Major General

Christoffel Erasmus le Roux

SD SM MMM
Nickname(s)Chris
Born(1946-04-20)20 April 1946
Dundee, Natal
Allegiance South Africa
Service/branch South African Army
Years of service1964–2000
RankBrigadier
Unit1 Parachute Battalion
Commands held
  • GOC RJTF East
  • GOC Natal Command
  • OC 1 Parachute Battalion
Battles/warsSouth African Border War
AwardsSouthern Cross Decoration SD Southern Cross Medal SM Military Merit Medal MMM Pro Patria Medal (South Africa) ' Southern Africa Medal ' General Service Medal (South Africa) ' Unitas (Unity) Medal ' Good Service Medal ' Good Service Medal ' Good Service Medal '
Spouse(s)Marlyna le Roux

Maj Gen Chris le Roux SD SM MMM is a retired General Officer from the South African Army. He was born in Dundee[1] and matriculated from Pinetown Boys' High School in 1963.[1]

Military career

He joined the South African Defence Force in 1964[1] and completed infantry training. He was a student at the South African Military Academy from 1965 and graduated with a Bachelor of Military Science degree awarded by the University of Stellenbosch in 1967.[1]

He was commissioned as a lieutenant on 21 November 1967[1] and qualified as a static line paratrooper[2][3] on 9 October 1970. Officer Commanding 1 Parachute Battalion during 1984 to 1988.[1][4] Brigadier le Roux served as Officer Commanding Natal Command from 18 February 1995. He was promoted to rank of major general on 1 January 1996 and remained GOC Natal Command until 31 March 2000, the last person to hold that post.[1] GOC Regional Joint Task Force on 1 April to 31 December 2000. He went on early retirement on 31 December 2000.[1] He has remained actively involved in speaking about the military.[5][6]

Maj Gen Chris le Roux completed more than 300 parachute jumps[1] and was a qualified Freefall Instructor.

Honours and awards

Freefall Instructor
(Qualification)
Instructor, Freefall Qualified
Black on Thatch beige, Embossed
Large Black wings

Medals

Notes

  1. ↑ Only the Cunene clasp was awarded, to members who served in Angola during Operation Savannah in 1975 and 1976. Recipients of the clasp wear a button, with the letter C encircled by a wreath, on the ribbon bar.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Averweg, Udo Richard (14 March 2019). "Stark reality of Natal Command" (PDF). Daily News. p. 6. Retrieved 13 July 2023 – via Facts About Durban.
  2. ↑ "South African Unit Profiles : 1 Parachute Battalion". www.warinangola.com (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  3. ↑ Bierman, Jan (2020). "RHODESIË ONTPLOOIING G & A KOMPANIE, 1 VALSKERMBATALJON: OPS (16 OKT 79 – 01 DES 79)" (PDF). Pretoria Canopy Bat Chat (in Afrikaans). No. 4/20. pp. 15, 18.
  4. ↑ Rooiplaas (22 May 2021). "Did you know? HISTORY". Rooiplaas - Paratroopers Community. Retrieved 13 July 2023. Colonel Chris le Roux was the Officer Commanding of 1 Para Bn 1984
  5. ↑ "July 2005 newsletter - Durban - South African Military History Society - Title page". samilitaryhistory.org. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  6. ↑ "The South African Military History Society". The Bugle. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
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