FREDERIK JACOBUS WAGENAAR GELDENHUIS (MM) (MMM) (MID) – WO (UNION DEFENCE FORCE, SA POLICE & SADF – RET)

FJW Geldenhuis—Oom Fred: A Tribute to a Quiet Hero

Hennie Heymans

RSM (Ret) FJW Geldenhuis, affectionately known as Oom Fred, was my friend. When he relocated from Warmbad to Pretoria, we began meeting weekly at his flat—sharing stories, enjoying a drink, and savouring biltong. Hanlie van Straaten, also a close friend of Oom Fred, assisted him in compiling his memoir, A Soldier’s Scrapbook.

Oom Fred was a man of remarkable character—honourable, sincere, and never boastful. His personality radiated quiet strength and integrity. Over time, he entrusted me with glimpses into his past—revealing secrets he had carried with dignity and discretion. Some he eventually committed to paper, and those confidences remain safe with me.

One day, General Jannie Geldenhuys phoned, searching for a veteran who had served in both the Second World War and the Bush War. I told him, “General, I know just the man.” We drove to Warmbad and enjoyed a memorable meal with Oom Fred. During the conversation, the General inquired about his wartime experiences. Oom Fred recounted how he had escaped captivity several times in Italy. On his final escape, he was asked to return and fight alongside the partisans. After a brief training session—conducted in an officer’s office, where he was shown how a parachute operates—he was instructed to rejoin the partisans by parachuting into enemy territory on a moonless night.

A British parachute officer presented him with a set of wings and said, “If you make it, you may wear these on your shoulder.”
He made the jump. “It was terrifying,” he later confided.

This is but a glimpse into the life of Oom Fred—a humble Afrikaner, a firm yet friendly disciplinarian, equally at ease with constables and privates as with generals and royalty. (He met Princess Margaret twice!)

Here is an extract from his book: A Soldiers Scrapbook:

FORWORD

Upon the insistence of family and friends I have decided to put in writing how I saw things from the day I donned a uniform as a sixteen-year-old boy and became a man.

Top: Myself at the age of 17

Dedicated to:

The memory of friends and gallant men who did not return, particularly to the 24 Italian partisans executed by the Germans on the 14^th of April 1944 near the village of Scandriglia.

May they rest in peace.

Top: Myself in front of a statue on the square in Scandriglia, with the names of the 24 Italian partisans executed by the Germans

– April 2000

To whom it may concern

I, Frederik JW Geldenhuis, want to state categorically that:

I honestly and sincerely, in writing my memoirs of the years in uniform during the Second World War, do not wish to make myself a hero, but just an ordinary person who was young and adventurous, who may have been at the right place at the right time, with both my feet firmly on the ground, who always endeavoured to do my best and always helpful towards my fellow man.

By writing this, let me not take anything away from my fellow comrades in arms who fought side by side with me, irrespective of race, colour or creed, who shared in the miseries of hunger, cold and wet, and at times ruthless treatment by the enemy in prisoner of war camps, who shared and encouraged me in some of my escapes.

Lastly, let me not forget to mention the Italian people who so ably assisted and fed us while in the mountains, many times at their peril and with dire consequences. Without their help and kindness many of us would not have survived. To the young Italians who, with threats of death from fascists and Germans, were willing to join the partisan forces, many of whom fought side by side with me. Many were executed after being captured. I will always remember them.

As the motto of ex-servicemen, that:

“He who fought by my side,

is my comrade still,

wherever he may be.”

May I also turn to the prayer of Laurence Binyon, which is used by the “Memorable Order of Tin Hats” (MOTH) as a closing prayer at all meetings and parades.

They shall grow not old,

as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning

“We will remember them”

I also wish to refer to an inscription on a plaque at the entrance to a cemetery for fallen soldiers, which reads as follows:

“When you can go home and say,

Tell them, that for their tomorrow,

we have given our today”.

Decorations and Commendations

Frederik Jacobus Wagenaar Geldenhuis (MM)(MMM)(MID)

1. Military Medal (MM) British (For bravery in the field).
2. Military Merit Medal (MMM) South African.
3. Mentioned in Despatches (MID) British.
4. Police star of merit.
5. Certificate of Good Services by South African Chief of Staff, Gen. Sir Pierre van Reyneveldt. (For services rendered as Prisoner of War)

1. Mentioned in Police Force order (General) 1948. (For war services)
2. Mentioned in Police Force order (General) 1973. (Commended for saving lives during the Gamtoos Valley floods.)

Medals in Order Form

Frederik Jacobus Wagenaar Geldenhuis (MM) (MMM) (MID)

1. Military Medal.
2. Military Merit Medal.
3. South African Police Star of Merit.
4. Pro-Patria Medal (Border Service Angola 1978).
5. General Service Medal.
6. John Chard Medal with crossed swords.
7. South African Police Good Service Medal (30 years).
8. 1939-1945 Star (Active service in North Africa and six months or longer in the front line)
9. Africa Star (Active service in North Africa – Middle East)
10. Italy Star (Active service in Italy)
11. Prisoner of War Medal.
12. British Defence Medal
13. British General Service Medal – with “MID” oak leaf clasp.
14. Africa Service Medal (Second World War).
15. South African Police Good Service Medal (18 years).

Some photographs from Oom Fred’s Military & Police career:

The British Parachute Wings he received

RSM of Prince Alfred’s Guard (PAG)

Oom Fred Gledenhuis (Centre) – left Gen MCW Geldenhuys – a former Commissioner of Police and right – General JJ “Jannie” Geldenhuys.

His ceremonial PAG-uniform – it is safe with military historian Mark Naude in NZ.

Mike Naude wrote:

The ribbons are as they were when I got the jacket.  No MMM, Pro Patria or John Chard Medal ribbons yet.

Agree, one would expect the MM to be first and indeed that is how he is wearing it in the photo where he is in army service dress and the one where he is in civvies wearing a PAG blazer.

At some point the SA Government however changed the order of precedence and decided that anything issued by the RSA was to take precedence. So-called ‘British’ awards were moved down the list and treated as ‘Foreign Awards’ (despite having, in most instances, been awarded by the Union Government!).  If you look at pictures of Lt Gen Bob Rogers for example, when he was C SAAF, even his Pro Patria was worn ahead of his DSO and DFCs. His US and Korean decorations worn at the end.

I suspect Geldenhuis’ medal ribbons were mounted ‘as per regs’ on his uniforms but he may have chosen to wear the medals in the order of his own choosing.

Regards

Comments by Hennie Heymans

It is strange to think that two former colleagues – Oom Fred and Robey Leibbrandt both became the first South African parachutists: Oom Fred jumped and received unofficially British wings while RS Leibbrandt trained with the Germans, and qualified received German wings.