Fritz Baumann Adler

Brigadier Fritz Baumann Adler ( 4 June 1882 Kassel, Germany - 21 August 1964 Johannesburg, South Africa) was the son of Henry Adler (1847-1933) and Bertha Adler nee Baumann (1856-1936). His father was a Rand pioneer. His maternal grandparents were one of the first Jewish families to settle in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State. They had emigrated to South Africa from Kassel, Germany and the first Yom Kippur service held in Bloemfontein, was held in the Baumann home in 1871. Fritz was educated at Marist Brothers Johannesburg, Wynberg High School Cape Town, Gill College Somerset East and Clare College, Cambridge. He began his military career while an undergraduate and relinquished it to become a lawyer, before joining the Transvaal Horse Artillery (T.H.A.) as a gunner in 1906. In 1914 he went to South West Africa and fought against the Germans. He was captured and, on his release, he served in East Africa. He was a Lieutenant. He was awarded the Military Cross and was Mentioned in Despatches. He married Alice Dorothy Lever (1893-1928) on the 30 June 1921 and they had two sons. Following his wife's death, he married Ivy Rosanna Loxton (1893-1973) on the 3 January 1931. After the war, he returned to law and was an advocate. During the Second World War he served as Director of Artillery Training, Officer Commanding Artillery Inland Area and was a member of the Staff Corps. He retired from active service in 1943. In 1946 he was made Honorary Colonel of the 3rd Field Regiment T.H.A. He was known as the 'father of South African Artillery'.

Sources: 1. Jewish Marshals, Generals and Admirals. Arthur Lewin. The Judean, May 1971 pages 34-35.

2. https://www.geni.com/people/Fritz-Adler/6000000197395220894.

3. The Baumann Family, Builders of One Kind or Another. Amanda Jermyn. https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/bloemfontein/Baumann.html.