I have compiled a provisional list of members of the SA Forces that went Missing In Action or disappeared due to an accident and whose bodies have not been recovered (This is still a Work In Progress, so anyone with more information on any of these members, please do feel free to contact me at johan@warinangola): ForceNumber Rank Name Unit DateOfDeat Cause Comment P18727 Cpl Kriel J.D. 22 Flt 1964/09/25 Aircraft Accident; Body Not Recovered He was an Airforce photographer documenting Operation Flaminkdans - the welcoming of SAS President Pretorius into South African waters. The Westland Wasp #86 helicopter developed engine problems and crashed into Tabel Bay, 7 miles west of Dassen Island. 541032 Pte Presence H.C. SA Cape Corps 1965/12/17 Freak Accident; Body Not Recovered Died in a Freak Accident, when light boat in which he was traveling was hit by a freak wave in Kalkbay, drowned 01238658E Maj Webb P. 24 Squadron SAAF 1969/10/16 Aircraft Accident; Body Not Recovered Killed in aircraft accident, in Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S-50 #415. Aircraft crashed in the sea during night flying exercises, off Durban. 01219401E Maj Odendaal S.S. 24 Squadron SAAF 1969/10/16 Aircraft Accident; Body Not Recovered Killed in aircraft accident, in Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S-50 #415. Aircraft crashed in the sea during night flying exercises, off Durban. 01505056E Maj Vice C.R. 24 Squadron SAAF 1973/11/24 Aircraft Accident; Body Not Recovered Killed in aircraft accident, Walker Bay, in Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S-50 #419 65944100E Capt Antonis B.M. 24 Squadron SAAF 1973/11/24 Aircraft Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Killed in aircraft accident, Walker Bay, in Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S-50 #420 70299235N Rfn Holscher L. 2 South African Infantry Battalion 1973/11/26 Killed by an Animal; Body Not Recovered Died in a Freak Accident, in Kunene River, attacked by crocodile 72434848N Rfn Vorster B.J.A. 2 South African Infantry Battalion 1974/11/12 Freak Accident; Body Not Recovered Died in a Freak Accident, drowned, at Bangani. He went to collect water at the river but disappeared under the water. 72469885N Rfn Le Grange A.A. 5 South African Infantry Battalion 1975/01/08 Freak Accident; Body Not Recovered Died in a Freak Accident, drowned, at Bagani. He was passanger in a military vehicle that drove off of the pont. His body was not recovered. 64203243E Sgt Crause J.J. 16 Squadron SAAF 1975/05/09 Aircraft Accident; Body Not Recovered Killed in aircraft accident, ditched into sea near Port Elizabeth, in Alouette III #62 71259428BC Tpr Lombard N. 1 Special Service Battalion 1975/11/23 Killed In Action: Body Not Recovered Killed in action, in Battle of Ebo during Operation Savannah. He was the driver of the armoured car commanded by Lt J du Toit. They were oredered forward toward the bridge over the Massaba river. As the car approached the bridge it was hit with a hollow charge round from a 76mm cannon and he was instantly killed. the car ended up on its side in the river. His body ws not recovered On Tuesday July 11 2006 Mr. Henk van Zyl was physically taken to the two gravesites, was able, through an interpreter and in the presence of about five Angolan government officials, able to speak to two headmen. He was taken to the grave of Trooper Niel Lombard of B Squadron 1SSB who was killed at the bridge over the Massaba River. His grave is virtually on the cross roads of two pathways. After 31 years, one cannot see that there is a grave there but the headman of that area after pacing off from one reference point to another, made a cross on the ground with his toe and said here is where I buried the man after pulling him out of the tank. 67292300PM Capt Rossouw G.M.A. 27 Squadron SAAF 1976/05/06 Aircraft Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Killed in aircraft accident, ditched in sea off Dassen Island near Cape Town, in Piaggio P166S Albatross #894 66000134PE Maj Carter R.H. 27 Squadron SAAF 1976/05/06 Aircraft Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Killed in aircraft accident, ditched in sea off Dassen Island near Cape Town, in Piaggio P166S Albatross #894 75090423PG L/Cpl Ribeiro C.B.C.P. 1 Reconnaissance Commando; 5 Reconnaissance Regiment;32 Battalion 1976/08/23 Missing: Death Presumed MISSING, Death Presumed 65383390BT Rfn Human A.P. 3 Parachute Battalion 1978/05/04 Killed In Action: Missing: Death Presumed Andries Human died during Operation Reindeer when the South African Paratroopers attacked the SWAPO base at Cassinga. He went missing after parachute accident, declared dead on 22 January 1980 66364316PM Capt Brinkworth A.H. 24 Squadron SAAF 1978/08/03 Aircraft Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Killed in aircraft accident, off Durban, in Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S-50 #423. Used ejection seat, declared dead Aug 14. 