Stories

2,049 approved stories. Click a name or record number to open the full memorial page.

Date # Person Story
17 August 2026 33124 Rifleman Johannes Jacobus Christoffel Stols
South African Infantry Corps · 1983-08-05
Rfn. JJC Stols was a driver in Support Company, 3SAI, January 1982 intake. I do not remember (if I ever knew it) his first name but we knew him by his nickname, "Stollie". There was a tendency for the English and Afrika…
17 August 2026 33026 Petty Officer William Russel Smith
SAS President Kruger · 1982-02-18
In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…
17 August 2026 32997 Rifleman Mathys Cornelius Smit
South African Infantry Corps · 1983-12-31
I was in the same platoon as Smittie. <a href="
17 August 2026 32994 Chief Petty Officer Hartmut Wilfried Smit
SAS President Kruger · 1982-02-18
In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…
17 August 2026 32974 Petty Officer Roy Frederick Skeates
SAS President Kruger · 1982-02-18
In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…
17 August 2026 1271 Lance Corporal Andries Basson
Cape Corps · 1917-01-03
Please see the story posted for <a href="main.php?page=
17 August 2026 32822 Captain George Frederick Schoeman
South African Armoured Corps · 1975-11-23
I did my National Service at 2 Special Service Battalion in Zeerust. I was called up in July 1974. 2SSB had only one intake a year which was July. During that time Taljaard, Vollgraaf, me and about six others opted to t…
17 August 2026 32778 Rifleman Frederick Evert Sachilombo
South West African Territory Force · 1985-02-13
On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…
17 August 2026 32706 Second Lieutenant Christopher James Robin
South African Artillery Corps · 1975-11-14
My Story ? Angola War Overview: - I, Frikkie Bekker, commenced my military service in January 1975. From Durban we travelled to our base in Potchefstroom. I was enrolled in 42 Battery, 4 th Field Regiment. During my ser…
17 August 2026 1271 Lance Corporal Andries Basson
Cape Corps · 1917-01-03
The photos are: Robin 1 & 2 is the newspaper article on Lt. C. Robin, Rinty 1 & 2 is the newspaper article on Rfn Schonfeldt Rinty 3 is the photo of Scheunfeldt and his dog Rinty Brand is the unveiling of the Gunners Me…
17 August 2026 32664 Gunner Christo Retief
South African Artillery Corps · 1975-11-14
Rfn Schonfeldt is <a class="tooltip" title="Rfn Schonfeldt" href="main.php?page=
17 August 2026 32706 Second Lieutenant Christopher James Robin
South African Artillery Corps · 1975-11-14
Gnr C. Retief no is <a class="tooltip" title="Gnr C. Retief" href="main.php?page=
17 August 2026 32706 Second Lieutenant Christopher James Robin
South African Artillery Corps · 1975-11-14
Hi John, As you can see I have attached the newspaper articles for you. The story does vary a bit ... typical journalism, so I shall write it out for you. This is from my experience of what happened and also thanks to L…
17 August 2026 32688 Private Barry Craig Rieder
South West African Territory Force · 1978-04-21
Barry Craig Rieder. I cry as I write this for you. I address this to all who knew Barry. I am now 58 and served 6 months on the border in 1976 I recall it was Operation Savanna. That I shall leave for another day. I was…
17 August 2026 32670 Lance Corporal Johannes Gerhardus Reyneke
South African Infantry Corps · 1982-01-19
L/cpl Reyneke was a member of 4 SAI Bn, attached to 53 Bn (Alpha Coy). He was stationed at Etale, 18 km from the Angolan border. In early 1982, Reyneke was assigned to an escort detail that was to protect a Water Works…
17 August 2026 32664 Gunner Christo Retief
South African Artillery Corps · 1975-11-14
Please see the story posted for <a href="main.php?page=
17 August 2026 32666 Sergeant Dirk Wilhelmus Marthinus Retief
South African Air Force · 1979-09-06
Search for Puma Lost at Mapai April 11, 2009 - April 14, 2009 Under the cover of darkness, on the night of the 6th September 1979, I was flown out of the forward admin area of Op Uric, situated deep in the Mozambique bu…
17 August 2026 33671 Captain Paul Denzil Velleman
South African Air Force · 1979-09-06
Lt Paul Velleman and Co-Pilot, <a href="
17 August 2026 32666 Sergeant Dirk Wilhelmus Marthinus Retief
South African Air Force · 1979-09-06
Sgt Dirk (or Dick) Retief was the Flight Engineer on a puma that was shot down on the 6 September 1979, whil seconded to the Rhodesian Airforce. The pilot,
17 August 2026 32536 Corporal Mark Anthony Pond
South West African Territory Force · 1985-05-11
