Pierre van Ryneveld

Sir Hesperus Andrias van Ryneveld KBE CB DSO MC
File:Pierre van Ryneveld.jpg
Nickname(s)	Pierre
Born	(1891-05-02)2 May 1891 Senekal, Orange Free State
Died	Pretoria, South Africa
Allegiance	British Empire South Africa South Africa
Service/branch	Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force South African Air Force
Years of service	August 1914 – 2 May 1949
Rank	General
Commands held	South African Air Force Union Defence Forces
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) Distinguished Service Order (DSO) Military Cross (MC)
Spouse(s)	Edith 'Betty' Sterling

General Sir Hesperus Andrias van Ryneveld KBE CB DSO MC (2 May 1891 – 2 December 1972), known as Pierre van Ryneveld, was a South African military commander. He was the founding commander of the South African Air Force (SAAF).

He began his military career in World War I, in which he served in the Royal Flying Corps (later Royal Air Force), where he distinguished himself as a fighter ace.

After the war, van Ryneveld was called back to South Africa by the Prime Minister Jan Smuts in order to set up the SAAF. He flew back home, across Africa, in a Vickers Vimy - a pioneering feat for which he and his co-pilot Quintin Brand were both knighted.

(L-R) Lt Col van Ryneveld with First Lt Quintin Brand, February 1920, in front of Vickers Vimy Silver Queen, before their England to South Africa flight

Colonel van Ryneveld established the SAAF in 1920, and directed it until 1933, when he was promoted to Chief of the General Staff (CGS), in command of the Union Defence Forces. However, for the next four years the SAAF remained under van Ryneveld's direct control as no one was appointed as the Air Force's director until 1937.

He served as CGS for sixteen years, including the whole of World War II. He retired in 1949.

Honours and awards

The Pretoria suburb of Pierre van Ryneveld Park was named in his honour and the airport just north of Upington in the Northern Cape is also named after van Ryneveld. Sir Pierre van Ryneveld High School is in Kempton Park, Gauteng. The SAAF's annual air power symposium, is known as the Sir Pierre Van Ryneveld Air Power Symposium.

The citation for his Knighthood reads as follows:

• 14 May 1920 - Lieutenant-Colonel Hesperus Andrias Van Ryneveld, DSO, MC, late Royal Air Force - Appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of the valuable services rendered to Aviation by the successful flight from England to Cape Town, South Africa.
• Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

• Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)

• Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

• Military Cross (MC)

• 1914–15 Star

• British War Medal
• Victory Medal (South Africa) with MID
• Africa Star

• War Medal 1939–1945

• Africa Service Medal (WWII)

• King George V Coronation Medal
• King George VI Coronation Medal

He was appointed a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1919.

External links

• South African Air Force Museum - General Sir Helperus Andreas (Pierre) Van Ryneveld
• Prominent People - van Ryneveld, Pierre

See also

• List of South African military chiefs
• South African Air Force

Military offices
Preceded by W R Read	Officer Commanding No. 45 Squadron RFC 24 April – 18 August 1917	Succeeded by Arthur Harris
Preceded by Ewan Christian	Officer Commanding Military College 1929 – 1932	Succeeded by George Brink
New title South African Air Force established	Director Air Services, South African Air Force From 1933 to 1937 SAAF remained under van Ryneveld's direct control 1920 – 1933	Vacant Title next held by Francis Hoare in 1937
Preceded by A Brink	Chief of the General Staff of the Union Defence Force 1933 – 1949	Succeeded by Leonard Beyers