Daniel Pieter 'Neil' Knobel (29 November 1936
22 July 2021) was a
South African military commander. A medical doctor, he was Surgeon-General, in command of the
South African Medical Service
The South African Medical Service (SAMS) was a branch of the South African Defence Force (SADF). In 1994 when the SADF was merged with various other military and armed resistance forces as part of the post-apartheid reforms the SAMS became the Sout ...
, from 1988 to 1997.
Medical career
Knobel was born in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
, Scotland in 1936. Educated at the
Afrikaans Boys High School in
Pretoria
Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country.
Pretoria strad ...
, South Africa, he graduated with an MD and as specialist anatomist at the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
in Scotland in 1966. After being involved in academic medicine as a teacher of anatomy to approximately 20,000 students of all health professions in both Scotland and South Africa, he retired as Professor and Head of the Anatomy Department at the
University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria (, ) is a multi-campus public university, public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and ''de facto'' capital of South Africa. The university was established in 1908 as the Pretoria campus of the Johan ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
in 1979.
Having served for 13 years (from 1966 to 1979) as a Medical Officer, in various staff and operational positions in the part-time forces of the South African Defence Force, he joined the Permanent Force as Chief of Staff Medical Operations, with the rank of Brigadier in 1980. During the period 1980 to 1988, he obtained the Command and Staff and Joint Staff qualifications of the SADF, and served in various capacities in numerous operations in the RSA, South West Africa, Angola and Mozambique. In 1988 he was appointed Surgeon General of the SADF with the rank of lieutenant general.
During his term of office he was responsible for the medical care of four successive State Presidents of the RSA, all foreign dignitaries, as well as providing a specialized supporting service to all the security services and the Department of Health in South Africa. He also commanded the secretive South African chemical and biological weapons program, known as
Project Coast from 1988 to 1998.
Honours and awards
He officially visited 160 military and scientific installations in 14 countries, received 21 honours and awards and was decorated on seven occasions. In particular the
Order of the Star of South Africa (Silver) was conferred on him by the State President of the RSA in 1992 and in 1994,
Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
sanctioned his promotion to
Knight of the Order of St John.
Medal List
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Professional recognition
He is the author/co-author of 72 academic, military and/or scientific publications and is associated with 45 professional societies/organizations. With a special devotion to the needs of the disabled, he established the Curamus Association and Curamus Monument, for serving and ex-serving members of the Security Services of the RSA in 1989 and was awarded the World Veterans Fund Rehabilitation Prize for his work in this regard in 2000.
See also
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List of South African military chiefs
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South African Medical Service
The South African Medical Service (SAMS) was a branch of the South African Defence Force (SADF). In 1994 when the SADF was merged with various other military and armed resistance forces as part of the post-apartheid reforms the SAMS became the Sout ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knobel, Daniel
1936 births
2021 deaths
Military personnel from Edinburgh
South African military doctors
White South African people
South African military personnel of the Border War
Knights of the Order of St John
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Alumni of Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool
South Africa and weapons of mass destruction