During the Second World War, a new naval service, the "Seaward Defence Force" was established in 1940 with 15 ships in commission a number of shore establishments and a total complement of 428, of whom 47 were officers.
Ngexesha leMvazwe yeSibini yeHlabathi, inkonzo entsha yomkhosi wamanzi, "uMkhosi woKhuselo waPhakathi elwandle" wasungulwa ngo-1940 uneenqanawa ezi-15 ukuze zijongane nokusungulwa kwamanxweme aliqela kunye namajoni angama-428, ama-47 ayengabaphathi-mikhosi.