Els (J W)

SN CORRECTION 25 Aug 2026: ServiceNo 83398040BG cleared -- the pantser.cmvo.org.za SADF deaths PDF lists that number under "ELS, FERDINAND BEN" (SEA, Sterf 20 11 85), matching PersonNumber 30227 (Els, DateDeath 1985-11-20) by surname and exact date, not this record. Original value: "83398040BG". Left as an unresolved collision otherwise -- this correction is specific to this one PDF-confirmed case, not a general claim this record's other data is wrong.
FirstName contamination fixed 31 Aug 2026 (systemic full-table scan): FirstName ("Ferdinand Ben") was copied from the unrelated neighbouring record PersonNumber 30227 ("Els, Ferdinand Ben", initials F B) -- this record's own stored initials (J W) don't match "Ferdinand Ben" at all. Confirmed by the existing 25 Aug 2026 SN CORRECTION note on this record, which already identified PersonNumber 30227 as the true owner of this record's copied ServiceNo via the same external source. Cleared back to unknown rather than guessed.
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.