When the First World War broke out Irene was still a small hamlet with not many inhabitants, but several of them, including General Smuts and A. H. van der Byl, went on active service in German West and German East Africa. The South African Air Force was formed not long after the war and from that day Irene has always been closely associated with the Air Force and the Airways, from its inception as many of the personnel of both live in Irene which is close to Zwartkops and Waterkloof Air Stations and to Grand Central and Wonderboom Airfields and to Jan Smuts Airport. An early tragedy occurred in 1922 when Captain Lawrence van der Byl was killed in a flying accident at Irene.
