Who's Who

14872

Posted by

General

If you would like to add persons involved or referenced in the War in Angola who may not already be in the database, please do add them here and upload a photo of the person, if at all possible! Please include his/her Surname, Initials (or full names), Nickname(s), Rank (as applicable for this entry), Position (e.g. Officer Commanding, etc.), the Unit /Formation /Service /Branch /Division he/she held the position in, and the Date From and Date To applicable (or at least the years the person was in this position). A short biography is also in order if that is available, as well as any links to pages where more information can be found.

Add your suggestions for additional persons involved in the War In Angola here...

17026

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 23 January

Gerhardt, Dieter "Felix", Commodore:

Posted with permission from the South African Legion:
Dieter Gerhardt - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier ... SPY!!! School is still out in veteran circles as to reconciliation on his actions selling British and South African Naval intelligence to the Soviet Union during the Cold War – many still grappling with the enormity of what he did and the damage it caused both the United Kingdom and, more specifically, South Africa.
What is still a little unclear to many is the motive, was it pure money, or as he claimed in his defence, was it his father’s strong pro Nazi standpoint and membership of the Ossewabrandwag during WW2 along with a fierce socialisation and upbringing in highly conservative Afrikaner Nationalist values that drove him at a young age to embrace Communism and the Anti-Apartheid struggle?
For those not familiar with South Africa’s biggest and most damaging military leak, Dieter Gerhardt reads like a John Le Carre novel – you just can’t make this stuff up.
Dieter Gerhardt is a former Commodore in the South African Navy and commander of the strategic Simon's Town naval dockyard. He was arrested by the FBI in New York City in 1983 following information obtained from a Soviet defector. He was convicted of high treason as a Soviet spy in South Africa together with his second wife, Ruth, who had acted as his courier. Both were released prior to the change of government following the 1994 general election.
Born November 1, 1935, Gerhardt joined the South African Navy after his father successfully persuaded naval chief Hugo Biermann to take the troubled teenager under his wing to try to instill discipline in him, he graduated from the Naval Academy in Saldanha Bay in 1956, winning the Sword of Honour.
In 1962 he attended a Royal Navy mine school in Portsmouth and completed the parachute training course at RAF Abingdon. After his training in Britain, he was seconded to the Royal Navy.
He started his spying career in his late twenties, while still a junior naval officer, by offering his services to the South African Communist Party. Bram Fischer referred him to the Soviet embassy in London, where the "walk-in" was recruited into the GRU, the Soviet military intelligence branch, and instructed to continue his career in the South African military.
As part of his service in the Royal Navy, he trained at HMS Collingwood and served on HMS Tenby (F65), and passed classified information about the weapon systems there to the Soviets. Among the systems he compromised through these activities were the SeaCat and Sea Sparrow missiles. He was also responsible for passing the first intelligence information about the French Exocet missile to the Soviets.
British journalist and security services specialist Chapman Pincher maintained that, while in London in the late 1960s, he was able to interview Royal Navy Polaris submarine crews for potential candidates that the Soviets could approach. It was also during this time that he met his first wife, British-born Janet Coggin whom he married in 1958.
Coggin says she became aware of her husband's Cold War spying activities eight years later in 1966 but chose not to turn him in, fearing that he would be executed, leaving her children fatherless. She says Gerhardt eventually gave her an ultimatum to become a spy too, which she declined, forcing the couple's separation. She divorced him in 1966 and moved to Ireland with her children, claiming that she lived in constan

17028

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 23 January

Linford, Delville, Commandant:

RIV, Colonel. 23 July 1930 - 31 July 2015

17068

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 27 January

Andersen, R.C. "Roy" SSA SD SM MMM JCD, Major-General:

Our top gunner!

17164

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 5 February

Pols, B.J.W. (Bernie), Commandant:

Bernie Pols passed away this afternoon (5 February 2017). Rest In Peace, my battery commander during Operation Daisy in 1981

17229

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 13 February

Sass, Bill, Captain:

Information sent in by his son, Billy:

17259

Posted by

Anatoliy Shklyarenko on 17 February

Kurochkin, Konstantin, Colonel-General:

Small specification:General Konstantin Kurochkin was Chief Military Advisor in Angola in 1982-1985.

