The South African
General Mark W. Clark (U.S.A.), well known to many South African ex-servicemen, recently visited the S.A. National War Museum where he was entertained and taken on a tour of the museum by the Chairman, Lt.-Gen. Geo. E. Brink, some of the Trustees and the Director.
General Mark Clark (right) talking to Commandant Geo. R. Duxbury in front of
a Sherman Tank - the tank which served 6 S.A. Armoured Division so well when
under his command in Italy, 1944/45.
General Mark Clark is held in high esteem by those South Africans who served in the 6th S.A. Armoured Division which formed part of the American Fifth Army which he commanded in Italy. He was consequently feted by ex-service organisations wherever he went and the museum deemed it a great honour that notwithstanding a tightly packed itinerary he was able to find time to pay it a visit.
General Clark, now in retirement but (in his words) "as busy as ever", has had a most distinguished military career and has seen service in three wars, World War I, World War II and Korea. Among the many appointments he has held are, Commanding General of Fifth Army and later 15th Army Group in Italy during World War II (as such he received the surrender of all German troops in Italy and Western Austria), and Commander of the United Nations Forces in the Korean Campaign to which command he was appointed on 12th May, 1952.
General Clark expressed great pleasure at what he saw in South Africa and has promised to return for a more leisurely visit. We look forward to his coming.
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