Background
Hugo was born on August 16, 1916, at Johannesburg, son of a railway official.
Hugo was born on August 16, 1916, at Johannesburg, son of a railway official.
Biermann started school in the Transvaal until his father was transferred to Cape Town and he completed his schooling at Jan van Riebeck High School. After leaving school at the age of 16 he join the South African Training Ship General Botha.
In 1934 he went to England where he was an apprentice seaman with the Prince Line and took merchant marine classes in London. At the outbreak of war in 1939 he was in Singapore as third officer on the South African Railway cargo vessel Dahlia. He returned home immediately and was commissioned sub-lieutenant. In 1944 he was given command of the salvage vessel “Gamtoos” and for his part in clearing mines from Marseilles harbour for the Allied landings he was awarded the Order of the British Empire by the British government.
In 1956 he was officer in charge at Simonstown when the British Navy Pulled out its South Atlantic Squadron and handed the base over to South Africa. The following year he was promoted to be South Africa’s first rear-admiral.
Biermann’s training has taken him on courses with the British navy and kept him in touch with American strategic advances. His reputation stands high in foreign naval quarters. His quiet style has made him popular with Nationalist Politicians. His smoothness in command °f all three services is partly due to having spent a year as understudy to the outgoing Commandant-General Hicmstra before taking over supreme command.