Hugo Biermann

Hugo Hendrik Biermann, SSA SD OBE (6 August 1916 – 27 March 2012) was a senior officer in the South African Navy. He served as Chief of the Navy from 1952 to 1972 and Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1972 until 1976, the only naval officer to have served in the post.

Admiral

Hugo Hendrik Biermann

SSA SD OBE
Born(1916-08-06)6 August 1916
Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa
Died27 March 2012(2012-03-27) (aged 95)
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Allegiance South Africa
Service/branch South African Navy
Years of service1938–1976
RankAdmiral
Service number01222819PE
Commands held
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsStar of South Africa SSAG Southern Cross Decoration SD Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ' Order of the British Empire OBE Union Medal ' 1939–45 Star ' Atlantic Star ' Africa Star ' Italy Star ' War Medal 1939–1945 ' Africa Service Medal (WWII) ' Order of May (Naval Merit) ' Order of Prince Henry GCIH
Spouse(s)
Margaret (Peggy) Cruyws
​
​
(m. 1940; died 2008)​
RelationsRear Admiral Stephanus Biermann

Early life

Biermann's father, also named Hugo Hendrick, joined the Orange Free State postal service at the age of 12,[1] and later joined the South African Railways and Harbours as a telegraphist.[1]: page 3  Born in Johannesburg on 6 August 1916, Biermann was one of four children. His brothers Phillip and Stefanus (Chips) served on whalecatchers that had been converted to minesweepers during the Second World War.[2] His brother Stefanus reached the rank of rear admiral in the South African Navy.[2] Biermann started school in the Transvaal until his father was transferred to Cape Town.[1]: page 4  He completed his schooling at Jan van Riebeeck High School and,[3] after leaving school at the age of 16, joined the South African Training Ship General Botha.[1]: page 5 

After two years training on the General Botha from 1932 to 1933,[4] Biermann entered the British Merchant Navy as a cadet and served until 1938, when he was transferred to the Maritime Department of the South African Railways and Harbours.[5]

Career

Second World War

Biermann began his naval career in 1938 as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. In January 1940, he was called up for full-time service and transferred to the Seaward Defence Force. Promoted lieutenant in mid 1941 he commanded HMSAS Imhoff,[6] HMSAS Roodepoort and HMSAS Aristea, before being promoted to lieutenant commander in command of the salvage vessel HMSAS Gamtoos.[7]

The crew of the HMSAS Gamtoos cleared several Mediterranean ports of sunken and scuttled ships, and at Marseilles, Biermann blew a hole in the harbour wall so that he could enter the Vieux Port[8] and begin work. The Gamtoos went on to salvage the Sidi Aissa, towing it away to clear the valuable graving dock at La Ciotat by 14 December 1944. This earned Biermann appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (Military Division).[9] The citation for his OBE reads:

On the recommendation of the British Admiralty, the then Lieutenant-Commander H. H. Biermann, an officer in the South African Naval Forces [SANF], was appointed an Officer of the Military Division of the Order of the British Empire "for distinguished service during the invasion of Southern France."[10]

Post-war and rise to senior command

After the Second World War, and with the establishment of the South African Navy (Permanent Force) in May 1946, Biermann was appointed lieutenant commander in the Permanent Force and made captain of the Algerine class minesweeper, HMSAS Bloemfontein, commissioning it in Devonport on 8 September 1947.[11]: 182  He was also the Senior Officer of the minesweeping squadron.

In 1950, Biermann was transferred to Defence Headquarters and served on the staff of the then Director-General of the South African Naval Forces. Two years later he attended the British Naval Staff Course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and was appointed as naval attaché at South African House, London with the rank of commander.[5]

Frans Erasmus reshuffle

Defence Minister Frans Erasmus embarked on a process of ridding the Defence Force of officers associated with the Smuts government and replacing them with others whom he considered more Nationalist, one which Afrikaners would feel more at home.[12] In 1952, Erasmus posted Brigadier Pieter de Waal as a Military attache to the United States, replacing him with Biermann,[12]: 59  one of only seven Afrikaans officers in the navy in 1948. Then Commander Biermann was appointed Naval and Marine Chief of Staff (the head of the navy) on 1 December 1952, and promoted to the rank of commodore, jumping two ranks.[3] During his tenure the Simonstown Agreement was signed on 30 June 1955. He held commodore rank until 1 April 1957, with the handing over of the Simon's Town Naval Base, he was promoted to rear admiral.[13]: 318  Biermann was made vice admiral on 1 December 1965, when his position was simultaneously retitled as Chief of the Navy.[14]

In 1972, Biermann took over the position of Commandant General of the South African Defence Force[15] and promoted to Admiral, the first time this rank was used in the South African Navy. The title was changed to Chief of the South African Defence Force a year later.