17263

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 17 February

Kurochkin, Konstantin, Colonel-General:

Thank you Anatoliy I have changed the 1983 to 1982

17266

Posted by

Anatoliy Shklyarenko on 17 February

Gusev, Pyotr (Peter), Lieutenant-General:

1984 - 1987 Chief of the Staff Carpathian Military Command (PrikVO)

17268

Posted by

Anatoliy Shklyarenko on 17 February

Gusev, Pyotr (Peter), Lieutenant-General:

gen. Gusev - Author of the book "Seek your destiny."

17428

Posted by

Alex Smit on 12 March

Schutte, C.S., Warrant Officer 1st Class:

Ek meld dat AO1 C.S. Schutte die draer is van PMD - Pro Merito Dekorasie, PMM - Pro Merito Medalje en MMM. Verder is hy n Verkennings soldaat met Aanval duikers kwalifikasie oa. Ek dink die melding van sy medaljes gee erkenning aan sy vermoe as n baie spesiale soldaat. Bynaam Charlie Serra

17431

Posted by

Alex Smit on 12 March

RE: General

Smit AFM, MMM (KMDT) (Alexander Floris Michael): Ops Komp Bev van 8SAI Bn (Jun 83 - Des 1984) as LT en 23 jaar oud. Neem deel aan Op Dolfyn en later Op Afskeur by 54 Bn. Komp Bev van nuwe Oshigambo oa. Laaste ops ontplooing 1988 as Komp Bev H Komp Infanterieskool noord van 54 Bn.

17432

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 12 March

RE: Schutte, C.S., Warrant Officer 1st Class:

Baie dankie, Alex. Elke bietjie help om beter individuele profiele te skep en die hele prentjie meer op te bou.

17433

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 12 March

RE: General

Baie dankie, Alex. Bygevoeg. Sien http://www.warinangola.com:8088/Default.aspx?tabid=1758&Parameter=2721

17892

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 10 June

Ya Toivoi, Herman Andimba Toivo:

Posted to the War In Angola Facebook page by ?Tuhafeni Captain Nghimtina, Gobabis, Namibia:
Cde Herman Andimba Toivo ya Toivo (22 August 1924 - 09 June 2017).
A Namibian anti-apartheid activist, politician and political prisoner who was active in the pre-independence movement and one of the co-founders of the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) in 1960, and its predecessor the Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) in 1959. Cde Ya Toivo served 16 years in Robben Island prison in the same section as Nelson Mandela. He was released from prison in 1984 and rejoined SWAPO in exile in Lusaka, Zambia. He returned to Namibia in 1989 in the wake of the country's independence and served as a Member of Parliament and as a Cabinet Minister until he retired from active politics in 2006.
May his soul Rest in Revolutionary Peace.
(1968) Toivo Herman Ja Toivo, "Freedom for Namibia"
By 1968 the freedom struggle for Namibia was a two year old guerilla war against South African control of the region. That struggle was directed by the Southwest African People's Organization (SWAPO). In the address below which was originally published in April, 1968, Toivo Herman Ja Toivo, a SWAPO leader on trial by South African officials for terrorism, counters the charge and make the case for Namibia's freedom.
My Lord,
We find ourselves here in a foreign country, convicted under laws made by people whom we have always considered as foreigners. We find ourselves tried by a judge who is not our countryman and who has not shared our background.
When this case started, Counsel tried to show that this Court had no jurisdiction to try us. What they had to say was of a technical and legal nature. The reasons may mean little to some of us, but it is the deep feeling of all of us that we should not be tried here in Pretoria.
You, my Lord, decided that you had the right to try us, because your Parliament gave you that right. That ruling has not and could not have changed our feelings. We are Namibians and not South Africans. We do not now, and will not in the future recognize your right to govern us; to make laws for us in which we had no say; to treat our country as if it were your property and us as if you were our masters. We have always regarded South Africa as an intruder in our country. This is how we have always felt and this is how we feel now, and it is on this basis that we have faced this trial.
I speak of “we” because I am trying to speak not only for myself, but for others as well, and especially for those of my fellow accused who have not had the benefit of any education. I think also that when I say “we,” the over whelming majority of non-white people in South West Africa would like to be included.
We are far away from our homes; not a single member of our families has come to visit us, never mind be present at our trial. The Pretoria jail, the police headquarters at Compol, where we were interrogated and where statements were extracted from us, and this Court are all we have seen of Pretoria. We have been cut off from our people and the world. We all wondered whether the head-men would have repeated some of their lies if our people had been present in Court to hear them.
The South African government has again shown its strength by detaining us for as long as it pleased; keeping some of us in solitary confinement for three hundred to four hundred days and bringing us to its capitol to try us.

