Hugo Biermann

Hugo Hendrik Biermann
SSA, SD, OBE, GCIH
Born 6 August 1916
Johannesburg
Died 27 March 2012 (aged 95)
Cape Town, South Africa
Allegiance  South Africa
Service/branch  South African Navy
Years of service 1945-1976
Rank Admiral
Service number 01222819PE
Commands held
Awards

Admiral Hugo Hendrik Biermann SSA SD OBE GCIH (6 August 1916 – 27 March 2012) was a former Chief of the South African Navy and then Chief of the South African Defence Force.

Born in Johannesburg, his family moved to Cape Town and he completed his schooling at Jan van Riebeck High School[1] He was one of three sons. His brothers Phillip and Stefanus (Chips) served on whalecatchers that had been converted to minesweepers during World War II.[2] His brother Stefanus reached the rank of Rear Admiral in the SA Navy.[2]

Merchant Marine

After two years training on the South African Training Ship General Botha from 1932 to 1933,[3] he 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.[4]

Naval career

He began his naval career in 1938 as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the 1930s. 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,[5] HMSAS Roodepoort and HMSAS Aristea before being promoted to Lieutenant Commander in command of the salvage vessel HMSAS Gamtoos.[6]

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[7] 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 Lt Cdr Biermann the Order of the British Empire, an honour he shared with the entire ship's company[8]

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 [OBE] “for distinguished service during the invasion of Southern France.”[9] ”

After the War

After the war and with the establishment of the South African Navy (Permanent Force) in May 1946, he was appointed Lieutenant-Commander and Captain of the Algerine class minesweeper, SAS Bloemfontein, commissioning her in Devonport on 8 September 1947[10]:182 and as Senior Officer of the minesweeping squadron.

In 1950, he was transferred to Defence Headquarters and served on the staff of the then Director-General of the SA 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.[4]

Commander Biermann was appointed naval and marine chief of staff on 1 December 1952 and promoted to the rank of Commodore, jumping two ranks.[1] During his tenure the Simonstown Agreement was signed on 30 June 1955. He held that rank until 1 April 1957, with the handing over of the Simon’s Town Naval Base, he was promoted to Rear-Admiral.[11]:318

On 1 December 1965, Rear-Admiral Biermann was promoted to Vice–Admiral and Chief of the Navy, the first time this title was used in South Africa.[12]

In 1972, he took over the position of Commandant General, South African Defence Force[13] 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 he authored "The South African Response." The Southern Oceans and the Security of the Free World: New Studies in Global Strategy (1977).

The navy's submarine base was named after him.

Awards and Decorations

He received the Star of South Africa Decoration on 13 May 1960 in recognition of his exceptionally meritorious services, as well as the Order of May To Naval Merit in the grade of “Grand Cross Admiral Guillermo Brown from Argentina[4] and the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique of Portugal.[4] He was the first recipient of the Southern Cross Decoration, which he received upon his retirement as Chief of the SADF in 1976[14]

Death

Biermann died at the age of 95 at a retirement home, Silvermine Village, near Cape Town. He was buried with full military honours.[15]:11[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Admiral Hugo Biermann - The Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph (London). 14 May 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Chips Biermann obituary". Cape Argus. Feb 21, 2003. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.generalbotha.co.za/OldSalts/B0610.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "A sad farewell to Admiral H.H. Biermann SSA, SD, OBE 01222819 PE". Navy.mil.za. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
  5. ↑ Gomm, N (1973). "From the Ships Log of H.M.S.A.S Imhoff". Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies. 1 3.
  6. ↑ "Obituary in newsletter" (PDF). The South African Institute of Marine Engineers & Naval Architects.
  7. ↑ Admiral Hugo Biermann | The Times
  8. ↑ 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).
  9. ↑ http://www.generalbotha.co.za/OBA05%202012.pdf
  10. ↑ Du Toit, Allan (1992). South Africa's fighting ships past and present. Ashanti Publishing. ISBN 978-1874800507.
  11. ↑ Race and U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. Taylor & Francis. 1998. ISBN 978-0-8153-2958-9.
  12. ↑ Fact file: Chiefs of the South African Navy | DefenceWeb
  13. ↑ Fact file: Chiefs of the SANDF,past and present | DefenceWeb
  14. ↑ "South African Defence Force: 1975-2003". SA Honours and Awards.
  15. ↑ "People's Post False Bay". 17 April 2012.
  16. ↑ "Obituary". Daily Telegraph.
Military offices
New title Chief of the South African Defence Force
1973 – 1976 		Succeeded by
Magnus Malan
Preceded by
Rudolph Hiemstra		 Commandant General of the SADF
1972 – 1973 		Renamed C SADF
New title Commander Maritime Defence (COMADEF)
1965 – 1972 		Succeeded by
James Johnson
New title Chief of the South African Navy
1966 – 1972 		Succeeded by
James Johnson
New title Naval Chief of Staff
1955 – 1966 		Renamed Chief of the Navy
Preceded by
Pieter de Waal		 Naval & Marine Chief of Staff
1952 – 1955 		Renamed Naval Chief of Staff