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Fidler , Bruce Andrew (B A)

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Photo of Fidler
Identity
Person No.
30315
Old ROH no.
456
Service No.
79517090BG
Last Name
Fidler 1
First Name
Bruce Andrew
Initials
B A
Date of Birth
23 February 1963 147
Age at Death
22
Death Record
Date of Death
15 September 1985 101
Cause code
KIA 14,780
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,654
Killed in action, captured in a vehicle ambush, during an Op in Angola. He was interrogated and then executed and his body was returned during the Peace Negotiations in 1992
Military Service
Branch
Medical Health
Rank
Corporal
Regiment
Unknown
Corps
South African Medical Corps 535
Unit
7 Medical Battalion Group 7
Defence Force
SADF 3,825
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,869
Locality
Gauteng 9,374
Cemetery
SADF WALL OF REMEMBRANCE, VOORTREKKER MONUMENT, PRETORIA 1,926
Grave Reference
Cremated 18
Memorial
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
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Home Unit
7 Medical Battalion Group
Attached To
44 Parachute Brigade
Awards
Honoris Crux (1975)
Honoris Crux (1975) (HC)
South Africa · awarded 1985-09-15
Corporal Bruce Andrew Fidler, 7 Medical Battalion Group, was killed in action in Angola on 15 September 1985. He was captured after an ambush, brutally tortured and interrogated, and executed, but never revealed the presence of his nearby unit, enabling the 7 Medical Battalion Group surgical team to evade capture. His remains were repatriated in June 1992. He was posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux for bravery and selfless devotion above and beyond the call of duty in the face of brutal torture. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honoris_Crux_(1975)
Pro Patria Medal
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. F. W. Fidler, of Johannesburg. An Ops Medic from 7 Medical Battalion Group operating with Army Special Forces providing operational support to Paratroopers and other SADF and UNITA forces in Southern Angola during Operation Magneto. Reported Missing when two vehicles were ambushed by approximately 40 enemy troops; most of the UNITA soldiers were killed and the two Artillery Officers and Fidler (the Medical Orderly) in the second vehicle were all wounded. The two Officers successfully evaded and were evacuated by Puma helicopter, but Fidler was captured, brutally tortured and interrogated by the enemy before being executed -- he never revealed the Order of Battle for the upcoming operation or the SADF Artillery positions and location of the SAMS Surgical Team, enabling them to evade capture and reach South African lines. His remains were repatriated to South Africa in June 1992 and cremated on 15 September 1992 -- confirmed by both Graham and Bushwar Books independently (the prior stored account's claim of cremation in 1995, "precisely 10 years after his death", is superseded). Posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux for exceptional gallantry and selfless devotion above and beyond the call of duty in the face of brutal torture. His name is commemorated on the Roll of Honour for both 1 Parachute Battalion and 7 Medical Battalion Group.