20805

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 6 November

Crook, L.A. (Lionel), SAA(Fd), Commandant:

From ?Terence Walsh?:It is with deep regret to have heard of the passing on Sunday 4.11.2018 of Col Lionel Crook. Former OC Cape Field Artillery. R.I.P. Colonel

20806

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 6 November

Crook, L.A. (Lionel), SAA(Fd), Commandant:

From ?Terence Walsh?:It is with deep regret to have heard of the passing on Sunday 4.11.2018 of Col Lionel Crook. Former OC Cape Field Artillery. R.I.P. Colonel

20807

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 6 November

Crook, L.A. (Lionel), SAA(Fd), Commandant:

From Mark Goller: May his soul rest in Peace, then in Savannah Cmdt Crook (CO Cape Field Artillery) on the 10th January 1976 , Cmdt Crook (CO Cape Field Artillery) was instructed to report urgently to Col Kempen, from whom he received orders for one fully up-to-strength battery to fly out to Serpa Pinto (now known as Menongue) Maj Pat Finn’s battery (Papa Battery) was the most complete and had the better complement of officers and NCOs. His Battery was therefore nominated for the urgent task that lay ahead. The Battery would fly to Serpa Pinto, take over the guns and equipment of the troops withdrawing south and then move north to support our infantry combat groups.Papa Battery receives a rousing send-off as the men marched out of camp at about 6.30 pm on 10 January 1976, to the waiting transport. They left in two C 130 aircraft at 22:35. The first aircraft was diverted to Grootfontein and on landing Gen van Deventer gave instructions that they must immediately be retrained to use the 140 mm medium guns.

21588

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 10 March

Dutton, Jack R. SSAS SD SM MMM, Lieutenant General:

From Henry William Short: RIP Lieutenant General (Rtd) J R (Jack) Dutton – Master Crew Commander. Enlisted in the Union Defence Force 1947 in the South African Armoured Corps. Commissioned in 1949. Seconded to the British Army for Korean service. Commanded 2 Armoured Car Regiment and 1 Special Service Battalion. Officer Commanding Eastern Province Command. Director Armour. Chief of Army Staff. Chief of Staff Operations. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Chile. Passed away 29 November 2011.

22291

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 23 May

Earp, Lieutenant-General Denis, SSA SD SM:

RIP General! He Answered the Sunset Call on 19 May 2019

22306

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 28 May

Van Tonder, C.J. (Neels) SSAS SD SM, Major General:

Information received from his son, Nelius van Tonder:

Genl Van Tonder grew up in Nelspruit, eastern Transvaal, and matriculated at the Nelspruit High School in 1959 with distinctions in mathematics, science and German. He thereafter attended the University of Pretoria and obtained the B.Sc. in 1963 with majors in maths and applied maths. He initially worked as a maths teacher but joined the DMI shortly thereafter in March 1964. From his appointment until 1966 he was a desk officer for scientific intelligence. He was then appointed military intelligence liaison office at the South African embassy in Paris from April 1967 to 1970 - responsible for liaison with the French intelligence service and Francophone African countries. During this time he was promoted to the rank of Major.

Upon his return to the RSA he assisted Gen Fritz Loots with the establishment of the first Reconnaissance Commandos (the “Reccess”, later to become the SA Special Forces). He returned to MID in 1973 and from then to 1981 he held various desk positions, which were all related to the collation and evaluation of information. He was appointed to the Sub-Section Studies, Section Research in about 1972; then from 1976 to 1978 he was appointed Director of the Directorate Research. He was promoted to Commandant and later Colonel during this decade.

