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South African Army Officers
(Union Defence Force)
1939-1945

 

Unfortunately I have no specific sources for South African officers at my disposal.
If you have sources and want me to add someone, just e-mail me.
Of course, any additions, corrections etc. can also be e-mailed.

Note. Abbreviations and explanations can be found at the help page.
 

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B
Bester,
Jan Bosman
J.B. Bester (Photo courtesy of Mr William Marshall)

Biography courtesy of Mr William Marshall
18.03.1911
Paarl, Cape Province, South Africa
-
20.08.1985
Johannesburg, South Africa
... ...
Brig. ?
      see biography button on the left
Brink,
George Edwin
G.E. Brink
27.09.1889
-
30.04.1971
...
 		...
Lt.Gen.
?
Companion of the Order of the Bath CB
 1941
 ?
Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE
 1942
 ?
Distinguished Service Order DSO
 1917
 ?
...
 -
 		...
 		...



War of 1939-1945, served Abyssinia, Egypt, and Cyrenaica as GOC, 1st SA Division (CB, CBE); GOC Inland Area, South Africa, 1942-1943; Director­General of Demobilisation, South Africa, 1944-1948.
       

D
de Villiers,
Isaac Pierre
I.P. de Villiers
20.08.1891
-
11.10.1967
...
 		...
Maj.Gen.
?
Companion of the Order of the Bath CB
 1942
 ?
Military Cross MC
 ?
 ?
...
 -
 		...
 		...



Served War of 1939-1945, Middle East (CB); GOC Coastal Area Command
       

F
Furstenburg,
Jan Pieter Albertus
J.P.A. Furstenberg (Photo courtesy of Mr William Marshall)

Biography courtesy of Mr William Marshall
17.11.1910
Vredefort, Orange Free State, South Africa
-
12.12.1948
Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, South Africa
... ...
Brig. ?
      see biography button on the left
       

G
Godbold,
John Ralph Mackie
J.R.M. Godbold (Photo courtesy of Mr Frank de Planta)
Son (with two sisters) of Hugh Mackie Godbold (1879-1954), and Hilda Dorothy Manger (1889-).
Married (13.11.1948, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) ...; two daughters, one son.		 09.03.1920
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
-
02.08.1995
Gillitts, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Lt. ? [1100751V]
Military Cross MC 24.08.1944 Italy: crossing of River Gari 11/12.05.44 [recommendation available upon request]
(1944)     seconded, 2/4th Battalion The Hampshire Regiment (Italy) (MC)
       

L
Langley,
Douglas Ranulph
D.R. Langley
Husband of Mrs A.J. Langley.
 05.07.1917
-
 
Gnr. 14.10.1939
L/Bdr. 12.1939
Bdr. 01.08.1940
Sgt. 16.12.1941
2nd Lt. 19.09.1942 [14172V]
T/Lt. 19.03.1943
14.10.1939 - 16.12.1941 1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade (Union Defence Force)
16.12.1941 - 19.09.1942 South African Artillery (Anti-Aircraft) ACF attached SAPF
19.09.1942 - ? 9th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery SAA
(03.1944)     seconded to UK forces for service with Royal Marines
       

N
Nicholls,
Hugh Charlton
H.C. Nicholls
Son of Frederick George Nicholls (1870-1912), and Margaret Pattinson (1876-1943), of Windermere.
Married (28.07.1930, St. George’s Cathedral, Capetown, South Africa) Elizabeth Mary Weston (14.06.1908 - 13.06.1967), daughter (with four sisters and one brother) of Charles Herbert Weston (1871-1968), and Annie Gertrude M Whitlock (1873-1967); one son, one daughter.
 01.09.1904
Penrith, Cumberland
-
28.07.1967
Brixworth, Northamptonshire
2nd Lt. ? [240226]
... ...
Maj. ?
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) OBE 19.12.1946 Tobruk 1942
Mention in Despatches MID 14.12.1942 Middle East 11.1941-04.1942
Education: Sedbergh School (1918-07.1922; School-house; Prefect; Chapel Reading Proze 1922); Queen's College, Oxford (BA).
In business (South African Breweries. Johannesburg, South Africa).
? - 06?.1942 Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General (DAQMG) 2nd South African Division (captured at fall of Tobruk)
06?.1942 - 03.1945 POW (No. 139) in Italian & German captivity (Priglione di Guerra (Campo) 47, Modena, Italy; Oflag XIIB Hadamar)
       

