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ON THIS DAY

12 July

98

South Africans who made the ultimate sacrifice

On This Day — 12 July

We remember those who died in service on this day:

1901
43768Burgher Bezuidenhout, Middelburg Commando (Boer Forces). Killed in action, Rhenosterkop/Doornkraal, Pretoria.
1901
43525Burgher Botha, Boer Forces. Killed in action, Malta, Vrede.
1901
47228Burgher Salomon Charles, Kaptein Botha, Vrede Commando (Boer Forces), aged 22. Killed in action, Brakleegte,Vrede.
1901
46646Burgher Johannes Jurgens Du Preez, Senekal Commando (Boer Forces), aged 22. Killed in action, Doornberg (Winburg).
1901
46471Burgher Karel Jan Fischer, Bethal Commando (Boer Forces), aged 83. Killed in action, Klipbank, Ermelo.
1901
43460Burgher Fogwell, Boer Forces. Killed in action, Pretoria.
1901
46179Burgher Thomas C Hugo, Vrede Commando (Boer Forces), aged 25. Killed in action, Hendrikskraal.
1901
46172Burgher Thomas Chalmers(Capt) Human, Vrede Commando (Boer Forces), aged 25. Killed in action, "Hendrikskraal", Vrede.
1901
45778Burgher Sarel Petrus Frederik Lindeque, Boer Forces, aged 23. Killed in action, Vaalrivier.
1901
45767Burgher Antonie J (Cmdt) Lombaard, Vrede Commando (Boer Forces). Killed in action, Vrede.
1901
45753Burgher Cmdt Lombard, Boer Forces. Killed in action.
1901
44011Burgher Willem Adriaan Jacobus Venter, Potchefstroom (Boer Forces), aged 20. Killed in action, Du Preezdrift,Potchefstroom.
1915
19584Labourer Molife Pakani, 11735, Transport and Remounts (South African Native Labour Corps). Died of pneumonia, on trek, South West Africa.
1915
25442Rifleman Henry Charles Travis, R/7688, 3rd Bn. (King's Royal Rifle Corps), aged 32. Died of wounds, received near Hill 60.
1916
96Captain John Henry Dyke Acland, Royal Army Medical Corps, aged 36. Killed in action, in support line near Colincamps.
1916
2262Labourer Piet Botha, 6217, attd. South African Veterinary Corps (South African Native Labour Bureau). Died of pneumonia, at Nairobi.
1916
4453Private Edwin Augustus Cooper, 5500, 5th Regt. (South African Infantry). Died of degeneration myocardium.
1916
5147Native Driver John Davis, 391, Natives (South African Field Artillery). Died of heart failure, at Kondoa-Irangi.
1916
5289Private George De Jong, 1203, 1st (Cape Corps). Died of malaria, at Mombo.
1916
7346Private Joseph Ford, 3216, 2nd Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 26. Killed in action, in Bernafay Wood on the night of the 10th/11th July, a portion of the 2nd SAI returned to its original camping site in the vicinity of Cambridge Copse.
1916
8943Private Leonard Vivian Haak, 44, 3rd Regt. (South African Infantry). Killed in action, probably by shell fire.
1916
10654Private Clarence Percy Impey, 3339, 4th Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 22. Killed in action, at Bernafay Wood, Somme.
1916
12032Sergeant Peter Joseph Kennedy, 4465, 2nd Regt. (South African Infantry). Killed in action, in Bernafay Wood on the night of the 10th/11th July, a portion of the 2nd SAI returned to its original camping site in the vicinity of Cambridge Copse.
1916
15168Lance Corporal Herbert Marks, 1073, 4th Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 38. Died of wounds, received at Bernafay Wood, Somme.
1916
15869Private David Pollock McClure, 1836, 4th Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 38. Died of wounds, received at Bernafay Wood, Somme.
1917
1817Private Geoffrey Allan Mark Birch, 10233, 7th Regt. (South African Infantry). Died of malaria and pneumonia, at Kilwa.
1917
6783Second Lieutenant Eckley Oxtoby Etheredge, 149th Bde. (Royal Field Artillery), aged 19. Killed in action.
1917
10163Rifleman John Sinclair Holmes, R/34477, 2nd Bn. (King's Royal Rifle Corps), aged 32. Died on active service.
1917
13562Private John Liebenberg, 1603, 5th Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 40. Died of malaria and alcoholism.
1917
23741Ox Driver Isaac Solomon, 12961, South African Native Labour Bureau. Died of malaria, at Graaff-Reinet, on return to South Africa.
1918
1169Private Arthur Lewis Barnett, 2015, 4th Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 21. Killed in action.
1918
2924Private Alexander Buchanan, 11605, 2nd Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 27. Killed in action.
1918
8191Private John Gillespie, 16141, 4th Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 34. Killed in action, while serving his guns near Meteren, west of Bailleul.
1918
9246Private John William Harrap, 11493, 1st Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 18. Killed in action.
1918
9964Lance Corporal Eric William Hitchcock, 1019, 3rd Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 29. Killed in action.
1918
21063Private Mampje Ramtabane, 15106, South African Native Labour Corps. Died of tuberculosis of the lungs.
1918
23516Sapper George William Smith, SAR/607, South African Railway Overseas Dominion Service, aged 44. Died of renal calculus.
1918
25265Private Francis D'Ewes Timothy, 13763, 4th Regt. (South African Infantry), aged 19. Killed in action.
1940
1131Gunner Percival Barnard, 16513, 1 A.A. Bde. (South African Artillery). Died in hospital while on active service.
1940
12621Captain Winston Leige Kriel, 102644, 11 Sqdn. (South African Air Force), aged 25. Died in Aircraft Accident, crashed on take-off at Isiolo, in Hartbees #859.
1940
29040Sapper Yule, 58214, South African Engineer Corps, aged 59. Died on active service.
1941
549Lieutenant Paul Daniel Aneck-Hahn, 103046, 1 Sqdn. (South African Air Force). Died of injuries, received July 10th, in Hawker Hurricane Mk I.
1941
21951Corporal Trevor Aubrey Rowan, 107466, 1st Bn. (Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles, S.A. Forces), aged 27. Died on active service.
1941
27451Pilot Officer Edward Douglas Vivian, 89071, 50 Sqdn. (Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve), aged 26. Killed in action, Hampden AE226, target Bremen, Germany, shot down by Oberleutnant Helmut Lent (4./NJG1), flying a night-fighter.
1942
65Private Willie Abrahams, C/300895, Cape Corps, S.A. Forces, aged 33. Died of general paresis.
1942
12460Private George Cummings Knott, 8515, 1st (Natal Mounted Rifles, S.A. Forces), aged 40. Died of wounds, shrapnel wounds, received on 10 July when "B" and "C" Coys launched an attack, together with the Australians, on enemy (Italian) positions near El Alamein. He died 2 days later in hospital.
1942
22544Private Scott, C/319876, Cape Corps, S.A. Forces, aged 27. Died on active service.
1943
2513Sapper Frank Alfred Brayevich, 215507V, 2 Docks Operating Coy. (South African Engineer Corps), aged 36. Died of accidental gunshot wound to skull.
1943
9974Private Silly Hlahla, N/80473, Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces. Died of tuberculosis impyema.
1943
12955Private Efream Lanka, N/21498, Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces, aged 43. Died of chronic myocarditis.
1943
19205Major Terence Patrick Reginald O'Brien, 844/AI, 1st Bn. (7th Gurkha Rifles), aged 26. Died on active service.
1943
21683Lieutenant Kendrick Robinson, 206657V, 40 Sqdn. (South African Air Force), aged 23. Killed in action, in Supermarine Spitfire, bounced by three Re.2005s of 362a Squadriglia while patrolling over Lentini - Pozzallo, Sicily. Killed by Capitano Giulio Torresi (who claimed him as his 9th victory).
1944
1612Corporal Hugh Benson, 1864, 1st Bn. (Royal Durban Light Infantry, S.A. Forces), aged 62. Died whilst a POW.
1944
15079Private Petrus Johannes Marais, 152604V, First City/Cape Town Highlanders, S.A. Forces, aged 19. Died of wounds, received in battle accident, from a Thompson Machine Gun bullet wound in the neck, fired accidentally by a fellow soldier who was cleaning same.
1944
