Willem Louw

Willem Petrus Louw
SSA SM
Born (1920-11-24)24 November 1920
Bloemhof, South Africa
Died 4 July 1980(1980-07-04) (aged 59)
Buried at Gauteng, Pretoria, VOORTREKKERHOOGTE, New Military cemetery[1] (25°46′53″S 28°07′18″E / 25.78148°S 28.12166°E / -25.78148; 28.12166Coordinates: 25°46′53″S 28°07′18″E / 25.78148°S 28.12166°E / -25.78148; 28.12166)
Allegiance  Republic of South Africa
Service/branch  South African Army
Years of service 1938 – 1975
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands held
  • Inspector General of the SADF
  • Chief of the Army
  • Northern Transvaal Command
  • SA Military College
  • 1 Parachute Battalion
Battles/wars World War II
Awards

Lieutenant-General Willem Petrus Louw SSA SM (Bloemhof,[2]:255 24 November 1920 – 4 July 1980)[1] was a South African military commander. He joined the South African Army in the Special Service Battalion in 1938,[3]:94 and served in Italy in World War II.

Military career

After enlisting as a private he served as a NCO in the Technical Service Corps (SAOC)[2]:255 and was seconded to the South African Infantry. In 1943 he attended a Candidate Officers course and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the South African Army Armoured Corps. He was transferred to the 6th Armoured Division and deployed to the Middle East and Italy.[3]:94

After the war he served in various posts and in 1959 became Officer Commanding North West Cape Command[2]:255 In 1960 he attended a Parachute Instructors course in England. He was promoted to Commandant (Lieutenant Colonel) in January 1961 and in April 1961 became the founder and first commanding officer of 1 Parachute Battalion. He was promoted to Colonel in 1964 and appointed OC of the Military College in Voortrekkerhoogte.[2]:255 In 1966 he served as OC Northern Transvaal Command[3]:94 as a Brigadier and Chief of the Army from 1967 to 1973,[4][3]:94 and as Inspector-General of the South African Defence Force from 1973 to 1975.[3]:94

After a re-organisation of the SADF the position of Inspector General was abolished and he retired on 31 March 1975.[2][3]:94

Awards and Decorations

References

  1. 1 2 "LOUW Willem Petrus 1920-1980". Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Els, Paul J WO1 (2010). We conquer from above. PelsA Books. ISBN 978-0-620-46738-4.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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.
  4. ↑ "Fact file: Chiefs of the SA Army". defenceweb.co.za. Defence Web. 10 November 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2014.

See also

Military offices
Preceded by
Maj Gen Fritz Loots		 Inspector General of the SADF
1973 – 1975 		Post Abolished
Preceded by
Charles 'Pop' Fraser		 Chief of the South African Army
1967 – 1973 		Succeeded by
Magnus Malan
Preceded by
Brig JH Burgher		 OC Northern Transvaal Command
1966 – 1967 		Succeeded by
Brig FJ van Deventer
Preceded by
Col JH Burgher		 OC South African Military College
1964 – 1966 		Succeeded by
Col JW van Niekerk
New creation
Regiment Founded
 OC 1 Parachute Battalion
April 1961 – 1964 		Succeeded by
Jan Fourie
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