A LETTER FROM DES BURMAN, ONE OF THE COMMANDERS OF 32 BN, TO HIS CHILDREN "Hi guys I wrote this letter to my kids to try to explain the issue of materialism and that money is not everything in the world. You might want…
17 August 2026 32534 Private Emsley Pohl
SA Army · 1992-04-21
I only found out about what happened in 1993 when I went to visit some of the guys that joined on for short Service in 1992. Cpl Mike Land told me that
17 August 2026 1117 Gunner Adam Willem Johannes Barnard
South African Artillery · 1942-11-28
I read this with great interest as I was in the armoured cars in question at the recce incident towards the bridge, and in fact was in the Charlie car of the Pappa troop who was the first to cross Bridge 14 when the eve…
17 August 2026 1117 Gunner Adam Willem Johannes Barnard
South African Artillery · 1942-11-28
In November 1975 Battle Group Foxbat had routed an MPLA force, which retreated across Bridge 14 at the Nhia River and then blew it up. The advance of the South African forces along the only tarred road to Quibala was br…
17 August 2026 32408 Lieutenant Nigel David Osborne
South African Air Force · 1979-09-06
Search for Puma Lost at Mapai April 11, 2009 - April 14, 2009 Under the cover of darkness, on the night of the 6th September 1979, I was flown out of the forward admin area of Op Uric, situated deep in the Mozambique bu…
17 August 2026 33671 Captain Paul Denzil Velleman
South African Air Force · 1979-09-06
Lt Paul Velleman and flight-engineer <a href="main.php?page=
17 August 2026 32408 Lieutenant Nigel David Osborne
South African Air Force · 1979-09-06
Lt Nigel Osborne was shot down on 6 September 1979 in Mozambique whilst co-piloting a Puma seconded to the Rhodesian Air Force. The pilot,
17 August 2026 32381 Rifleman Gregory George Olyott
South African Infantry Corps · 1970-09-13
13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…
17 August 2026 32353 Private Francois Paul Oberholzer
South African Infantry Corps · 1992-04-23
I only found out about what happened in 1993 when I went to visit some of the guys that joined on for short Service in 1992. Cpl Mike Land told me that
17 August 2026 32203 Rifleman Dudley Nel
South African Infantry Corps · 1982-01-19
Rfn Nel was a member of 4 SAI Bn, attached to 53 Bn (Alpha Coy). He was stationed at Etale, 18 km from the Angolan border. In early 1982, Nel was assigned to an escort detail that was to protect a Water Works JCB that h…
17 August 2026 32101 Scout Joseph Wayne Muller
South African Infantry Corps · 1983-08-27
Joseph Wayne Muller was born on 31 Janaury 1963 in Cradock to Muis and Lorraine Muller, the third child of six children. He was always the black sheep in the family and if something could go wrong it would happen to him…
17 August 2026 32085 Rifleman Musose Muema
South West African Territory Force · 1985-02-13
On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…
17 August 2026 933 Captain Peter Henry Bairnsfather Cloete
Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles, S.A. Forces · 1942-12-19
In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…
17 August 2026 31816 Lieutenant Sean James McGuinness
South African Air Force · 1990-09-23
Lt Mc Guinness was accompanied by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150312095936/http://www.justdone.co.za/roh/main.php?page=
17 August 2026 31650 Sergeant Wentzel Christoffel Marx
1 Reconnaissance Regiment · 1977-10-28
Operasie Kropduif (die aanval op Eheke) op 28 Oktober 1977, sou die donkerste dag in die geskiedenis van die Suid Afrikaanse Spesiale Magte se bestaan wees. Nadat die Suid Afrikaners aan Angola onttrek het in 1976, sou…
17 August 2026 31630 Rifleman Richard Neville Marriott
South African Infantry Corps · 1970-09-13
13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…
17 August 2026 31464 Rifleman Kevin Eric MacK
South African Infantry Corps · 1970-09-13
13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…
17 August 2026 31384 Petty Officer Hjalmar Lotter
SAS President Kruger · 1982-02-18
In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…
17 August 2026 31336 Lieutenant David Gordon Light
South West African Territory Force · 1985-02-13
On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…
17 August 2026 31334 Corporal Rowland Ridgard Liebenberg
4th Reconnaissance Regiment · 1985-05-21
On May 13 1985, a South African Navy strike craft carrying the Recce team as well as a back-up team left Saldanha Bay and traveled to a spot 160 kms off the Angolan coast near its border with Zaire. The mission was to c…
17 August 2026 31311 Rifleman Peter Alfons Ernst Leonhardt
South African Infantry Corps · 1970-09-13
13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…