MAJOR-GENERAL I.P. DE VILLIERS CB MC
Commissioner of the South African Police from 1928 to 1945
Major-General Isaac Pierre de Villiers was born in Somerset East, Eastern Cape Province on 20 August 1891 to Jan S. de Villiers of Cape Town. He was educated at the South African College School in Cape Town and the University of Cape Town (UCT) where he studied law. He became an attorney. Maj-Gen De Villiers served in the Union Defence Force (UDF) in German South-West Africa and in the Royal Artillery and Europe Front.
He was commissioned in the Royal Artillery during World War I, serving in German South-West Africa and the Western Front. He was awarded the Military Cross while serving in the 68th Brigade.
Note: All South African soldiers in Europe and German East Africa were placed in the British Army for financial and political convenience.
After the war he practised as an attorney in the well known law firm of his father, J. de Villiers. He was appointed Commissioner of the South African Police in 1928. ["Isaac Pierre de Villiers". Dictionary of South African Biography. III. Human Sciences Research Council. 1987. p. 656. ISBN 0-7969-0420-0.]
Early in World War 2 De Villiers volunteered for military service and was appointed General Officer Commanding 2nd South African Infantry Division between 1940 and 1942.
Between 1942 and 1945 Maj-Gen De Villiers was appointed to command Coastal Command which with the South African Naval Forces (SANF) was responsible for South African coastal and seaward defence. Maj-Gen De Villiers retired from both the SAP and UDF in 1945. For his war time services he was made Companion of the Bath, a military Order. [The London Gazette: no. 35697. p. 3945. 8 September 1942.]
He was commissioned in the Royal Artillery during World War I, serving in German South-West Africa and the Western Front. He was awarded the Military Cross while serving in the 68th Brigade.
Note: All South African soldiers in Europe and German East Africa were placed in the British Army for financial and political convenience.
After the war he practised as an attorney in the well known law firm of his father, J. de Villiers. He was appointed Commissioner of the South African Police in 1928. ["Isaac Pierre de Villiers". Dictionary of South African Biography. III. Human Sciences Research Council. 1987. p. 656. ISBN 0-7969-0420-0.]
Early in World War 2 De Villiers volunteered for military service and was appointed General Officer Commanding 2nd South African Infantry Division between 1940 and 1942.
Between 1942 and 1945 Maj-Gen De Villiers was appointed to command Coastal Command which with the South African Naval Forces (SANF) was responsible for South African coastal and seaward defence. Maj-Gen De Villiers retired from both the SAP and UDF in 1945. For his war time services he was made Companion of the Bath, a military Order. [The London Gazette: no. 35697. p. 3945. 8 September 1942.]
A very young Lieutenant IP de Villiers during WW1.
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In addition to the honours for his military service he was appointed a Commander in the Venerable Order of Saint John in 1936 [The London Gazette: no. 34297. pp. 4013–4014. 23 June 1936.], and a Knight in the same order in 1943 [The London Gazette: no. 36315. p. 114. 4 January 1944.].
He died in Pretoria on 11 October 1967. |
The December 1927 issue of the Nongqai announced that the appointment of Deputy Commissioner, Headquarters has been offered to, and accepted by Major J.P. de Villiers, L.L.B., M.C., of the well known firm of J. de Villiers and Son, Capetown.
THE NONGQAI DECEMBER, 1927
THE NONGQAI SEPTEMBER, 1937
SPRINGBOK - January 8, 1942
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Brig GCR Baston was Acting Commissioner of the South African Police whilst Maj-Gen IP de Villiers served in the Union Defence Force.
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Additional and interesting information about Maj-Gen I.P. de Villiers can be found in the 'modernised' Nongqai edition Vol 7 No 8 (May 2016). Click here to read online for free.
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1913 - 1994
