This was partly due to the deployment of South Africa's attack aircraft - Rooivalk - which had a "devastating effect" on the M23 in a short space of time, according to Mr Wingrin. The rebel group ...

Hundreds of South African servicemen, mostly black ... The 1,772 men worked in dangerous and gruelling non-combatant roles in East Africa but until now, they had no known grave or commemoration.

This enabled it to send reports of Allied naval movements around the coast of Africa. The British feared this would put troop ships from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in danger of attack.