Research notes

Cpl Fidler, attached to 44 Parachute Regiment, was captured after his unit was ambushed during operations in southern Angola. Brutally tortured and interrogated, he was executed after never revealing the location of his nearby unit -- enabling the 7 Medical Battalion Group surgical team (5-10 doctors) to evade capture and reach South African lines. His remains were repatriated to South Africa in June 1992, seven years after his death. Posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux (already recorded in PersonAward) for "bravery and selfless devotion above and beyond the call of duty in the face of brutal torture". Source: The Observation Post (samilhistory.com), "Cpl. Ngobese joins a proud legacy of bravery in 7 Medical Battalion Group", 12 Apr 2017 -- which itself credits "Graham Du Toit for the reference on Bruce Fidler". Article gives his age as 21; this record has 22, not overwritten, flagged.
War in Angola forum newspaper clipping (Chris Steyn and Karen Bowes, via Johan Schoeman Excel export): 'I would die for my country'; best friend Steven Fox; Florida Park High; Wits BComm one subject remaining; body then in Luanda. Spelling Andrews vs Andrew not overwritten.
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 15 Sep 2026: 79517090BG Corporal Bruce Andrew Fidler HC (P), 7 Medical Battalion Group, Operation Magneto, captured in a vehicle ambush by ~40 enemy troops, tortured and executed, remains repatriated Jun 1992, cremated 15 Sep 1992, posthumous Honoris Crux, age 21. AddInfo enriched with Graham's fuller account (Op Magneto name, enemy strength, 2 Artillery Officers' evacuation). CONFLICT flagged, not resolved: Graham gives age 21 and cremation 15 Sep 1992; stored Age 22 (consistent with the exact DateBirth 1963-02-23 already on file) and a prior AddInfo claim of cremation 15 Sep 1995 ("precisely 10 years after his death") are both left as recorded, not overwritten by Graham's age/date where they conflict with the more precisely sourced DateBirth.
Bushwar Books Lest We Forget 15 September (https://www.warbooks.co.za/posts/lest-we-forget-15-september/ independently confirms Graham's account: remains cremated 15 September 1992 (not the previously stored 1995), and age 21. The cremation-date conflict is now treated as RESOLVED in favour of 1992 (two independent sources). The age conflict (21, two sources) vs stored Age 22 (derived from the exact DateBirth 1963-02-23 already on file) is left unresolved -- Age/DateBirth not changed, since it's unclear whether the narrative age or the stored exact DateBirth is the error.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Army" was CLEARED. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word, and it CONTRADICTED this record's own Branch, "Medical Health". Across the roll 787 records carried such a contradiction; judged against Corps and Regiment -- independent of both columns -- the evidence backed Branch 744 times and Unit2 not once. Branch is therefore kept and the contradicting word removed. Nothing is guessed: this man's branch of service is already recorded, and his sub-unit, if any, is simply not known.

Citations

Corporal Bruce Andrew Fidler, 7 Medical Battalion Group, was killed in action in Angola on 15 September 1985. He was captured after an ambush, brutally tortured and interrogated, and executed, but never revealed the presence of his nearby unit, enabling the 7 Medical Battalion Group surgical team to evade capture. His remains were repatriated in June 1992. He was posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux for bravery and selfless devotion above and beyond the call of duty in the face of brutal torture. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honoris_Crux_(1975)

External References
Stories 5
by Source JP Bonnici on 29 January 2010 · via source
THE SADF Man Who Died In Angola Identified PRETORIA Sept 11 1992 Sapa Pathologists have established that the remains of a South African Army medical orderly killed by enemy action while travelling with a Unita convoy in Angola in 1985 are those of Cpl Bruce Andrew Fidler, whose parents live in Florida, Johannesburg. In a statement on Friday, the SA Army said Cpl Fidler's remains were returned to South Africa by the Angolan authorities in June this year. The date of Cpl Fidler's death was officially declared as September 15, 1985. His identity was finally established with the aid of his dental records, the Army statement said. The young soldier's remains will be cremated on September 15 -- exactly seven years after his death. The service, with full military honours, will be from the Methodist Church in Florida.
by Jon on 28 April 2011 · via source
Born 23 Feb 1963. Son of Mr. & Mrs. F. W. Fidler of Johannesburg. During a movement his unit was ambushed and he was subsequently captured and interrogated. Cpl Fidler was executed by the enemy during brutal interrogation. He never revealed the presence of his nearby unit although been brutally interrogated thereby enabling them to escape and evade. His remains was repatriated back to South Africa 10 years later and on 15 September 1995 he was cremated precisely 10 years after his death. Corporal Fidler was posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux Silver (only 27 were ever awarded ) for his actions of bravery. Cpl Fidler's name appears on both the roll of honour of 1 Parachute Battalion and 7 Medical Battalion Groups.
by Graham Du Toit on 16 September 2014 · via source
15 Sep 1985: 79517090BG Corporal Bruce Andrew Fidler HC (Posthumous) from 7 Medical Battalion Group was attached to 44 Parachute Regiment during Operations in Southern Angola in support of UNITA. His unit was ambushed and in the ensuing firefight, he was captured by enemy forces and was subsequently Reported Missing. Bruce was brutally tortured and interrogated by the enemy before being executed but he never once revealed the presence of his nearby unit thereby enabling the 7 Medical Battalion Group Surgical Team of between 5 and 10 doctors to successfully evade capture and reach South African lines. His remains were repatriated back to South Africa in June 1992 and he was cremated on 15 September 1992. Corporal Bruce Fidler was posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux for his bravery and selfless devotion to duty in the face of brutal torture. His name appears on the Roll of Honour for both 1 Parachute Battalion and 7 Medical Battalion Group . He was 21.
by Peter Walters on 03 February 2015 · via source
Rather late than never. Bruce and I where at Florida Park High School together. Bruce became Head Boy. We played first team rugby together and we were both props - two big okes - but unfortunately our collective skill as an English rugby team did not measure up well against the traditional Afrikaans rugby playing schools (Monnas and Helpmekaar etc) We lost touch while both in the army and the next thing I knew was the tragic news. Bruce was a born leader at school already and I am proud to have been quite close to him as a school mate. I went to 3 SAI, then on to Bourkes Luck Doggies from where I completed my service. RIP Bruce, gone but not forgotten.
by Johan Schoeman on 23 April 2016 · via War in Angola
[Beeld, 5 Julie 1993]:
Trotse pa kry Honoris Crux names sy seun

