Military

 
Lieut-Gen Keith R Coster (1936)
General OC: Rhodesian Army, OBE, Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of SA

After matriculating in 1936, Keith Coster joined the SA Permanent Force and was commissioned into the SAAF on 6 September 1939.  While flying a Tomahawk with 5 Squadron SA Air Force (SAAF), he was shot down in 1942 and was a POW until May 1945.

On returning to SA, he transferred to the army and in 1955 joined the army of the Federation of Rhodesia & Nyasaland as a major.

He retired in 1972 as a lieutenant-general, having commanded the Rhodesian Army from 1968 to 1972.  He was also an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and a Grand Officer of the Order of the Star of SA.
 
Brig Sydney F Bristow (1937)
Commissioner (OC): British South Africa Police (Rhodesia), Commander of the Order of the Legion of Merit

Brigadier Bristow, who came to College from SACS in Cape Town in 1935, played for the 1st XV in 1935-37, captaining the team in his last year.  He also played for Natal Schools in 1936 and 1937.  He became a prefect in 1936 and Head Prefect in 1937.

He attested in the BSAP in 1939 and, in a distinguished career, was appointed Commissioner of Police in 1970.  He retired in 1974.  Brigadier Bristow's decorations include Commander of the Order of the Legion of Merit, the Police Cross for Distinguished Service and the Colonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service.
 
Rear-Admiral Paul Wijnberg (1950)
Officer Commanding: Naval Command (Natal)

Admiral Wijnberg entered the SA Navy as a midshipman in 1953 and in 1959 he qualified in the UK as a Specialist Gunnery Officer.  Thereafter he served in various gunnery appointments, including as OC of the SA Gunnery School, Squadron Gunnery Officer of the 10th Frigate Squadron and Staff Officer: Gunnery at Naval HQ.  He was stationed overseas as naval attaché on three occasions, twice in the UK and once in France.  Admiral Wijnberg's last sea appointment was in command of the doomed frigate, SAS Paul Kruger (1976-77), during which period his ship participated in the US Bicentennial Naval Review in New York harbour on 4 July 1976.

In 1977, he was appointed to SADF HQ in Pretoria as the Director: Force Development for the SADF.  He was promoted to the rank of commodore in 1978 and took up his appointment as OC: Naval Command (Natal) in December 1980.  He was appointed to rear-admiral in 1986.  His medals include the Southern Cross Medal, the Chief of the Defence Force's Commendation Medal and France's Commandeur de l'Ordre du Merit.