Service Details
Name:
 PIENAAR
Given Name:
 DANIEL HERMANUS
Initials:
 D H
Service No:
 126242
Rank:
 Major General
Other Casualties of this Rank
Regiment:
 South African Staff Corps
Other Casualties from this Regiment
Unit:
 1st South African Division
Other Casualties from this Unit
Date of Death:
 1942-12-19
Other Casualties on this Date
Date of Birth:
 1893-08-27
Age:
 49
Cause of Death:
 Died in Aircraft Accident, Lockheed Lodestar 18-08 #248. Crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Kisumu Airport (KIS). The airplane came down in Kavirondo Gulf, Lake Victoria. It appeared that the undercarriage could not be raised after takeoff because of an electrical failure in the under-carriage safety lock circuit. The Lodestar was returning to South Africa from Cairo, Egypt.
Decorations:
 C B, D S O and bar, Mentioned in Despatches (twice)
Citations:
 DSO LG 14 February 1941; Bar to DSO LG Sup 9 September 1942 - "For gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period November, 1941, to April, 1942"; MID LG Sup 30 December 1941; MID LG Sup 24 June 1943 pg. 2867
Additional
Information:
Husband of D. H. Pienaar, of Pretoria. He joined the artillery branch of the Natal Police (NP) in 1911, and transferred to the Union Defence Forces (UDF) when they took over the NP in 1913. In World War I, he served as an artilleryman with the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force in German East Africa and Palestine. Between the two world wars, he held various staff and command posts. In World War II, he commanded the 1st South African Infantry Brigade in the East Africa Campaign (battles of El Wak, The Juba, Combolcia, and Amba Alagi) in 1940-1941, and the North Africa Campaign (battles of Sidi Rezegh and Gazala) in 1941-1942. At Gazala, he was promoted to command the 1st South African Division, which he led in the battle of Gazala, the retreat to Egypt, the defence of El Alamein, and the final battle of El Alamein. He was killed in an air crash in Kenya, on his way back to South Africa. Maj Gen Pienaar was arguably one of South Africa's most charismatic and popular military commanders. An infantry regiment, and a suburb of his home town, Bloemfontein, were later named after him.
Commemoration
Country:
 South Africa
Other Casualties commemorated in South Africa
Locality:
 Gauteng
Other Casualties commemorated in Gauteng
Cemetery:
 THABA TSHWANE (OLD No.1) MILITARY CEMETERY
Other Casualties commemorated in this Cemetery
Grave Reference:
 L. 1.

Information to contribute? Noticed an error or wish to Request a Photo ~ Click here ~

This information was last verified for accuracy: 2024-03-19
 
 

Send us an email...

  • I wish to
     Contribute some information
     Report a problem
     Request this image

Sending your message. Please wait...

Thanks for sending your message! We'll get back to you shortly.

There was a problem sending your message. Please try again.

Please complete all the fields in the form before sending.