1979 70306568N Lt Bosman C. SAS Walvisbaai 1978/10/09 Freak Accident; Body Not Recovered He was lost at sea, about 7 miles west of Walvis Bay. While busy with minesweeping exercises, his foot became entangled in a cable holding a marker buoy and he was dragged overboard. 71387971BA 2 Lt Britz R.N. 32 Battalion 1978/11/14 Killed by an Animal; Body Not Recovered Died in a Freak Accident, at Kavango, killed by crocodile while swimming in the river. Lt Marais D.W. 12 Squadron SAAF 1979/03/14 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in action, shot down a short distance inside Angola, crashed killing both pilot Wally Marais and Owen Doyle, in English Electric Canberra #452. They were on a bombing mission and left 12 Squadron on the evening of 14th or 15th March 1979 at about 17H00. Five Canberras flew in formation and while doing a low level tree top flight and dropping bombs something from the ground fired and hit the Canberra on the side killing the pilot instantly, Nav. Doyle flew the plane from the navigators position for about 12 minutes with bomb bay doors open till the plane went straight down into the ground. His body was not recovered. 73455123PE 2 Lt Doyle O.J. 12 Squadron SAAF 1979/03/14 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in action, in Angola, shot down, in English Electric Canberra #452. On a bombing mission and left 12 Squadron on the evening of 14th or 15th March 1979 at about 17H00. Five Canberras flew in formation and while doing a low level tree top flight and dropping bombs something from the ground fired and hit the Canberra on the side killing the pilot instantly, Nav. Doyle flew the plane from the navigators position for about 12 minutes with bomb bay doors open till the plane went straight down into the ground. His body was not recovered. . Rfn Joao J. 32 Battalion 1980/06/04 Killed In Action; Missing: Death Presumed Killed in action, south of Mutuanjamba (approximately 80km inside Angola) during first phase of Operation Sceptic, specifically area clearing and domination as well as establishment of tactical HQ at Mulemba. 72440332PM Lt Lautenslager V.P. 8 Squadron SAAF 1980/09/12 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in action, shot down over Angola, in Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II #1074 74324500PM Lt Volkersz S. 3 Squadron SAAF 1980/10/10 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in action, shot down by SA-7 some 20 km SW of Mupa, in Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II #1042. Volkerz ejected safely and waved to his wingman (Lt. Skinner) from the ground; however intercepted radio messages indicated that he was killed by SWAPO. 76928720SP Cpl Abel Q. 32 Battalion 1980/11/15 Killed by an Animal; Missing: Death Presumed Died in a Freak Accident, killed by crocodile at Buffalo Base. 80022536PP Sgt Hutchinson R.L. 6 Reconnaissance Commando; 5 Reconnaissance Regiment 1981/01/30 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in action, in Operation Bean Bag, in Maputa Mozambique during a raid on an ANC terrorist base. 75342147BT Rfn Burger F.K.P. Cape Town Highlanders 1981/03/04 Freak Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in a Freak Accident, in Sector 10, swam through river and disappeared underneath water . Lt Gingles A. 5 Reconnaissance Regiment 1981/10/15 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in action, against terrorists in the operational area. Killed whilst leading a small Special Forces team carrying out an operation against the Harare-Beira railway near Doeroi, in Mozambique, some 300 miles from the South African border. It would appear there was a premature detonation whilst they were laying their demolition charges, and Alan and three of his comrades were killed. FRELIMO found their bodies and equipment, but as per SOPs, nothing was being carried which would enable them to identify the men. . Rfn Tombo F. 5 Reconnaissance Regiment 1981/11/10 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in action, against terrorists in the operational area. Killed whilst part of a small Special Forces team carrying out an operation against the Harare-Beira railway near Doeroi, in Mozambique, some 300 miles from the South African border. It would appear there was a premature detonation whilst they were laying their demolition charges, and F Tombo and three of his comrades were killed. FRELIMO found their bodies and equipment, but as per SOPs, nothing was being carried which would enable them to identify the men. 72249998PE PO Wium C.J. