Hendrik Klopper
| Hendrik Balzazar Klopper DSO | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 25 September 1903 |
| Died | 30 December 1977 (aged 74) |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Republic of South Africa |
| Service/branch |
South African Army |
| Years of service | 1924–1958 |
| Rank | General |
| Awards | |
General Hendrik Balzazar Klopper DSO (25 September 1903 – 31 December 1977[1]) was a South African military commander. He joined the South African Army in 1924.
Military career
During World War II he commanded the 3rd Infantry Brigade[2] in North Africa, for which he was awarded the DSO[3] and then briefly commanded 2nd Infantry Division. As fortress commander, Klopper was forced to surrender Tobruk and its garrison to Axis forces on 21 June 1942. He escaped from captivity in 1943 and was officially exonerated for the Tobruk disaster.
He was OC of Northern Command in 1945[4]
He served as Army Chief of Staff from 1951 to 1953, as Inspector-General from 1953 to 1956, and as Commandant-General,[5]:94 i.e. head of the Union Defence Force,[6] from 1956 to 1958.
Awards and Decorations
See also
References
- ↑ "KLOPPER H.B. 1903-1977". eGGSA Library. The Genealogical Society of South Africa:eGGSA Branch. 24 February 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
- ↑ "The Generals of WWII: Klopper, Hendrik Balzazer". generals.dk. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
- ↑ "The London Gazette, Issue 35697, page 3948". The Gazette. The London Gazette. 8 September 1942. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
- ↑ Uys, Ian (1992). South African Military Who's Who 1452-1992. Fortress Publishers. ISBN 0-9583173-3-X.
- ↑ Nöthling, C.J.; Meyers, E.M. (1982). "LEIERS DEUR DIE JARE (1912-1982)" (Online). Scientia Militaria - South African Journal of Military Studies (in Afrikaans). 12 (2): 89–98. doi:10.5787/12-2-631. ISSN 2224-0020. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ↑ Englebrecht, Leon (10 November 2008). "Fact file: Chiefs of the SA Army". DefenceWeb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Christiaan du Toit |
Chief of the General Staff of the Union Defence Force 1956 – 1958 |
Succeeded by Stephen Melville |
| Preceded by Christiaan du Toit |
Chief of the South African Army 1951 – 1953 |
Succeeded by Pieter Grobbelaar |
| Preceded by Jock Kriegler |
OC SA Army College 1944 – 1945 |
Succeeded by SJ Joubert |
| Preceded by JR Wocke |
OC Special Service Battalion 1938 – 1939 |
Succeeded by Pik van Noorden |
Chiefs of the South African military | |
|---|---|
| Chief of the Union Defence Force 1912–1957 .svg.png){kind=small} | |
| Commandant General SADF 1958–1973 .svg.png){kind=small} | |
| Chief of the SADF 1973–1994 | |
| Chief of the SANDF 1994–present | |
Chiefs of the South African Army | ||
|---|---|---|
| Director-General of Land Forces |  | |
| Army Chief of Staff | ||
| Chief of the Army | ||
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