ILLUSTRASIE:foto: Mnr. Bill Fidler (voor) van Florida, pa van wyle kpl. Bruce Fidler van Johannesburg, wat sy seun se Honoris Crux-dekorasie eergister op die Weermagdagparade in Kimberley postuum ontvang het. Dit was vir hom 'n baie emosionele gebeurtenis. Sy kinders en skoonseun het die parade saam met hom bygewoon. Hier is hulle in die Jack Hindon-offisiersmenasie buite die stad afgeneem. By hom is van links mnr. Dirk Bertels, skoonseun, mev. Brenda Bertels, dogter, en mnr. Garth Fidler, seun, almal van Johannesburg.

Stephanie Horn

HY is trots op sy seun wat in Angola gesterf het terwyl hy gedoen
het wat hy in sy hart oortuig was die regte ding is, al wonder 'n
mens vandag of die oorlog werklik die moeite werd was.
Dít was gister die reaksie van mnr. Bill Fidler, pa van kpl.
Bruce Fidler wat in die naweek postuum die Honoris Crux, die
hoogste prys vir dapperheid in Suid-Afrika, ontvang het.
Mnr. Bill Fidler van Weltevredenpark, Roodepoort, het die
medalje Saterdag in Kimberley ontvang.
Die oorhandiging was deel van die vieringe van die 81ste
verjaardag van die SAW.
''Met die oorhandiging van die medalje is ou wonde weer oopge
krap. Terwyl ek daar gestaan het, was ek trots op my kind. Maar ek
kon nie help om te wonder of die oorlog ooit moes gebeur het nie.
'n Lewensverlies is altyd tragies.
''Dit is des te meer tragies as dit die lewe is van 'n
22-jarige wie se toekoms blink voor hom uitgestrek gelê het,'' het
mnr. Fidler, 'n veteraan van die Tweede Wêreldoorlog, gesê.
Ten tyde van die telefoniese onderhoud is hy deur emosie oorval.
''Ek is 73 jaar oud en kan nie meer die pyn verduur om elke
keer herinneringe op te diep nie. Al wat ek kan sê, is dat ek
steeds trots is op Bruce.''
Volgens mev. Brenda Bertels, suster van kpl. Fidler, was die
afgelope agt jaar 'n nagmerrie.
'' 'n Mens bly hoop iemand het iewers 'n fout gemaak het en dat
Bruce deur die deur geloop gaan kom. Hoewel ons effens berusting
gevind het nadat sy oorskot na Suid-Afrika gebring is, het die
oorhandiging van die medalje die hele tragedie weer werklik
gemaak,'' het sy gesê.
Kpl. Fidler, hoofseun van die Hoërskool Floridapark in
Johannesburg wat net een kursus vir sy graad B. Comm aan die
Universiteit van die Witwatersrand gekort het, sou aan die einde
van 1985 sy diensplig voltooi het.
As opgeleide operasionele mediese ordonnans en
verkenningsoldaat , was hy met Operasie Magneto op 14 September 1985
in een van twee Suid-Afrikaanse voertuie wat in Suid-Angola in 'n
lokval beland het. Die meeste van die Unita-troepe is dood en van
die drie Weermaglede het twee ontsnap. Kpl. Fidler is as vermoedelik
dood agtergelaat.
Sy oorskot is eers in Junie verlede jaar na Suid-Afrika
teruggebring. Hoewel dit ten tyde van 'n lykskouing aan die lig
gekom het dat hy gruwelik gemartel is voordat hy deur sy aanvallers
in die agterkop geskiet is, het hy nie sy kamerade verraai nie.
Kpl. Fidler het geweet waar vyf dokters van die SAW, net 10 km
van die terrein van die lokval, was. Geen aanval is op die dokters
gedoen nie. Dit is 'n bewys dat kpl. Fidler nie die inligting aan
die vyand oorgedra het in 'n poging om sy eie lewe te red nie.
''Die omstandighede van sy dood is grusaam, maar tipies van
Bruce sou hy nooit ander in die moeilikheid laat beland nie,'' het
mev. Bertels gesê.

