Pierre van Ryneveld
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General Sir Pierre van Ryneveld, KBE, CB, DSO, MC (1891-1972) was a South African military commander.
He began his military career in World War I, in which he served briefly in the British Army before transferring to the Royal Air Force, where he distinguished himself as a fighter ace.
After the war, he was invited to set up a South African Air Force. He flew back home, across Africa, in a small aircraft - a pioneering feat for which he and his co-pilot Christopher Quintin-Brand were both knighted.
Col Sir Pierre van Ryneveld established the SAAF in 1920, and directed it until 1933, when he was promoted to Chief of the General Staff, in command of the Union Defence Forces.
He served as CGS for sixteen years, including the whole of World War II. He retired in 1949.
The Pretoria suburb of Pierre van Ryneveld was named in his honour.
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Categories: Articles lacking sources from March 2007 | All articles lacking sources | 1891 births | 1972 deaths | Royal Air Force personnel | South African Air Force personnel | South African military personnel | South African military stubs | South African people stubs | African military personnel stubs
