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Cloete , Jacobus Cornelius Francois (J C F)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
29770
Old ROH no.
224
Service No.
76464025BG
Last Name
Cloete 57
First Name
Jacobus Cornelius Francois
Initials
J C F
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1960 (±1 yr) 416
Age at Death
19
Death Record
Date of Death
04 December 1979 98
Cause code
ACC 1,585
Accident
Cause of Death
Died in Freak Accident 255
Died in Freak Accident, at Grootfontein, during construction work when a concrete block fell off scaffolding and struck him on the head, killing him instantly
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Sapper
Regiment
1 SWA Engineer Regiment 13
Corps
South West African Territory Force 375
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
202 Battalion
Defence Force
SADF 3,821
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,859
Locality
Gauteng 9,374
Cemetery
SADF WALL OF REMEMBRANCE, VOORTREKKER MONUMENT, PRETORIA 1,926
Grave Reference
Alternative Commemoration until grave found 1,612
Memorial
1978 SAA (Hitchens–Human, Wolmarans) to 1979 SAA (Akaando–Djolomien, Maarman–Saal)
Names on 1978-1979 SAA Hitchens-Saal
Memorial
SADF Wall of Remembrance
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Voortrekker Monument, Eeufees Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa
Coordinates
-25.77639, 28.17583 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
1978-1979 SAA Hitchens-Saal
On the panel
1979 Army. Left column. 17th name from the top (Cloete J.C.F.)
Notes

Son of Mr. J. C. F. Cloete

Research notes

Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 04 Dec 2017: 76464025BG Sapper Jacobus Cornelius Francois Cloete, SWA Engineer Support Unit SWATF, accidentally killed during construction at Grootfontein when a concrete block fell off scaffolding and struck him on the head, age 19. Rank was Rifleman — corrected to Sapper. Unit was 11 Kimberley Commando — corrected to 1 SWA Engineer Regiment (closest unit; Graham: Engineer Support Unit). ROH DateDeath is 1979-12-04 (not overwritten).
SADF Wall of Remembrance (Voortrekker Monument): named on photograph "1978 SAA (Hitchens–Human, Wolmarans) to 1979 SAA (Akaando–Djolomien, Maarman–Saal)". 1979 Army. Left column. 17th name from the top (Cloete J.C.F.).
4 Sep 2026: Unit leftover "1 SWA Engineer Regiment" (a named regiment, not a sub-unit) moved to Regiment. Corps unchanged.
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added -- database-wide sweep for SADF Border War operational-area deaths within the medal's gazetted window (25 Jun 1976 - 27 Apr 2003), per the warrant's died-before-qualifying-period provision. See PersonAward.Citation for the gazette references.
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added earlier today REVERTED -- John obtained the actual Government Gazette (GG 5171/5575); the "died before completing the qualifying period" provision relied on does not exist in the primary text (it was a secondary-source claim). Actual Rule 5 requires (a) combat/enemy-caused incident, (b) a Ministerially-acknowledged operation (clasp), or (c) 55+ continuous/90+ non-continuous days in an operational area -- none of which this record's cause of death clearly demonstrates.

Citations
Unknown
External References
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