Fritz Loots

Major General Frederich ('Fritz') Wilhelm Loots SSA SD SM (1917 – 2008) was a general in the South African Defence Force (SADF). He was founder of the South African Special Forces and their first commanding officer.[1]

Major General

Frederich Wilhelm Loots

SSA SD SM
Born(1917-04-29)29 April 1917
Britstown, Cape Province, Union of South Africa
Died12 August 2008(2008-08-12) (aged 91)
Pretoria
Allegiance South Africa
Service/branch South African Army
Years of service1939–1982
RankMajor General
Commands held
  • GOC South West Africa Command (1963–1964)
  • Director of Military Intelligence (1966–1970)
  • Inspector General of the SADF (1970–1973)
  • GOC Special Forces (1974–1982)
Battles/warsBorder War
AwardsStar of South Africa SSA Southern Cross Decoration SD Southern Cross Medal SM Good Service Medal ' Good Service Medal ' Union Medal ' 1939–45 Star ' Africa Star ' Italy Star ' War Medal 1939–1945 ' Africa Service Medal (WWII) '

Early life and education

Born in Britstown on 26 April 1917, Loots was educated at Theron High School.[1] After high school in 1936, he joined the Special Service Battalion, a unit formed to train young men in military and work skills during the depression.[1]

Career

In 1939, he joined the Union Defence Force in the Infantry Corps and served in World War II. By 1947 he held the rank of Warrant Officer and in 1951 he was commissioned as an officer.[1] He held various positions as a Staff Officer in the SADF before becoming Officer Commanding the Army Gymnasium from 1959 to 1963.[1]

In 1963, he was appointed to command South West Africa Command until 1964.[1] By 1965 he was a Senior Staff Officer at Military Intelligence and then the Director of Military Intelligence from 1966 until 1970.[1] His last position was as Inspector General of the SADF which ended in June 1973 when he retired.[1]

He returned from retirement in August 1974 to found the South African Special Forces.[1] In 1980 Loots led Operation Winter, which was undertaken to recruit former members of the Rhodesian Security Forces to serve with South Africa.[2] He continued in the SADF until his retirement on 25 April 1982.[1] Major General Loots died on 12 August 2008.[1]

Awards and decorations

References
  1. Human, Lt Col A. L. "In memory of an honorable man" (PDF). SANDF.info. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  2. Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1998). "Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report. Volume Two" (PDF). Pretoria: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. p. 92.
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