Name Cecil Margo | ||
Died November 19, 2000, Johannesburg, South Africa Education University of the Witwatersrand Books Report of the Commission of Inquiry Into the Tax Structure of the Republic of South Africa, Final postponement | ||
Cecil Stanley Margo DSO DFC (born 10 July 1915, Johannesburg, died 19 November 2000, Johannesburg) was a South African Supreme Court Justice and war hero.
Contents
- Family
- Early life and studies
- Military career
- Post War and Israel
- Appointment to the supreme court
- Aircraft accident investigations
- References
Family
Cecil Margo was the fifth child of Saul Lewis Margo and Amelia Hilson, South African immigrants of Eastern European Jewish descent.
Early life and studies
He received his law degree at the University of the Witwatersrand and was called to the Johannesburg Bar in 1937 where he practiced as an advocate and Queen's Counsel.
Military career
During the Second World War Cecil Margo completed three tours of duty, in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, flying no fewer than 190 strike missions and eventually assuming command of the renowned 24 Bomber Squadron of the South African Air Force. During this time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order by King George VI and the Distinguished Flying Cross. At the end of the war, he led the Allied Air Forces victory fly past over Austria.
Post War and Israel
In 1948 Margo had started a flourishing career as a trial lawyer aided by his record as a war hero. One day, he returned to his chambers from Court and found an urgent telegram from David Ben-Gurion asking him to come out to Israel to serve as Ben Gurion's chief advisor on the establishment and organization of the Israeli Air Force. Though he had been in combat for years as a pilot in World War II and now had a wife and small child, Margo later wrote in his memoirs that he felt he had to go - the newly declared State of Israel had been attacked by the armies of five Arab countries including some elite divisions and its prospects of survival were dim. Ben Gurion, who knew that air power would be critical to Israel's short- and long-term survival also knew from his commanders such as Chaim Laskov that Margo's record as a commander and combat pilot as well as his expertise in desert warfare made him ideal for the job. When Margo arrived in Israel, he assessed the issues and needs of the Israeli Air Force and hammered out visionary blueprints and strategies that provided the foundation on which the modern day Israeli Air Force was built. Ben Gurion, who developed an admiration and fondness for Margo, asked him to remain in Israel as commander of the Israeli Air Force with the rank of "Aluf" Major General). But Margo declined, preferring to resume his legal practice in South Africa. Upon returning to South Africa, he was instrumental in formulating and monitoring the Advanced Pilots Training Course in Germiston, where South Africans were trained as pilots for the Israeli Air Force. He remained a staunch supporter of Israel through the years, often returning and visiting Air Force bases.
According to the official Machal website, a party was given for Margo by the Israeli Air Force the night before he flew back to South Africa. "As the evening wore on, a comradeship was born, with the help of Foreign Minister, Moshe Sharett, as raconteur. He recalled his experiences as an officer in the Turkish Army in World War I and sang Turkish army songs. When the party finally ended, Margo laid his hands on the shoulders of Dov Judah, one of the flight commanders he had appointed and said: “Dov, whatever happens, attack, attack, attack! The instruction was to become the incantation of the IAF, the psychological property of every O.C. and every airman."
Appointment to the supreme court
In 1971 Margo was appointed to the South African Supreme Court. In the early 1970s he issued a landmark urgent interdict against the notorious security police to protect the life of an Indian detainee and anti-apartheid activist named Essop..
Aircraft accident investigations
Margo's career is highlighted by significant contributions to international aircraft accident investigation. He was appointed to investigate the following high-profile air disasters:
While the Margo Commission could not determine a definite cause of the fire in the cargo hold that caused the Helderberg disaster, its findings resulted in changes that have reduced the risks of fires on international airliners and enhanced safety of aircraft that carry both passengers and cargo . Rumours about a cover-up of the cause of the Helderberg crash abounded for years - including the suggestion that the fire was caused by illicit cargo of rocket fuel and ammunition. But the credibility of the Margo Commission and its international panel of experts (including Astronaut and Eastern Airlines CEO Frank Borman), suggested otherwise. As did the fact that Margo insisted that the Helderberg's cockpit voice recorder be recovered at great expense from the wreckage (which lay at a depth greater than that of the Titanic]. Years later, the South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission extensively investigated the findings of the Margo Commission and found that there was no evidence to justify repudiating the findings.
Cecil Margo received numerous awards during his lifetime and was an honorary fellow of the South African Institute of Mechanical Engineers; Honorary Deputy President of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists; and Honorary Fellow of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He continued flying until his late 70's and died in 2000 after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. He is survived by three sons from his marriage to Marguerite Margo.