http://152.111.1.88/argief/berigte/beeld/1993/07/5/4/11.html
Dedications 7
by Not forgotten Jon Toohey on 16 January 2011 · via source
Not forgotten Jon Toohey JonToohey@aol.com 2011-01-16 22:19:15
by Steven fox on 20 January 2011 · via source
One of the best friends I have ever had. Bruce was having coffee with me after lectures when the phone call came for him to go on his last trip. After all these years he can still make me smile when I think of his jokes and laugh. He truly believed what he was doing would make a difference. you will always be missed.
on 13 November 2011 · via source
Bruce, thanks for your inspiration and unbelievably positive attitude to life. I think about you and our conversations a great deal! jim
on 15 September 2012 · via source
Bruce was my uncle, he died when I was three! I only remember two occations with him, fishing with my dad and sister and him playing with me at my grandparents house in the swimming pool. To me he is a hero and I'm proud to call him my uncle! We talk of you often Brucie! Love you always x Lyndall Fidler
by Wayne Hollow on 31 December 2012 · via source
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends John 15:13 Bruce, you remain one of the most principled, brave, humorous and positive people I have ever had the good fortune to know. More than 27 years have passed since I last saw you and I still try to live up to the virtues you embody and the high standards you set. Thank you for your inspiration, comradeship and laughter. Rest in peace buddy.
by Sean Buckley (via Johan Schoeman, War in Angola) on 15 September 2016 · via War in Angola
From Sean Buckley: Corporal Bruce Andrew Fidler of 7 Medical Battalion was an Operational Medical Orderly with Special Forces training. He was involved in Operation Magneto and was providing support to Parachute and other Forces in Angola. He was on one of two vehicles late the night of the 14th of September 1985 when approximately 40 enemy soldiers ambushed them. Most of the UNITA soldiers were killed and the two Artillery Officers and Medical Orderly who were in the second vehicle were wounded in the attack. One of the Artillery Officers attempted to drag Bruce from the back of the vehicle but came under heavy fire. The two Artillery Officers made it to cover and were both later awarded the Honoris Crux. Bruce was captured, tortured and interrogated by his captors. He was well aware of most of the order of battle for an upcoming operation to support UNITA, including SADF artillery positions and the location of the SAMS surgical team. By refusing to give up any information he undoubtedly prevented further loss of life or injury to own forces. His body was repatriated in June 1992 and he was cremated a few months later on 15 September 1992, seven years after his death. The postmortem report indicated that he was brutally tortured and then executed. He was awarded the Honoris Crux medal for bravery posthumously.
on 01 September 2026 · via War in Angola
Wendy Freeman . . . a wonderful guy.