Identity
Person No.
29996
Old ROH no.
314
Service No.
76238054PE
Last Name
First Name
Wilfred
Initials
W
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
32
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
ACC 1,585
Accident
Cause of Death
Died in Freak Accident, at Hellsgate Training Base near Empangeni, Natal. Parachute malfunction during training with night jump
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Major
Regiment
1 Reconnaissance Regiment 14
Formerly
1 Reconnaissance Commando
(1996)
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
Army
Defence Force
SADF 3,821
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Cemetery
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
Military Merit Medal (MMM)
South Africa
Listed with this post-nominal on the SASFA In Memoriam PDF. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf
Notes
Husband of Mrs. Annami De Koker, of Marine Drive, Bluff, Durban.
Research notes
SASFA In Memoriam (operators killed in training): confirmed operator; died in training (SASFA: Operators killed in Training). SASFA: De Koker Willie MMM 1991. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf | Colyn Brookes, Mibisa: Volume One – Western Cape (Lulu, 2013, ISBN 9781447682523): Wellington Municipal Cemetery, Champagne, Hero's Acre A1. 26 Aug 2026: Unit was leftover "2 Squadron". SAWGP Regiment 1 Reconnaissance Regiment with no separate unit. 26 Aug 2026: Unit2 leftover formed-unit text cleared (not an arm-of-service or company/squadron qualifier).
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
MIBISA Volume One – Western Cape
open source ↗
Wellington Municipal Cemetery, Champagne, Hero's Acre A1
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), page 23 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
-
Unit veterans association
open source ↗
SASFA In Memoriam: De Koker Willie MMM 1991 — confirmed operator; died in training (SASFA: Operators killed in Training)
Stories 1
Hellsgate Training Area - Parachute Accident John Dovey
Dedications
No dedications have been added yet.