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General Pieter Grobbelaar, SSA DSO (16 September 1908 – 22 June 1988)[2] was a South African military commander. He served as Army Chief of Staff from 1953 to 1958, and Commandant General of the South African Defence Force from 1961 to 1965.
Pieter Hendrik Grobbelaar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 16 September 1908 Porterville, Cape Colony[1] |
| Died | 22 June 1988 (aged 79) |
| Allegiance | South Africa |
| Service/ | South African Army |
| Years of service | 1933–1965 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Awards |           |
Military career edit
Grobbelaar joined the South African Army as a part-time Citizen Force soldier in 1929 and became a full-time Permanent Force member in 1933.[3]: 92
During the Second World War, Grobbelaar commanded the 7th Reconnaissance Battalion as a lieutenant colonel, and was second-in-command of the 12th Motorised Brigade, 6th Armoured Division during the Italy.[1]
After the war, Grobbelaar served as Officer Commanding Orange Free State Command, Northern Transvaal Command and the South African Military College.[3]: 93
Grobbelaar served as Army Chief of Staff from 1953 to 1958, as Inspector-General from 1958 to 1959, as Deputy Commandant-General from 1959 to 1960, and as Commandant General of the South African Defence Force from 1961 to 1965.[4]
Awards and decorations edit
Star of South Africa (1952) (SSA)
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Union Medal
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
1939–45 Star
Africa Star
Italy Star
War Medal 1939 – 1945 (Mentioned in Dispatches) (MID)
Defence Medal (United Kingdom)
Africa Service Medal (WWII)
References edit
- ^ a b Who's Who of Southern Africa 1964. Wootton & Gibson (Pty) Ltd. 1964. p. 367.
- ^ "GROBBELAAR Pieter Hendrik 1908–1988". eggsa.org.
- ^ a b Nöthling, C.J.; Meyers, E.M. (1982). "Leiers Deur die Jare (1912-1982)" (Online). Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies (in Afrikaans). 12 (2): 89–98. doi:10.5787/12-2-631. ISSN 2224-0020. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ^ Leon Engelbrecht. "Fact file: Chiefs of the SANDF, past and present". defenceweb.co.za.