Stephen Melville

South African Air Force officer (1904–1977)

Battles/wars

Second World War
East African Campaign
Battle of Madagascar
Italian Campaign

Awards

Spouse(s)Ursula Magdalene StrijdomRelationsJ.G. Strijdom (brother in law)Other workArmaments Board of South Africa

General Stephen Alexander Melville SSA OBE (31 December 1904 – 17 June 1977) was a South African Air Force officer. He commanded air force formations in East Africa, North Africa, Madagascar, and Italy during the Second World War, and rose to Air Chief of Staff (1954–56) and Commandant General of the South African Defence Force (1958–60).

Early life

Melville was born in Matatiele, Natal, on 31 December 1904, and was educated at Grey College, Bloemfontein. He then worked in a bank, and later joined the Merchant Navy as a stoker. He joined the South African Mounted Rifles in 1924 as a trooper before transferring to the Artillery. In 1929, after a short boxing career in South Africa and the United States,^[2] Melville was trained as a pilot and transferred to the South African Air Force.^[1]^: 152

Air Force career

Melville commanded air force formations in the East African Campaign, Battle of Madagascar and Italian Campaign during the Second World War. For his service, Melville was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and Mentioned in Despatches in July 1943.^[3]

Melville served as Air Chief of Staff from 1954 to 1956, as Inspector-General from 1956 to 1958, and as Commandant General,^[4] the head of the Union Defence Force, from 1958 to 1960. He was awarded the Star of South Africa in June 1960.

Melville later served on the Armaments Board until 1974. He was also the Government's representative on the Rand Water Board.^[1]^: 153

Awards and decorations

Star of South Africa (1952) (SSA)
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Union Medal
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
1939–45 Star
Africa Star (NORTH AFRICA 1942–43 clasp)
Italy Star
War Medal 1939 – 1945 (Mentioned in Dispatches) (MID)
Africa Service Medal (WWII)
Order of St. Anne with Swords (Russia)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Uys, Ian (1992). South African Military Who's Who 1452–1992. Fortress Publishers. ISBN 0-9583173-3-X.
^ "Eastern Cape Newsletter – January 2017 – South African Military History Society". Retrieved 10 October 2018.
^ "No. 36083". The London Gazette. 6 July 1943. p. 3092.
^ Nöthling, C.J.; Meyers, E.M. (1982). "Leiers deur die Jare (1912–1982)" [Leaders through the years (1912–1982)]. Scientaria Militaria (in Afrikaans). 12 (2): 95.

Military offices
Preceded by Hendrik Klopper	Commandant General of the South African Defence Force 1958–1960	Succeeded by Pieter Grobbelaar
Preceded by Hendrik Klopper	Inspector General South African National Defence Force 1956–1958	Succeeded by Pieter Grobbelaar
Preceded by Harold Willmott	Air Chief of Staff 1954–1956	Succeeded by Barend Viljoen