In 1982 and 1983 he was responsible for special projects or special tasks in SWA, and promoted to Brigadier. He was then appointed director DST (Nov 1983 – Apr 1986), “Special Tasks”, before being promoted to Major General and being appointed as Chief Director Military Intelligence, Evaluation Division, from April 1986 to October 1986. When the Directorate Special Tasks was upgraded to a Sub-Division Intelligence Operations (SDIO) he was transferred back as its first Chief Director in Oct 1986 – responsible for Special Intelligence Projects. During the period 1988 to 1990 he was also a member of the SA military team that negotiated with Angolan, Russian, Cuban and American representatives regarding the independence of SWA/ Namibia. In August 1989 he had a very serious car accident, which put him out of action for many months and which forced the CSI to move a number of directorates and sections out of the SDIO. He was only able to return to work in January 1990.

He left MID in late 1990. From 1990 to 1991 he was appointed the Special Military representative for Africa, which functions included support to the government of Angola and UNITA to reach a settlement agreement.
In July 1991 he retired from the SADF, after 27 years and 4 months of service.
His medals and decorations include the Star of Africa (Silver), Southern Cross Decoration, Southern Cross Medal, Chief of the SADF Commendation and Good Service Medal Silver (20 years).

Maj Gen van Tonder was very well known internationally by senior people in western intelligence agencies, and often affectionately referred to worldwide as "Smiley" (after George Smiley from the John Le Carre novels) without good reason!

23177

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 20 July

Groenewald, L.H., SM, Major General:

Maj Genl L. H. Groenewald, SM, retires

GENERAAL-MAJOOR L. H. Groenewald, SM, Direkteur-Generaal Bestuursdienste, het op 31 Julie 1975 met pensioen uit die Weermag getree.

Admiraal H. H. Biermann, SSA, OBE, Hoof van die SAW, Lt genl R. H. D. Rogers, SM, DSO, DFC, Hoof van die Lugmag, en verskeie ander opper- en senior offisiere, het die afskeidsparade en -funksie bygewoon wat onlangs by die Lugmagkollege gehou is.

In sy toespraak het admiraal Biermann gesê genl maj Groenewald kan met trots terugkyk na die 37 jaar diens wat hy gelewer het. Hy het op 1 Desember 1938 as ’n lugwerktuigkundige by die Vliegtuig- en Artilleriedepot op Robertshoogte begin.

"Ons is trots op sy bydrae tydens aktiewe diens in Noord-Afrika, Europa en die Midde-Ooste gedurende die Tweede Wereldoorlog, en ook vir die diens wat hy in 1951/52 saam met die VVO-magte in Korea gelewer het.

Genl maj Groenewald het die hoogste vlak van die Weermagshiérargie bereik. Hy was dikwels die aangewese persoon om die maksimum in die minimum tyd te verrig. Sy oorplasing vir diens in Korea, toe hy met kort kennisgewing per lug daarheen moes vertrek om ’n krisis die hoof te gaan bied, is ’n voorbeeld hiervan. As gevolg van sy deursettingsvermoë kon hy hierdie soort struikelblokke oorbrug. Dit het dan ook meegebring dat hy gedurende sy loopbaan etlike duisende ure oortyd gewerk het.

"Genl Maj Lukas Groenewald sal veral onthou word as die grondlegger van Kodifisering en Katalogisering in die Weermag — ’n taak wat hy bykans man-alleen aangepak en uitgebou het tot die organisasie wat dit vandag is. As ons kyk na die doeltreffendheid daarvan, die aansienlike besparings wat dit in die hand werk, asook die bydrae tot slaggereedheid, wil ek hom in besonder hiervoor bedank.

"As Direkteur Generaal Bestuurstelsels, ’n pos wat genl maj Groenewald sedert 1 Junie 1970 beklee het, het hy hom op lofwaardige wyse van sy veelsydige taak gekwyt. As daar gekyk word na die omvangrykheid van die dienste wat deur sy afdeling gelewer word, is dit baie duidelik dat sy taak nie eenvoudig was nie.

