Christoffel Venter

Major-General Christoffel 'Boetie' Venter CB DFC & bar, (1 November 1892 – 20 February 1977) was a South African military commander.

Christoffel Johannes Venter

CB DFC & bar
Nickname(s)Boetie
Born(1892-11-01)1 November 1892
nr Middelburg, Eastern Cape
Died20 February 1977(1977-02-20) (aged 84)[1]:255
Lyttleton, Pretoria
Allegiance
Service/branchAviation
RankMajor General
Battles/warsWorld War I
Awards

Military career

He joined the 7th Mounted Rifles in 1912 then the 5th SAMR in August 1914 for service in South West Africa. He joined 1 South African Infantry Battalion in 1916 and served in France until he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps 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 in 1922.[1]:255

He commanded 1 Squadron SAAF and served as Officer Commanding Wits Command in 1936[3]

He was Director-General of the Air Force from 1940 to 1945.[3] After World War II, he was managing director of South African Airways.

Honours and awards

Companion of the Order of the Bath

Then Major General Venter was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1944[4]

The notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:

The KING has been graciously pleased, on the advice of His Majesty's Ministers for the Union of South Africa, to give orders for the following appointment to the Most Honourable Order of the Bath:

To be an Additional Member of the Military Division of the Third Class, or Companions, of the said Most Honourable Order:

Temporary Major General Christoffel Johannes Venter, D.F.C., South African Staff Corps

Distinguished Flying Cross

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

Lt. Christoffel Johannes Venter.

During recent operations this officer shot down five enemy aeroplanes, one of which he followed down to 500 feet, when it was seen to fall.[5][6]

He is a bold and skilful airman.

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:

Lt. (T./Capt.) Christoffel Johannes Venter, D.F.C. A brilliant patrol leader, who has since May last destroyed eleven enemy machines. In an engagement between six of our machines and nine of the enemy, five of the latter were destroyed, Captain Venter accounting for one. Later on the same day he, in company with three other officers, engaged four Fokkers. In the combat that followed all four enemy machines were destroyed, this officer shooting down one.[5][7]

List
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See also

Sources
  1. Uys, Ian (1992). South African Military Who's Who 1452-1992. Fortress Publishers. ISBN 0-9583173-3-X.
  2. "Rathbone Museum". Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  3. Who's Who of Southern Africa 1959. Ken Donaldson (Pty) Ltd. 1959. p. 589.
  4. "No. 36311". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1943. p. 57.
  5. "Cristoffel Venter Biography". The Aerodrome. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  6. "No. 30827". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 1918. p. 9204.
  7. "No. 30989". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 November 1918. p. 12961.
Military offices
Preceded by
John Holthouse		 Director Air Services, South African Air Force
1940 – 1945		 Succeeded by
Jimmy Durrant
Preceded by
Unknown		 OC Witwatersrand Command
1936 – 1938		 Succeeded by
Charlie Ross
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