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, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
Harold Willmott (18991993)
was a
South African military commander.
Military career
He served in the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
in
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, and joined the
South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
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in 1924.
During
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 served as Deputy Director-General of Air Services from 1939 to 1940, as commander of 3 Wing in
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
from 1941 to 1942, as Director of the Coastal Air Force from 1942 to 1944, and as Deputy Director-General of the Air Force from 1944 to 1945, when he was promoted to Director-General.
After the war, he served as Officer Commanding
Natal Command
Natal Command was a Command of the South African Army. It was headquartered in Durban, South Africa. By the 1980s, it was responsible for the security of the region, forming the primary level of command for military operations in support of the P ...
, and finally as Air Chief of Staff, from 17 October 1945 to 10 September 1946.
Honours and awards
He was appointed
Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
in the January
1943 New Year Honours
The 1943 New Year Honours were appointments by King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the United Kingdom and British Empire. They were announced on 29 December 1942.United Kingdom (additiona ...
list.
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See also
*
List of South African military chiefs
This article lists the South African military chiefs. From 1958 until the first democratic general election in 1994, the present-day South African National Defence Force was known as the South African Defence Force. From 1912 to 1958, the mili ...
*
South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
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References
1899 births
1993 deaths
South African people of British descent
White South African people
South African Air Force personnel
Chiefs of the South African Air Force
South African Air Force personnel of World War II
South African Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley
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