Christoffel Venter

{{Short description|South African military commander}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use South African English|date=April 2023}}  {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Major General | name = Christoffel Johannes Venter | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|CB|DFC1}} | image = Christoffel Venter.jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1892|11|01}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1977|02|20|1892|11|01}}<ref name="Uys1992">{{cite book|last=Uys|first=Ian|title=South African Military Who's Who 1452-1992|year=1992|publisher=Fortress Publishers|isbn=0-9583173-3-X|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/southafricanmili0000uysi}}</ref>{{Rp|255}} | burial_label = | burial_place = | birth_place = near Middelburg, Cape Colony | death_place = Lyttleton, Pretoria | burial_coordinates =  | nickname = Boetie | allegiance = {{plainlist| * {{UK}} * {{flag|Union of South Africa|1912}} }} | branch = Aviation | service_years = | rank = Major General | unit = | commands = | battles = World War I | battles_label = Wars | awards = {{MilAward Stack|CB |DFCx |BWM |VictoryMID |KGV |KGVI |BEMK1 |size=x12px}} x12px|link=Order of the Phoenix (Greece) | relations = | other_work = Managing Director South African Airways }}

Major-General '''Christoffel 'Boetie' Venter''' {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|CB|DFC*}}, (1 November 1892{{snd}}20 February 1977) was a South African military commander.

== Military career == He joined the 7{{sup|th}} Mounted Rifles in 1912 then the 5{{sup|th}} SAMR in August 1914 for service in South West Africa. He joined 1 South African Infantry Battalion in 1916 and served in France until he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in February 1917. He was shot down and captured in 1918. He won the DFC and bar and was credited with 16 aerial victories, and joined the South African Air Force in 1922.<ref name="Uys1992"/>{{Rp|255}}

He commanded 1 Squadron SAAF and served as Officer Commanding Wits Command in 1936.<ref name="WhosWho1959">{{cite book | title=Who's Who of Southern Africa 1959 | publisher=Ken Donaldson (Pty) Ltd. | year=1959 | page=589}}</ref>

He was {{em|Director-General of the Air Force}} from 1940 to 1945.<ref name="WhosWho1959" /> After World War II, he was managing director of South African Airways.

==Honours and awards==

===Companion of the Order of the Bath===

Then Major General Venter was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1944<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36311|page=57|date=31 December 1943|supp=y}}</ref>

The notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:<br /> {{cquote|The KING has been graciously pleased, on the advice of His Majesty's Ministers for the Union of South Africa, to give orders for the following appointment to the Most Honourable Order of the Bath:<br /> To be an Additional Member of the Military Division of the Third Class, or Companions, of the said Most Honourable Order:<br /> Temporary Major General Christoffel Johannes Venter, D.F.C., South African Staff Corps }}

===Distinguished Flying Cross===

Lieutenant Venter was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1918. The notice in the London Gazette reads as follows: {{cquote |Lt. Christoffel Johannes Venter.

During recent operations this officer shot down five enemy aeroplanes, one of which he followed down to 500 feet, when it was seen to fall.<ref name="theaerodrome.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/venter.php|title=Cristoffel Venter Biography|accessdate=25 February 2015|website=The Aerodrome}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30827|page=9204|date=2 August 1918|supp=y}}</ref>

He is a bold and skilful airman.}}

===Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross===

In November 1918 he was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross The notice in the London Gazette reads as follows:<br /> {{cquote|Lt. (T./Capt.) Christoffel Johannes Venter, D.F.C.

A brilliant patrol leader, who has since May last destroyed eleven enemy machines. In an engagement between six of our machines and nine of the enemy, five of the latter were destroyed, Captain Venter accounting for one. Later on the same day he, in company with three other officers, engaged four Fokkers. In the combat that followed all four enemy machines were destroyed, this officer shooting down one.<ref name="theaerodrome.com"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30989|page=12961|date=1 November 1918|supp=y}}</ref> }}

=== List === * {{MilAward Desc|CB|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|DFCx|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|BWM|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|VictoryMID|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|KGV|x25px}} * {{MilAward Desc|KGVI|x25px}} * x25px Order of the Phoenix (Greece)<ref name="Rathbone">{{cite web | url=http://www.rathbonemuseum.com/SAAF/SAVenter/SAVenter.html | title=Rathbone Museum | access-date=14 October 2013}}</ref> * x25px Military Cross (Belgium)<ref name="Rathbone" />

==External links== * {{cite web|url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/safrica/venter.php |title=Biography at The Aerodrome}}

==Sources== {{reflist|30em}}

{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} |- {{s-bef|before=John Holthouse}} {{s-ttl|title=Director Air Services, South African Air Force|years=1940{{ndash}}1945}} {{s-aft|after=Jimmy Durrant}} {{s-break}} {{s-vac|unknown}} {{s-ttl|title=OC Witwatersrand Command|years=1936{{ndash}}1938}} {{s-aft|after=Charlie Ross}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Venter, Christoffel}} Category:1892 births Category:1977 deaths Category:Afrikaner people Category:South African people of Dutch descent Category:South African Air Force generals Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath Category:South African recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Category:People from Middelburg, Eastern Cape Category:Recipients of the Order of the Phoenix with Swords (Greece) Category:South African military personnel of World War I Category:South African Air Force personnel of World War II Category:South African World War I flying aces Category:Military personnel from the Eastern Cape