Major-General Christoffel 'Boetie' Venter , (1 November 189220 February 1977) was a South African military commander.

Military career

He joined the 7 Mounted Rifles in 1912 then the 5 SAMR in August 1914 for service in

South West Africa South West Africa was a territory under Union of South Africa, South African administration from 1915 to 1990. Renamed ''Namibia'' by the United Nations in 1968, Independence of Namibia, it became independent under this name on 21 March 1990. ...

. He joined

1 South African Infantry Battalion 1 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army. History Oudtshoorn origin With its establishment as 1 SA Infantry Training Battalion at Oudtshoorn on 26 January 1951, the unit became part of the Sou ...

in 1916 and served in France until he transferred to the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

in February 1917. He was shot down and captured in 1918. He won the DFC and bar and was credited with 16 aerial victories, and joined the

South African Air Force The South African Air Force (SAAF) is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force, with its headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force saw service in World War II a ...

in 1922. He commanded

1 Squadron SAAF 1 Squadron SAAF was an air force squadron of the South African Air Force and was formed at Air Force Station Swartkop in February 1920, equipped with De Havilland DH.9s part of the Imperial Gift donation to South Africa by Britain. On 31 August 19 ...

and served as Officer Commanding Wits Command in 1936. He was from 1940 to 1945. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he was managing director of

South African Airways South African Airways (SAA) is the flag carrier of South Africa. Founded in 1929 as Union Airways it later rebranded to South African Airways in 1934, the airline is headquartered in Airways Park at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannes ...

Honours and awards

Companion of the Order of the Bath

Then Major General Venter was made a Companion of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

on 1 January 1944 The notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:

Distinguished Flying Cross

Lieutenant Venter was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1918. The notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:

Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross

In November 1918 he was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross The notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:

List

* * * * * * * GRE Order of the Phoenix - Gold Cross BAR

Order of the Phoenix (Greece) The Order of the Phoenix () is an Order (decoration), order of Greece, established on 13 May 1926, by the republicanism, republican government of the Second Hellenic Republic to replace the defunct Order of George I, Royal Order of George I. T ...

Military Cross (Belgium) The Military Cross (, ) is a military long service decoration of Belgium. It was established by Royal Decree on 11 February 1885 and is awarded to commissioned officers in the Belgian Armed Forces for loyal and uninterrupted service or to Non-Bel ...

External links

Sources

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Venter 1892 births 1977 deaths Afrikaner people South African people of Dutch descent South African Air Force generals Companions of the Order of the Bath South African recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) People from Middelburg, Eastern Cape Recipients of the Order of the Phoenix with Swords (Greece) South African military personnel of World War I South African Air Force personnel of World War II South African World War I flying aces Military personnel from the Eastern Cape