"As gevolg van sy wye ervaring en die wyse waarop hy uitdagings aanvaar het, is daar by verskeie geleentheid bykomende take hom ten laste gelê. Onder sy leiding is die hele 9telsel van rekeningprosedures grondig ondersoek en was die resultaat ’n reeks aanbevelings wat verrekeningsprosedures geweldig vereenvoudig het. Deur die implementering van dié aanbevelings is die werklas by eenhede in hierdie opsig met tot soveel as 70 persent verlig wat uiteraard ’n baie heilsame uitwerking op die mannekragsituasie gehad het.

"Ek mag nie nalaat om ook melding te maak van die baanbrekerswerk wat hy in die SA Weermag op die gebied van organisasieen werkstudie gedoen het, asook sy bydrae tot die oplossing van die mannekragprobleem,” het Admiraal Biermann gesê.

BRON: BYVOEGSEL TOT PARATUS • AUGUSTUS 1975

23327

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 6 August

Snyman, O.O. PMM, Warrant Officer 1st Class:

New Sergeant-Major of the Army

SGT-MAJ O. O. Snyman, PPM, recently became the highest ranking NCO in the SADF when he took over as Sgt-Maj of the Army.

A veteran of 31 years service, he is the second man to hold this rank since it was created in 1969.

He joined the Permanent Force in 1939, after serving for a few months in the Special Services Battalion. Although he did not see active service during the war, hundreds of volunteers passed through his hands before being sent up North. In 1945 he was posted to the Middle East and the following year he was sent to an Amoured Division Equipment Park in Italy, where he met and married his wife.

After holding a number of posts, he took over as Sgt-Maj of the Military Academy, a position he held for 12 years before taking up his present position.

SOURCE: PARATUS • DECEMBER 1970

23453

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 13 August

Fouché, W.J., Colonel:

Senior Bevorderings

BRIG W. J. FOUCHÉ, SM, is in 1920 op Uitenhage gebore. Nadat hy daar aan die Muir Koliege gematrikuleer het, het hy op 1 Junie 1938 by die Departement van Justisie aangesluit en by die landdroskantoor gewerk.

’n Paar jaar later, nadat hy al sy wetseksamens afgelê het, is hy bevorder tot landdros. Hy het toe op verskeie plekke oor die hele land as assistent-landdros en landdros gedien.

Op 1 Oktober 1961 is hy met die rang van majoor oorgeplaas na die Departement van Verdediging as militêre regsoffisier. Hy het in dié pos gedien tot in April 1964 toe hy terug verplaas is na die landdrosafdeling van die Departement van Justisie.

Hy is toe dadelik bevorder tot senior landdros en was daarna in die landdroskantore van Pretoria, Volksrust en Luderitz in Suidwes. Hy het aansoek gedoen om na die Staande Mag teruggeplaas te word en op 1 November 1966 is hy met die rang van kommandant aangestel.

Presies twee jaar later, op 1 November 1968, is hy bevorder na kolonel en as Regulasies SSO, aangestel.

Op 1 Desember 1971 is hy bevorder na brigadier en aangestel as Direkteur Algemene Administrasie by DGP.

Brig Fouché is in 1943 met ’n mej Burger van Sitrusdal getroud. ’n Seun en twee dogters is uit die huwelik gebore. Die seun. Lt André Fouché, is tans finale jaar mediese student in die Staande Mag.

Brig Fouché is ’n geesdriftige tennis- en muurbalspeler. Op skool was hy kaptein van die eerste rugbyspan en het onder meer ook vir die OP en Vrystaat-bofbalspanne as vanger gespeel.

