Christiaan du Toit

Lieutenant General Christiaan Ludolph de Wet du Toit, DSO (23 September 1901^[1] – 14 August 1982) was a South African military commander.

Christiaan Ludolph de Wet du Toit
Nickname(s)	"Matie"
Born	(1901-09-23)23 September 1901
Died	14 August 1982(1982-08-14) (aged 80)
Allegiance	South Africa
Service / branch	South African Army
Years of service	1924 – 1956
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	Chief of the General Staff of the Union Defence Force Director-General of Land Forces Western Transvaal Command 1st South African Armoured Brigade 2nd South African Infantry Brigade
Battles / wars	Second World War
Awards	Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches

Military career

Du Toit joined the South African Army as an artilleryman in 1924. He completed the British Army Specialist Staff Course in 1936.

During the Second World War, he commanded Divisional artillery in East Africa and North Africa, before commanding the 2nd South African Infantry Brigade in 1942 and the 1st South African Armoured Brigade from 1943 to 1945.^[2] For his service, Du Toit was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Mentioned in Despatches.

Du Toit served as Director-General of Land Forces,^[3] the head of the South African Army, from 1948 to 1950, and as Chief of the General Staff of the Union Defence Force, from 1950 to 1956.

References

1. Uys, Ian (1992). "Page 77". South African Military Who's Who 1452–1992. Fortress Publishers. p. 77. ISBN 0-9583173-3-X. LCCN 93169681.
2. "Biography of Lieutenant-General Christiaan Ludolph de Wet Du Toit (1901 – 1982), South Africa". www.generals.dk. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
3. Lillie, A.C. (1982). "THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY". South African Journal of Military Studies. 12 (2).

Military offices
Preceded by Leonard Beyers	Chief of the General Staff of the Union Defence Force 1950 – 1956	Succeeded by Hendrik Klopper
New title	Director-General of Land Forces 1948 – 1950
Preceded by Unknown as Officer Commanding Voortrekkerhoogte and Transvaal Command	Officer Commanding Western Transvaal Command 1946 – 1948	Succeeded by Jock Kriegler