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Bruwer , Johannes Adolf (J A)

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Identity
Person No.
29631
Old ROH no.
170
Service No.
79498671BG
Last Name
First Name
Johannes Adolf
Initials
J A
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
20
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,780
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, claymore mine detonated during defusing
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Corporal
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,817
South African Defence Force
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

Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Bruwer, of Addo

Research notes

War in Angola forum (posted on Hanekom P.'s thread; Dennis Holder via Johan Schoeman): after setting up a Claymore, a lance corporal accidentally stepped back onto the tripwire; Cpl Bruwer took the full blast. Record cause already 'claymore mine detonated during defusing' — Holder's tripwire account is consistent in outcome, added as a story.

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 3
by Marius Wentzel on 02 December 2009 · via source
14 Julie 1983 sal nooit uit my gedagtes gaan nie. Die dag toe jou lewe weg geruk was. Naby Baken 53.
on 04 September 2010 · via source
hy was in 8SAI vir opleiding 82-83 mww
on 01 August 2012 · via source
I was in the same platoon as cpl Bruwer and remember the claymore mine accident clearly. Rfn Groenewald was critically injured in the same incident. We were on the Angolan border and had set up claymore mines. Someone decided platoons had to change positions. Terrible descision. Just before the chopper landed another mine was accidentally detonated. We lost a brave soldier that day and two others were seriously injured. We heard the explosion and were only a few hundred meters away. Rest in peace cpl!! wayne
Dedications 1
by Dennis Holder (via Johan Schoeman, War in Angola) on 12 November 2025 · via War in Angola
From Dennis Holder:
In 1983 we lost Corporal Bruwer from 8 SAI when after setting up a Claymore Mine, a Lance Corporal accidentally stepped back against the trip wire setting of the Claymore mine and Corporal Bruwer received the full brunt of the explosion. RIP