18366Lieutenant Peter Naylor, 329021V, 40 Sqdn. (South African Air Force), aged 22. Killed in action, missing on artillery recce near Arezzo, in Supermarine Spitfire Mk VB #EP205.
1944
20202Trooper Traill Kenneth Phin, 232431, 1st Bn. (Natal Mounted Rifles, S.A. Forces), aged 19. Killed in action, in the vicinity of Castel di Brolio, Italy. The War Diary records that he died accidentally.
1945
14644Private Charlie Makayane, N/60976, Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces. Died of pulmonary tuberculosis.
1945
15358Private Alfred Letletle Mashe, N/28460, Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces. Died of pulmonary tuberculosis.
1945
17043Private Sandy Mohamed, N/24223, Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces. Died on active service.
1945
22951Private Andries Shibandakana, N/9166, Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces. Died of fractured skull.
1945
23449Bombardier Cecil George Smith, 75263, 1 Field Regt. (South African Artillery), aged 49. Died of haemorrhage.
1946
4882Flight Sergeant Walter Oliver Dahlquist, 206962, South African Air Force, aged 34. Died of pulmonary embolism.
1946
10407Private Leslie Philip Howse, 113248, Technical Service Corps, S.A. Forces, aged 51. Died on active service.
1946
13689Warrant Officer Class II Little, W/306154, Women's Auxiliary Army Services, S.A. Forces, aged 46. Died on active service.
1946
25009Private Johannes Theunissen, C/288887, Cape Corps, S.A. Forces, aged 37. Died after discharge.
1947
21005Private Ramaliehe, N/73066, Native Military Corps, S.A. Forces, aged 42. Died on active service.
1949
38032Constable Pieter Willem Van Heerden, 5313(F), 1a Dist (Cape Town) CW Div (South African Police), aged 46. Died of injuries, received in Motor Vehicle Accident, after tyre burst when travelling in high speed.
1954
33515Lieutenant David Hercules Van Heerden, 89441992BG, 7 South African Infantry Battalion (South African Medical Corps), aged 39. Died on active service.
1956
35382Constable Abraham Lekalakala, 136689, Gauteng (South African Police), aged 21. Died in a Motor Vehicle Accident.
1960
32310Air Mechanic Wessel Louis Christiaan Nothling, 72393762PE, Cfs (South African Air Force), aged 18. Killed in aircraft accident, stalled on go around and crashed near Springs, in AT-6 Harvard #7017.
1973
30520Rifleman Abraham Frederik Greeff, 70479589BG, 3 South African Infantry Battalion (South African Infantry Corps), aged 18. Died in Military Vehicle Accident, at Rundu.
1976
39648Private Charles Mahoga, 646356, 2nd Battalion (Rhodesian African Rifles), aged 19. Committed suicide, shot himself, in head, at Fort Victoria, Op Repulse.
1978
39915Trooper Philimon Mudzingwa, 645979, Keep Protection (Selous Scouts), aged 20. Died in Vehicle Accident.
1978
40065Rifleman Peter Ndlovu, 650639, 4th Battalion (Rhodesia Regiment), aged 21. Killed in action.
1979
38533Detective Constable Samuel Sibusani Khumalo, 21473, Criminal Investigation Division (British South Africa Police), aged 26. Died in the Mpilo Hospital, Bulawayo, on active service.
1979
39981District Security Assistant Kenneth Musina, 665035, Keep Protection (Internal Affairs), aged 23. Died on active service.
1979
32592Jochemus Johannes Prinsloo, 76580182, 61 Base Workshop (South African Technical Services Corps), aged 18. Died in his sleep of natural causes.
1979
32794Lance Corporal John Kerneels Samutiki, 77646552HO, 33 Battalion (South West African Territory Force), aged 27. Died in Military Vehicle Accident, when his Buffel Troop carrier overturned in the Operational Area.
1980
30923Rifleman Felosiyano Josef, 80861370HV, 35 Battalion (South West African Territory Force), aged 24. Died in Shooting Incident, died from a gunshot wound accidentally sustained in the Operational Area.
1983