In 1977, Biermann authored 'The South African Response. The Southern Oceans and the Security of the Free World: New Studies in Global Strategy.

The navy's submarine base was named after him.

Contribution to yachting in South Africa

Following the success of Bruce Dalling and the yacht Voortrekker in the 1968 Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race,[16] Biermann, then chairman of the Springbok Ocean Racing Trust, suggested that South Africa host an ocean race of its own.[17]

The South African Ocean Racing Trust (as the SAORT became known) selected the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro, who were willing to co-operate in the organising of the race and the race would be known as the Cape to Rio. The first race was organised for 1971, with the organisers anticipating at most 15 entries into the race.[17] However, the race attracted a large amount of interest and 58 boats entered the 1971 race.[17]

Awards and decorations

Biermann received the Star of South Africa on 13 May 1960 in recognition of his exceptionally meritorious services. He was the last recipient of this honour prior to the declaration of the Republic of South Africa on 31 May 1961, which has Queen Elizabeth II's royal cypher on the back above the pre-2000 Coat of arms of South Africa. He was also appointed Grand Cross of Naval Merit of the Order of May from Admiral Guillermo Brown of Argentina,[5] and the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique of Portugal.[5] He was the very first recipient of the Southern Cross Decoration, which he received upon his retirement as Chief of the South African Defence Force in 1976.[18]

Personal life

In 1940, Biermann married Margaret (Peggy) Cruyws.[1]: page 6  She died in 2008 at the age of 90.[19] The couple had two children, Hugo Hendrik and Diana. Biermann died on 27 March 2012 at the age of 95 in a retirement home, Silvermine Village, near Cape Town. He was buried with full military honours.[20]: 11 [21]

Notes
  1. Spanish: Orden de Mayo (Al Mérito Naval) - Gran Cruz
  2. Portuguese: Grã-Cruz - The star bears the inscription Portuguese: Talant de bien faire

References
  1. Williams, Roger (October 2003). "Admiral H H Biermann". Naval Digest. 9.
  2. "Chips Biermann obituary". Cape Argus. 21 February 2003. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  3. "Admiral Hugo Biermann – The Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  4. "Old Salts History B0610". Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  5. "A sad farewell to Admiral H.H. Biermann SSA, SD, OBE 01222819 PE". Navy.mil.za. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  6. Gomm, N (1973). "From the Ships Log of H.M.S.A.S Imhoff". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 1. 3.
  7. "Obituary in newsletter" (PDF). The South African Institute of Marine Engineers & Naval Architects. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016.
  8. Admiral Hugo Biermann | The Times
  9. Weinerlein, Vic (June 2006). "HMSAS GAMTOOS, 1942–1945 A South African salvage vessel in the Second World War". The South African Military History Society Military History Journal. 5. 13 (5).
  10. http://www.generalbotha.co.za/OBA05%202012.pdf%5B%5D
  11. Du Toit, Allan (1992). South Africa's fighting ships past and present. Ashanti Publishing. ISBN 978-1874800507.
  12. Boulter, Roger Stephen (1997). "F.C. Erasmus and the politics of South African defence, 1948–1959". Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. Race and U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. Taylor & Francis. 1998. ISBN 978-0-8153-2958-9.
  14. Fact file: Chiefs of the South African Navy | DefenceWeb
  15. Fact file: Chiefs of the SANDF,past and present | DefenceWeb
  16. Morgan, Brad (9 July 2008). "Sailing legend Dalling passes away". Sport. for Brand South Africa by Big Media Publishers. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  17. Hocking, Anthony (1972). Yachting in Southern Africa. Purnell. p. 131. ASIN B001OZHFF8.
  18. "South African Defence Force: 1975–2003". SA Honours and Awards. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013.
  19. "'Moeder van die vloot' (90) oorlede / Mother of the Navy passes away". Die Burger. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  20. "People's Post False Bay". 17 April 2012.
  21. "Obituary". Daily Telegraph.
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