Lambert Jackson Woodburne

Vice Admiral Lambert Jackson Woodburne (13 July 1939 – 5 July 2013) He is one of only two people to have been awarded the Van Riebeeck Decoration, which he received for Special Forces operations in Tanzania. He was more commonly known by his nickname "Woody". His father was a South African Air Force wartime pilot who farmed near Maclear in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. He then joined the Permanent Force and enrolled for a Bachelor of Military Science (B. Mil) degree studying at both Stellenbosch University and the Faculty of Military Science at the South African Military Academy from 1960 to 1961. He did not graduate and after his time at the Academy he started maritime service on frigates.

Military career

Woodburne completed the Specialist Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Course in the United Kingdom where he came top of the class. Woodburne went on to command the mine sweepers SAS Mosselbaai and SAS Johannesburg. During the submarine’s work-up in France, he was described as one of the “best foreign submariners ever worked up in France”, which earned him the Southern Cross Medal.

In 1972, the SAS Emily Hobhouse landed Special Forces troops led by Commandant Jan Breytenbach near Dar es Salaam as part of a raid on the Tanzanian port. The Special Forces team placed explosives on a bridge, next to power lines and other targets around the city. While making the pickup rendezvous, the submarine snagged a fishing net and sank the fishing vessel dragging the net. This mission earned Woodburne the Van Riebeeck Decoration. where he attained the rank of Captain. These were "exciting and dangerous years" said Woodburne in an interview after announcing his retirement in August 1992.

From 1983 to 1985, he was the military attaché in Argentina. On 1 July 1990 he was promoted to Vice-Admiral and appointed as Chief of the South African Navy, a position he held until retirement on 31 August 1992. and began using a wheelchair. He died on 5 July 2013 and was accorded a military funeral in Simon's Town.

Vice Admiral Woodburne's medal group is unique as it contains the Van Riebeeck Decoration plus two Southern Cross Medals – the 1952–1975 version and the 1976 version, both of which allowed the wearer to use the post nominal letters SM.

The citation for the Van Riebeeck Decoration reads:

Notes and references