T - Department of Defence

historyS A S O L D I E Rtrumpeter sounded the Last Post andReveille, the niche was closed and aDakota and Harvard from the SA AirForce Museum flew past in a fittingsalute to the founding father of our SAAir Force.The Father of the SA AirForceHelperus Andreas Van Ryneveld wasborn in Senekal on 2 May 1891. He waseducated at Grey College inBloemfontein and obtained a BA degreefrom the University of the Cape of GoodHope (today known as Unisa). Shortlybefore the outbreak of World War I hegraduated with a BSc degree from theUniversity of London.At the outbreak of World War I, VanRyneveld initially joined the RoyalNorth Lancashire Regiment, but wastransferred to the Royal Air Force in1915 as a pilot. He attained the rank of LtCol and Officer Commanding of 11thArmy Wing within four years of serviceand earned the Distinguished ServiceOrder and Military Cross. His brotherJohn, also a pilot, was killed during thewar.Van Ryneveld and Quinton Brand werethe first persons to fly from England toSouth Africa, and were thus pioneers inestablishing an air route across theAfrican continent. Between 4 Februaryand 20 March 1920, they flew in a VickersVimy called "Silver Queen", accompaniedby a second Vimy dubbed "Silver QueenII" and eventually arrived in South Africain a De Havilland DH-9 aircraft called"Voortrekker". Both Van Ryneveld andBrand were knighted for this feat.At the same time he was commissionedby Gen Jan Smuts to organise the establishmentof the SA Air Force with Kennyvan der Spuy as his deputy in 1920.Van Ryneveld was appointed as DirectorAir Services (today known as Chief of theAir Force) from 1920 to 1933 and with hisstrong personality and practical approachwas instrumental in the establishmentof a well-trained and equipped AirForce. He served as Director AirServices for thirteen years. Today it iscommon practice for the Chief of theAir Force to serve in this capacity forfive years.A true pioneer and aviator, VanRyneveld became the first person tofly from Pretoria to Cape Town nonstopin 1927 and was also the firstperson in South Africa to jump out ofan aircraft with a parachute.Van Ryneveld was appointed Chief ofGeneral Staff (today known as Chiefof the SANDF) in 1937 and led the SAAir Force's war effort during WorldWar II. He retired in May 1949.After retirement he settled on hisfarm Spitzkop in the Bronkhorstspruitarea. He died on 2 December 1972 atthe age of 81. He had one son, Johnvan Ryneveld (also an SA Air Forcepilot).Dedication tothe causeBy Cpl Itumeleng MakhubelaPhoto: Sgt Elias MahumaWarrant Officers of the SA Armyhave taken upon themselves theresponsibility to work for a spiritualrevival among SANDF members byestablishing an annual momentarychurch service.The dedication service that tookplace on 6 May 2011 at the ThabaTshwane City Hall has been initiated asan annual countrywide SA Army eventto afford Warrant Officers an opportunityto thank their Creator for all the blessingsgiven to them and also to receivespiritual strength.The SA Army Signal FormationChoir along with the NationalCeremonial Guard Band provided themusic for the event.Fltr: SCWO Mothusi Kgaladi, Warrant Officer of the SA Army, WO2Alwin van Eck of the Netherlands Embassy, Assistant NetherlandsDefence Attaché, and WO1 Patric Deblauwe of the BelgianEmbassy and the Belgian Defence Attaché Office attended thededication service.J U N E 2 0 1 1 • s43