BRON: PARATUS • JANUARIE 1972

23571

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Summary

23574

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Summary of career, Please note approximate dates Started military career on 3 Jan 1963 1974-1970: 1 SSB 1971-1975: School of Armour Dec1975 - Jan 1976: Operation Savannah (Capt)

23575

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Feb 1976-Dec1979: SA Army College (Maj). Jul1980-Dec1980: 82 Mech - Potchefstrrom (Maj). Dec 1980 - Dec 1982: NTVL Command (Cmdt)

23576

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Jan 1983-Dec1985: SA Army Colege (Cmdt)

23577

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Jan 1986 - Jan 1991: Director Armour (Col)

23578

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Jan 1991 - Sep 1994: Direkteur Personeel Benutting (Brig)

23579

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Oct 1994-Dec1995: Direkteur Mannekrag (Brig)

23580

Posted by

Etienne Fourie on 16 August

Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Brig Anton Fourie SM, MMM passed away (motor accident) on 4 Dec 1995. RIV Pa!

23747

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 31 August

RE: Fourie, Anton, Colonel:

Etienne, het jy dalk 'n foto van jou oorlede pa in uniform?

23851

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 23 September

Linford, Delville, Commandant:

A tribute to a truly great man- Col. Delville Linford SM MMM
By Jandré Du Plessis

Early this year during a visit to a SWATF veteran, he invited me to his closet. "I have something very special for you and I want you to be it's new guardian", he said and produced a 91 SWA Brigade cravat, a rare item in itself. With a wide grin he told me that this particular item belonged to the famous, Colonel Delville Linford. He told me that during a formal dinner, he covertly liberated the cravat. At that moment I vowed that I will build a display honouring the legacy of Col. Linford with the cravat at its center.

Delville Linford, born in Potchefstroom on 23 July 1930, matriculated in 1948 and joined the Active Citizen Force. A few years later he enrolled at he Army Gymnasium. In 1953 he attended the Army College as a trainer instructor and gained first place, then converted to the artillery and two years later was one of the first students to attend the Military Academy at Stellenbosch. He graduated B Mil in 1957, became a gunnery instructor at the School of Artillery at Potchefstroom, then became the Officer Commanding 3 Battery. From 1964-65 he attended a gunnery staff course in England, then in 1966 presented the course in South Africa. He became an instructor at the Army Staff College, when the young major's outspokenness soon had him transferred as far from Pretoria as possible, to the castle at Cape Town.

Promoted to Commandant in 1971, he was transferred to Port Elizabeth as a training officer. In 1972 he wrote he army's war manual. In 1973 he was appointed senior South African liaison officer to a Portuguese sector commander at Serpa Pinto, Angola.

He was recalled to Army Headquarters at Pretoria in July 1974. The next month the then Director of Operations, Brigadier Constand Viljoen, approached him to serve in the West Caprivi under Major-General Fritz Loots, where he started training the Bushmen Flechas and grouped them in a battalion-strength unit based at Omega, called Alpha Group in November 1974, which he led through Operation Savannah as part of Battle Group Alpha. This group went on to become 31 Battalion later and eventually 201 Battalion in 1980, as part of the South West African Territory Force (SWATF).

In 1977 he founded 41 Battalion and served as Commanding officer until it was renamed to 911 Battalion and incorporated into the newly formed 91 SWA Brigade as part of the SWATF.

He was promoted to Colonel and served as Officer Commanding 91 Brigade until his retirement. He sadly passed away in July 2015.

This display is thus dedicated to the magnificent legacy of Col. Linford and those that served in the units he helped establish and led. His contributions to the SADF and SWATF will live on through a small display in my collection.

Few notes regarding the display:
1. Only the cravat was the property of the Colonel. The other items I sourced to complete it as accurately as possible.
2. Ribbon bars was never worn on Nutria as far as I could ascertain, in this case it serves illustrative purposes.
3. The ribbon bars show his group as it would have been worn from 1986-1989. The PF long service ribbons were replaced in 1986 and the Chief of SADF Commendation medal(Later renamed MMM) was still worn at the back of the group.
4.Above the shooting bar is the Master Gunner proficiency badge(Cro

23982

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 18 October

Holliday, J.J.C (Jan). PMD PMM, Warrant Officer 1st Class:

