Rear Admiral Stephanus Cornelis Biermann (9 December 1918 – 18 February 2003)
was a South African Navy officer.
Early life
Biermann's father, joined the Orange Free State postal service at the age of 12
and later joined the SA Railways and Harbours as a telegraphist.
Biermann was one of four children and received his schooling at
Jan van Riebeeck High School
Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to:
Acronyms
* Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN
* Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code
* Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group
* Japanese Article Numb ...
in Cape Town. His brother Hugo reached the rank of admiral in the South African Navy.
Naval career
Before the outbreak of
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 opposing ...
he was a teacher
at Highlands North High School in Johannesburg.
This gave rise to his nickname "Chips" after the schoolmaster Mr Chips.
Chips, along with his brothers Phillip and Hugo served on minesweepers during World War II.
He served aboard
HMSAS Natal and took part in
Operation Zipper in the Far East.
After the war he returned to teaching but rejoined the Navy as an officer and commanded the Naval Gymnasium, including the
South African Naval College
Death
Biermann died at the age of 84 at a retirement home, Silvermine Village, near Cape Town.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Biermann, Stephanus
South African admirals
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II
People from Johannesburg
1918 births
2003 deaths
Alumni of Hoërskool Jan van Riebeeck