29732Lieutenant Bruce Charles Chinery, 76468552PE, 40 Sqdn. (South African Air Force), aged 22. Died in Aircraft Accident, near Waterkloof, in Atlas MB326M Impala Mk I #477. Suffered engine failure shortly after take-off from Air Force Base Waterkloof. The aircraft crashed with a high velocity and impact angle near Monument Park Extension. On impact, the ejection seat activated and ejected the pilot horizontally along the ground into the base of a tree trunk, killing him instantly.
1984
38135Police Officer Jacobus Venter, 0434427-8, 14 Dist (Port Elizabeth) CE Div (South African Police), aged 21. Shot dead in Lamontville near Durban while on patrol at night.
1988
37227Detective Warrant Officer Johannes Lourens Prinsloo, W45825E, 25 Dist (Bloemfontein) OFS Div (South African Police), aged 42. Died in the execution of his duty as a member of the South African Police.
1990
36072Detective Constable Mpinzi Mdluli, S611453R, Mpumalanga (South African Police), aged 45. Died in the execution of his duty as a member of the South African Police.
1991
37238Lieutenant Johannes Christiaan Putter, 0087051-0, 25 Dist (Bloemfontein) OFS Div (South African Police), aged 31. Killed by rioting natives, at Moroka.
1991
38124Lance Sergeant Trevor Van Zyl, 0426434-7, Head Office (South African Police), aged 22. Died on active service.
1993
41877Staff Sergeant Josua Johannes Nortje, 80014699PE, 93 Ammunition Depot (South African Infantry Corps), aged 49. Died of heart attack, in his home, at Jan Kempdorp.
1995
30374Riann Fourie, 70379177N, 4 South African Infantry Battalion (South African Air Force), aged 18. Died on active service.
1997
35025Constable Gideon A Jacobs, 483319-8, 17 Dist (Graaff Reinet) CE Div (South African Police), aged 21. Killed in action, COIN duty in South West Africa. Member of Koevoet.
1997
35899Sergeant Sibusiso Andreas Mathe, 491778-2, Gauteng (South African Police), aged 29. Died in a Motor Vehicle Accident.
1997
36584Sergeant S Phillip Mthembu, 167036-1, Kwazulu Natal (South African Police), aged 30. Died in the execution of his duty as a member of the South African Police.
1999
32324Lance Corporal Lekano Phineas Ntlhane, 94086972PV, 1 South African Infantry Battalion (Far Nort), aged 29. He drowned while doing swim/landing training at 16 Mile Beach, Langebaan.
2000
34479Sergeant Jan Paulus Dire, 481718-4, North West Province (South African Police), aged 46. During the Rhodesian cease-fire, a ZANLA commander, Herbert Shungu, and 8 CTs stopped two South African Police vehicles which were carrying 6 members of the SAP and a BSAP constable. They were all relieved of the firearms, bundled into one of the trucks and driven down to the bridge over the Mazoe River in Rushinga District (Op Hurricane). They were taken onto the bridge and told to remove their shirts and hats, but sensing real danger, the policemen tried to escape, some by jumping into the river. One of the CTs opened up with his RPD. Jan Dippenaar, William du Plessis, Lourens Erasmus and Louis Franken of the SAP were all killed. Cst Grobbelaar, who was shot and wounded in the river, and Cst Eloff both survived. The body of Cst Mutasa Mandaza of the BSAP was never found and it is presumed he had drowned.
2003
37891Inspector John Edward Tsamana, 522845-0, Free State (South African Police Service), aged 31. Died of wounds, received in shoot out with farmer in Heidelberg, Transvaal.
2006
29358Master-Sergeant Yaniv Bar-On, Armoured Corps (Israeli Defence Forces), aged 19. Killed in action,in the 2nd Lebanese war, in the defence of Israel.
2007
34255Constable George Buthelezi, 7059640-9, Head Office (South African Police Service), aged 53. Died in the execution of his duty as a member of the South African Police.
2008
42435Captain Daca, 633412-1, South African Police Service. Died as a result of their duties.
2009
42562Sergeant Nxumalo, 515600-9, South African Police Service. Died as a result of their duties.
2017
43108Reserve Constable Maluleke, 2045033-8, South African Police Service. Died as a result of their duties.

We will remember them.

Deaths on 12 July by Year