John James Clarke Holliday, first Sergeant Major of the SADF, must be one of the last full-time members to wear service ribbons from World War 2. It is an indication of the span of his long career and the immense wealth of experience he can bring to his new appointment. Born on October 16 1927, Holliday is an armour specialist who joined the Army while still a schoolboy. He got his first rank — lance corporal — at the age of 19 in 1946, as an instructor at 1 Special Service Battalion. He stayed there until he became an instructor at the Army Gymnasium in 1962. He later served as Squadron Sergeant Major at OFS Command, and later Northern Transvaal Command. In 1969 he became Command Sergeant Major of Northern Transvaal Command and in July 1984 Sergeant Major of the Army. The post of Sergeant Major of the Army is a comparatively recent one, having been instituted in 1970 only (the first incumbent was the legendary WO1 Ockert Snyman, who died recently). Obviously Snyman and his successors have made the appointment work, because this year the new post of Sergeant Major of the SADF was created, and Holliday was appointed. [Source: The SADF. A Survey. Supplement to Financial Mail July 10 1987]

23983

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 18 October

Holliday, J.J.C (Jan). PMD PMM, Warrant Officer 1st Class:

23990

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 18 October

Holtzhausen, R.F., Colonel:

National Colours at Farewell Parade
By Tim Marsland

For the first time in the history of the SADF, National Colours together with regimental colours were displayed at a farewell parade. The parade was held at the Army College in Voortrekkerhoogte for Lt Gen R.F. Holtzhausen, SSA, SD, SM, who retired as Chief of Staff Personnel.

Lt Gen Holtzhausen was born in Bloemfontein where he later matriculated at Grey College in 1950.

He joined the SADF on 1 February 1951 as a Candidate Officer. He was promoted to the rank of Major General on 1 January 1977 and to Lieutenant General on 1 February 1981.

Lt Gen Holtzhausen has held many varied posts in the SADF, including Officer Commanding Infantry School and Director Special Projects, Army Headquarters.

He is married with four children.

SOURCE: PARATUS • APRIL 1989

Photo: The General Salute is played for Lt Gen Holtzhausen who has retired as Chief of Staff Personnel.

23993

Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 18 October

Lemmer, Major-General, I. SM:

Farewell Parade for the Chief of Staff Logistics
By Lester Mills

A FUNCTION to bid farewell to Lt Gen Ivan Lemmer, retiring Chief of Staff Logistics, was held at the Army College on 22 March. It was attended by many top ranking officers, including his successor, Lt Gen Ken Pickersgill.

Lt Gen Lemmer, SSAS, SD, SM, was born in Johannesburg and matriculated at the Pretoria Technical College in 1948. He later read for a BSc (Mil) degree at the University of Pretoria where he graduated in 1952.

His first post was as a typist/clerk with the Pretoria Municipality, followed by a position as assistant clerk at the Department of Mining, also in Pretoria.

He joined the then Union Defence Force (now SA Defence Force) as a cadet officer in April 1950. By 1964 he was a Commandant and by 1968 had been promoted to Brigadier at the age of 37.

He became a Major General in August 1974 and a Lieutenant General in December 1979. Lt Gen Lemmer attended scores of military training courses during his 39-year stint with the SA Defence Force, including one at the Regular Royal Engineers Junior Officer Post-Degree School of Military Engineering in Chatham, United Kingdom, in 1957.

For a spell in 1957 he was seconded to an Engineering Squadron of the British Army stationed on the Rhine in West Germany as a troop commander.

He has served variously as Commanding Officer, including Orange Free State Command and Southern Cape Command. On attaining the rank of Major General he was Chief of Army Staff Logistics. He has been Chief of Staff Logistics since August 1978.

Lt Gen Lemmer is married to Linda (nee Knoesen), a teacher. They have two children, Rinal, a dental technologist, and Karin, a dentist.

SOURCE: PARATUS • APRIL 1989

Photo: Lt Gen Ken Pickersgill (right) is congratulated on his appointment, as Chief of Staff Logistics by Lt Gen Ivan Lemmer.

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Posted by

Lt Schoemies on 10 November

Kalashnikov, Mikhail Timofeevica:

I have set up a page for the 48-page booklet on the Weapons of Kalashnikov (sent in by Leo at http://www.warinangola.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1967