Identity
Person No.
29835
Old ROH no.
251
Service No.
80021827PE
Last Name
First Name
Ronald Alan
Initials
R A
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
35
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,780
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, at Soutpansberg, in contact with the enemy. He was shot while tracking the spoor of two insurgents, near Messina
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
Navy
Defence Force
SADF 3,817
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Grave Reference
Coordinates
Unit History
Role at time of death
Special Forces (reconnaissance)
Status
Regular Force
Each numbered Reconnaissance unit was renamed over time: "X Reconnaissance Commando" -> "X Reconnaissance Regiment" (1981) -> briefly a Parachute Battalion designation (1992/93, under "45 Parachute Brigade", a Special-Forces-only designation distinct from the real 44 Parachute Brigade) -> "X Special Forces Regiment" (1995). The parent formation itself changed name several times before 1995 (Special Forces Headquarters, then Directorate Reconnaissance(Forces)) with disputed exact dates between sources -- 1995 is the one date sources agree on. Corps classified as SAIC (South African Infantry Corps) per this site's own records; no independent source found confirms that for Special Forces units specifically -- treat as owner-asserted pending a better citation.
Awards
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. A. W. Cook. ref "The Silent War" by Peter Stiff
Research notes
SASFA In Memoriam (operators): confirmed Special Forces operator. SASFA: Cook Ron KIA 1986. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf 26 Aug 2026: Unit was leftover "Regiment Algoa Bay". SAWGP Regiment 5 Reconnaissance Regiment with no separate unit.
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
SADF.info Border Roll of Honour
open source ↗
SADF.info Border RoH
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), pages 57-65 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War in Angola Member Dedications forum (www.warinangola.com), Excel export supplied by Johan Schoeman, 1 Sep 2026. Forum post(s): 17208.
-
Unit veterans association
open source ↗
SASFA In Memoriam: Cook Ron KIA 1986 — confirmed Special Forces operator
Stories
No stories have been added yet.
Dedications 2
From his gravestone in VTH Cemetery: "Your task fulfilled my love - Remembered and Respected forever" John Dovey
Rest in Peace, soldier!