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 75060863PN PO Whiteley M.B.R. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 69443794PE CPO Van Tonder W.M.G. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 72265465PE PO Smith W.R. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 77060150PE CPO Smit H.W. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 72362379PE PO Skeates R.F. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 70343553PE PO McMaster R.A. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 08302440PE PO Lotter H. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 66510579PE PO Koen E. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 73317695PE PO De Villiers G.W. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident: Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 65718058PE PO Bulterman R.C. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 70351226PE PO Brind G.A.F. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident: Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 05208145PE PO Bothma S.P. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident: Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 05507629PE CPO Booysen J.P. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident: Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 80100167PE AB Benjamin G.T. SAS President Kruger 1982/02/18 Training Accident: Missing: Death Presumed Died in the crash of the SAS President Kruger into the SAS Tafelberg. 77246502BT L/Cpl Moolman E.C. Rand Light Infantry 1982/03/09 Missing: Body Not Recovered Went rowing on the Cunene river in a dugout canoe. He and his friend tried to go over the weir but they were caught in the rushing water, where E Moolman went missing, suspected drowned. 70548300PE Maj Kotze E. (SD) AFB Ondangwa 1982/06/01 Killed In Action; Body Not Recovered Killed in Action when his Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II, Serial No. 1052 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire near Cuvelai in Southern Angola while carrying out close-air support operations. He has no known grave. He was 35. A small granite memorial tablet was placed at the AFB Ondangwa Memorial. This granite memorial tablet is now at the SAAF Museum at Zwartkop. 77454387PE Cpl Strauss A.J. 201 Battalion 1982/11/07 Missing He was dropped off 50 km from Omega Base and told to walk back. This was at 1 pm and he had his rifle, food, water. He vanished without trace. 81026494BG Cpl Van den Dool T. 3 South African Infantry Battalion 1984/01/22 Missing: Body Not Recovered While swimming with his friends at Hippo Pool, Ruacana, he vanished under the water. Although a search was launched, they failed to recover his body. He was declared dead in 1986. 79429882BG Rfn Smith H.J. 1 Parachute Battalion 1984/02/17 Freak Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Drowned 74268624KT Rfn Van der Merwe H.F. VANDERBI 1984/03/02 Missing APPARENTLY DROWNED, STATE PRESIDENT DECLARED MEMBER DEAD . Rfn Paulo B. 32 Battalion 1985/01/01 Missing In Action Killed ? - Wounded and Captured by the enemy (Operation Forte) 81199878 Rfn Du Randt W.J. 3 South African Infantry Battalion 1985/04/07 Killed by an Animal: Body Not Recovered Taken by a crocodile about a kilometre below the Epupa Falls, where he and others in his section were swimming, at Epupa Falls, Kaokoveld, South West Africa 81559502PS Capt Stapa A.A. AFB Ondangwa 1987/11/14 Killed In Action: Body Not Recovered Killed in action, crashed while on a operational sortie in Angola during Operation Moduler, in Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II #1024 Lt Thomas J.A. 1988/02/29 Freak Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Drowned at Calueque Cpl Dorfling J. 2 South African Infantry Battalion 1988/02/29 Freak Accident; Missing: Death Presumed Drowned at Calueque 84310929 Pte Futcher S.E. 32 Battalion 1988/03/12 Freak Accident; Body Not Recovered He drowned in the Okavango River at Buffalo Base, Rundu, while swimming in the river. Despite searches, his body was never recovered. 77535581BT L/Cpl Trollip S.C. Regiment De la Rey 2nd Bn 1988/04/22 Freak Accident; Body Not Recovered Died in a freak accident. Fell into the Crocodile River at the Kruger Park. 84435338BG Gnr Van der Merwe J.P. 10 Artillery Brigade 1988/08/19 Missing: Body Not Recovered Missing, presumably drowned, member went swimming in river and disappeared 84328616BT Rfn Van der Merwe M. 32 Battalion 1989/04/02 Freak Accident; Body Not Recovered Died in a Freak Accident, while on patrol, at Buffalo, he went swimming amongst reats. Presumably attacked by crocodile
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 02:01:03 +0000