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Braz , Simao Domingos (S D)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
29580
Old ROH no.
1713
Service No.
76928100SP
Last Name
First Name
Simao Domingos
Initials
S D
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
27
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
DOW 2,732
Died of wounds
Cause of Death
Died of wounds, received south of Mutuanjamba (approx. 80km inside Angola) during first phase of Operation Sceptic, specifically area clearing and domination as well as establishment of tactical HQ at Mulemba
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
"B" Coy.
Defence Force
SADF 3,815
South African Defence Force
Location
Memorial
Memorial
Location
Within the Voortrekker Monument heritage precinct, Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
On the panel
No. 59
Memorial
Memorial
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
On the panel
1980 Army. Left column. 17th name from the top (Braz S.D.). Wall rank SERS; ROH Staff Sergeant — not overwritten
Operation
Operation
Dates
1980-06-01 to 1980-06-30
About
Large mechanised operation into southern Angola against SWAPO bases around Chifufia and Mongua, notable as an early large-scale combat use of the Ratel infantry fighting vehicle and Olifant tank.
Awards
Pro Patria Medal
South Africa
Pro Patria Medal warrant, Government Gazette No. 5171 (25 Jun 1976), Rule 5, as amended by GG No. 5575 (3 Jun 1977); discontinued by GG No. 25213 (25 Jul 2003, Schedule corrected by GG No. 26778, 17 Sep 2004) for service on/after 27 Apr 2003. Gazette extracts: https://rohsa.co.za/award.php?id=24
Notes

Joao was badly wounded and Braz and Van Der Walt were killed when their patrol crossed a gravel road in the kill zone of a vehicle ambush. Large force of dug in SWAPO with mortars and machine guns were able to inflict casualties and pin the patrol down. Reinforcements dislodged the ambushing force, but were forced to secure the immediate area and attend to casualties rather than pursue the enemy. When 2Lt Van Der Walt was hit, Braz went to his aid and was hit multiple times by the same dug in PKM machine gun. Braz was alive when casevac arrived, but died moments later.

Research notes

SADF Wall of Remembrance (Voortrekker Monument): named on photograph "1980 Army (Abel–Ralikwatha). Photograph: South African War Graves Project.". 1980 Army. Left column. 17th name from the top (Braz S.D.). Wall rank SERS; ROH Staff Sergeant — not overwritten.

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 1
on 08 December 2010 · via source
On 21 May, 32 Battalion were tasked to support a UNITA attack on the FAPLA base at Savate, Angola. Unknown to them, the FAPLA strength had been badly underestimated by UNITA and there was over 1000 heavily armed soldiers at Savate, rather than the 300 estimated. However, the assault went in as planned, and after a bloody day of fighting, Savate was captured and FAPLA routed with more than 550 dead and hundreds more wounded. Sadly, the battle cost 32 Battalion dearly, fifteen officers and men being killed in the fighting that day. Sergeant S.D. Braz was one of the men who made the supreme sacrifice. Information extracted from 32 Battalion: The Inside Story of South Africa's Elite Fighting Unit ,
Dedications

No dedications have been added yet.