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

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 1 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army. History Oudtshoorn origin Established as 1 SA Infantry Training Battalion at Oudtshoorn, (hence the ostrich feathers on the unit insignia) on 26 Janua ...

in 1916 and served in France until he transferred to the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

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 "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ...

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.9's part of the Imperial Gift donation to South Africa by Britain. On 31 August 1 ...

and served as Officer Commanding Wits Command in 1936 He was Director-General of the Air Force from 1940 to 1945. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, he was managing director of

South African Airways South African Airways (SAA) is the flag carrier airline of South Africa. Founded in 1934, the airline is headquartered in Airways Park at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and operated a hub-and-spoke network, serving ten destin ...

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 George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...

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

* * *

British War Medal The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in si ...

Victory Medal (South Africa) *

King George V Coronation Medal The King George V Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal instituted in 1911 to celebrate the coronation of King George V, that took place on 22 June 1911. Award It was the first British Royal commemorative medal to be awarded to people who w ...

King George VI Coronation Medal The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir of King George VI's coronation. It was awarded to th ...

GRE Order of the Phoenix - Gold Cross BAR

Order of the Phoenix (Greece) The Order of the Phoenix ( el, Τάγμα του Φοίνικος) is an order of Greece, established on 13 May 1926, by the republican government of the Second Hellenic Republic to replace the defunct Royal Order of George I. The order was ret ...

Military Cross (Belgium) The Military Cross ( nl, Militair Kruis, french: Croix Militaire) 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 loy ...

External links

Biography at The Aerodrome

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 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