Mountainous terrain has distinctly influenced combat operations throughout history. Warfare at high altitude often takes place in extreme weather conditions and over difficult terrain, which is largely considered to be inaccessible, inhospitable, and at times lacking any apparent strategic or operational value. As a result, combat operations at high altitudes are traditionally infantry affairs. The South African deployment to East Africa during the Second World War was for the most part characterised by highly mobile operations, across deserts and scrubland, where infantry, armour and artillery deployed in a mutually supportive role. The penultimate battles of the East African campaign were, however, fought in extremely severe terrain, where the South African troops would experience the harsh realities of mountain warfare for the first time during the war. This article broadly investigates the exigencies of mountain warfare, and critically reflects on the South African wartime experience of mountain warfare in East Africa.

整个历史上，山区地形对作战行动产生了明显的影响。高空作战通常发生在极端天气条件和困难地形上，这在很大程度上被认为是难以进入、不适宜居住，有时缺乏任何明显的战略或作战价值。因此，高空作战行动传统上属于步兵事务。第二次世界大战期间南非在东非的部署在很大程度上以高度机动行动为特点，穿越沙漠和灌木丛，步兵、装甲和大炮部署在相互支持的角色中。然而，东非战役的倒数第二场战斗是在极其恶劣的地形中进行的，在那里，南非军队将在战争期间第一次体验山地战争的严酷现实。本文广泛考察山地战的紧迫性，批判性地反思南非在东非山地战的战时经验。