P
Palmer,
Robert John
R.J. Palmer (Photo courtesy of Mr William Marshall)

Biography courtesy of Mr William Marshall
10.02.1891
-
23.03.1957
... ...
Brig. ?
      see biography button on the left
Pienaar,
Daniel Hermanus
"Dan"
D.H. Pienaar D.H. Pienaar
D.H. Pienaar 
Son of Willem Daniel Johannes
Pienaar and Cornelia Petronella
Horn.
Married D.H. Pienaar, of Pretoria.
 		19.08.1893
Bosduivenkop,
Ladybrand, Orange
Free State
-
19.12.1942
(air crash)
[Thaba Tshwane (Old
No. 1) Military
Cemetery, Gauteng,
South Africa, L.1]
T/2nd Lt.
 		...-23.12.1919 [126242]
Lt.Col.
 		(1935)
Col.
 		(1938)
Brig.
 		?
A/Maj.Gen.
?
Companion of the Order of the Bath CB
 24.11.1942
 Middle East
Distinguished Service Order DSO
 14.02.1941
 Middle East
Distinguished Service Order DSO
 09.09.1942
 Middle East 11.41-04.42
Mention in Despatches MID
 30.12.1941
 Middle East 02.41-07.41
Mention in Despatches MID
 24.06.1943
 Middle East 05.42-10.42
1911

joined Department of Defence
1914
 -
 		1919
 		served European War (despatches)



South African Staff Corps
16.07.1926
 -
 		(03.1931)
 		staff officer, General Staff Section, Union Defence Forces (Pretoria)
04.01.1935
 -
 		(01.1937)
 		Officer Commanding, Orange Free State Command (Bloemfontein)
17.10.1938
 -
 		(05.1940)
 		Officer Commanding, Roberts' Heights [later: Voortrekkerhoogte] and Transvaal Command (Voortrekkerhoogte)
12.06.1940
 -
 		10.03.1942
 		Commander, 1st South African Brigade (East Africa, Italian Somaliland)
10.03.1942
 - 19.12.1942 General Officer Commanding, 1st South African Division (Libya, Egypt)
Literature: E. Rosenthal, General Pienaar : his life and his battles (1943)
Poole,
William Henry Evered
W.H.E. Poole (Photo courtesy of Mr William Marshall) W.H.E. Poole

Biography courtesy of Mr William Marshall

08.10.1902
-
09.03.1969
... ...
Maj.Gen. ?
      see biography button on the left
       

S
Stephens,
Leo William Keating
L.W.K. Stephens
Married; at least one son.

His son writes: "On returning to SA in 1919 my father became active in Boy Scouts and part time soldiering; he was involved in putting down the miners strike in Johannesburg in early 1920s, then transferred to Transvaal Horse Artillery, retiring in 1937 as Regimental Major (commanding officer). At outbreak of WW2 he was recalled and helped form First SA Heavy Artillery Brigade, which he did and took to Kenya in November 1940 where they did further training and advanced into Abyssinia in early 1941 when Italy declared war. Their war was more of chasing the Italian Army across Abyssinia until their surrender at Gondar in late 1941/early 1942, then the Brigade moved to Egypt where my father fell ill with dysentery and was invalided back to SA where he later commanded the artillery training camp at Potchefstroom until early 1944 when the SA Railways for whom he had worked since 1908 (Started as ‘tea boy’ aged 11 in Cape Gov. Railway before union) requested his return to his job as a Superintendent Purchasing dept – Head of Coal buying. He retired in 1957 on reaching 60 and had 49 years of accredited pension service; he died in 1967."
1897
Cape Town
-
1967
Cape Town
2nd Lt.
 		17.12.1917
Lt.
 		17.06.1919
...
 		...
Lt.Col.
(1941)
17.12.1917

commissioned, Royal Garrison Artillery - Special Reserve of Officers



served World War I (blown up on the Somme, only survivor of his platoon)
?
 -
 		1937
 		transferred to Transvaal Horse Artillery (eventually as Regimental Major)
1940
 -
 		1942?
 		Commander, 1st Medium Brigade South African Heavy Artillery (Kenya, Abessynia, Egypt [illnes])
1942?
 -
 		1944
 		Commandant, Artillery Training Camp Potchefstroom
       
 

 

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