Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

Pieter de Waal (31 December 1899, ZeerustJune 1977, Wynberg) was a South African military commander. He joined the Union Defence Forces as a coastal gunner in 1922.

Military career

From 1934 to 1940, he was Director of Operations and Training (under various titles) at Defence Headquarters. He served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff from 1940 until 1944, when he was seconded to the staff of General

Dwight Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...

as South African Liaison Officer to Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces in England for the rest of

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 ...

. After the war, Brig de Waal served as Quartermaster-General from 1945 to 1951, and as Naval and Marine Chief of Staff from 1951 to 1952. As NMCS he was in command of both the

South African Navy The South African Navy (SA Navy) is the naval warfare branch of the South African National Defence Force. The Navy is primarily engaged in maintaining a conventional military deterrent, participating in counter-piracy operations, fishery prote ...

and the short-lived South Africa Marine Corps. He served as Military & Naval Attaché to the US from 1953 to 1954

Awards and decorations

Companion of the Order of the Bath

On 1 January 1946, Brigadier de Waal 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 ...

. The Notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:

Commander of the Order of the British Empire

On 1 January 1944, Brigadier de Waal was made a Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

. The Notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:

List

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References