁and ▁troops ▁into ▁the ▁North ▁African ▁and ▁Italian ▁campaign s . ▁A ▁number ▁of ▁South ▁African ▁volunte ers ▁also ▁became ▁a ces ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force . ▁▁ ▁The ▁South ▁African ▁Army ▁and ▁Air ▁Force ▁were ▁instrument al ▁in ▁defe ating ▁Italian ▁forces ▁that ▁had ▁inv aded ▁Eth iop ia ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁ ▁Another ▁important ▁victory ▁that ▁the ▁South ▁Afr icans ▁participated ▁in ▁was ▁the ▁liber ation ▁of ▁Mal ag asy ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁Mad agas car ) ▁from ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁V ich y ▁France . ▁British ▁troops ▁a ided ▁by ▁South ▁African ▁soldiers ▁st aged ▁their ▁attack ▁from ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁occupied ▁the ▁strateg ic ▁island ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁pre clude ▁its