DESMOND H WELTHAGEN
Desmond Welthagen – SA Air Force (Korea) and later SA Police (Port Natal).
Hennie Heymans
Des Welthagen (left) in SAAF-uniform.
Des Welthagen in SA Police Uniform (Photo dates from before 1957 if one looks at his cap badge.)
I had the pleasure of serving in the South African Police, Port Natal, Mobile Unit, as a very young Constable under the direct command of Sgt Des Welthagen. He was our platoon-sergeant and an NCO with a fantastic, magnetic, personality. In my career I have never again come across such a remarkable NCO!
Once we travelled from Durban in convoy to partake in a medal parade in Pietermaritzburg. On his parade uniform, on his right chest, he wore a badge – like a medal ribbon with a brass lining. I asked him what it was, and he told me it was a citation from the Korean President. He wore two UN-medals for service in Korea on his chest.
We were trained by the SAAF how to climb on and off choppers and how to descend by a 50-foot rope and we ‘dropped” to the ground the last few feet. The army also gave us basic COIN-training. We were also employed eradicating dagga ‘trees’ – some dagga plants were 16 feet high – in the Umkomaas River Valley. Sgt Des Welthagen had a lovely voice and sang as we pulled out the small plants and chopped the big ones with cane knives. It was nice to hear him sing in the quiet valleys.
He told yarns of his days in SAAF whilst serving in Korea. Discipline was strict and youngsters could only listen and not take part in conversations with W/O’s and Sergeants. (A Sergeant was a high man in the SAP – a W/O was very high in those days!)
On the 26 of August 1966 Sgt Des Welthagen was deployed at Ongulambashe when the first skirmish took place between SWAPO and a combined force of the SAP and SADF. (More about him can be read in a separate article about Ongulambashe.)
He was strict but there was always a twinkle in his eye!
I would like to pay tribute to a fine airman and a fine policeman!
- Comments by Col Graham du Toit (SAAF)
E13580 Air Mechanic Desmond H. Welthagen served with 2 Squadron SAAF in Korea from 04 September 1952 to 12 October 1953.
