Identity
Person No.
30640
Old ROH no.
568
Service No.
76244718BG
Last Name
First Name
Gavin John
Initials
G J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
20
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
DOW 2,734
Died of wounds
Cause of Death
Died of wounds, severely wounded in the chest and lungs by shrapnel from a Yugoslavian M60P Pencil STRIM rifle grenade during follow-up operations against SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in conjunction with Koevoet Units on 22 May 1981. He was evacuated to the Hospital in Grootfontein where he was stabilised before being evacuated by air to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria the following day. He unfortunately succumbed to his wounds in 1 Military Hospital on 01 June 1981
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
Unit
Secondary Unit
"E" Coy.
Defence Force
SADF 3,832
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Grave Reference
Memorial
Memorial
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Role at time of death
Airborne light infantry (paratroops)
Status
Regular Force
Part of
Raised 1 April 1961 at Tempe. First battalion of 44 Parachute Brigade from 1978.
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. and Mrs. E. B. Harvey
Research notes
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.
Mike Sandham's research log ("List 1"), imported 16 Sep 2026, credited to The South Africa War Graves Project unless his entry says otherwise: gives Age 21 against this record's 20 (a difference of one year, so most likely a birthday-not-yet-reached transcription difference rather than a real disagreement). This record has no date of birth, so there is nothing to adjudicate with. Flagged, not changed.
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, pages 42-45: gives date 1981-06-01 vs ROH 1981-06-02 (SN 76244718BG matches exactly) — confirmed match, not overwritten.
Stories 3
To Garvie Harves, as we affectionately knew him. Was one of my best friends, jeez, did we laugh together! I cant thank him enough for asking his mom if I could move in (twice) when the turmoil of my home life was just too much to bear. Gavin, you gave me laughter, friendship, and showed me a "can do" attitude that I still try to allude to. When you died, something changed in me, I cant still figure out what, but I hope it was for the better. Thanks for the gigs, the laughs, and your caring.
I remember Gavin as a person who made you laugh, even at the most impossible of times. Even after 31 years I still remember him!!!!!!!
Gavin John Harvey was a drummer boy, a child of peace and born with the gift of incredible humour. He ignited laughter wherever he went. His impersonations were spot on, and always a twist to the story. He loved music. He lived for it. It was he who introduced me to Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa, Chick Corea, The Brecker Bro's... we made a band in high school with Martin Yates, a talented boy of muso parents, who was Gavin's best friend... they indulged my love of ballads and strong melodies and lyrics. All Gavin really wanted to do was to be a muso. In another time and space, that's what he would've been. But The Call-Up hung over his head. First he'd work at the Std Bank for 6 months then join the July Call-up, to fill those inbetween days of waiting. It was 5 years later that i would write a song with Barney Simon from the Market Theater, entitled 'O Pale Ladies of South Africa'... cos I know that the white women of SA were complicit in condoning the call-ups. My revolutionary urge was to do anything to avoid it, even as I hear my mother say to my brother, who didn't want to go... "But it'll make a man out of you Neil!!!" What kind of a man, Mom? Broken? 'Pale Ladies' was a call to all the wives, the girlfriends, the sisters the oumas to present themselves instead, at the stations, where the trains would wait for the cargo of cannon fodder, our beautiful unknowing boys...we should dress all frilly and feminine...and see what would happen...what could they do? would they take us instead? can you see the power of the meek... it would be a peaceful protest of Gandhi-esque proportions. Obedience in a culture such as ours can be a dangerous thing. Look at how Nazi Germany evolved, whilst the intellectuals dismissed Hitler as a buffoon...just like PW. Alice Miller writes about poisonous paedagogy. We all were taught, from within the marrow of the school systems, to hate and fear the communists and the blacks, out there in the townships..also 'communists'... A few rebellious crazy ones, sometimes consequentially so, would become heroic in their protest. There was little trustworthy to rely on in those days... dark days of censorship and lies... So Gavin went to Bloem, and none were more surprised than me, to hear he was VOLUNTEERING FOR THE BATS!! I can only think that something radically shifted for Gavin, during basics... the taste for heroism... or maybe a kind of reckless madness for the inevitable,
Dedications 7
Paratrooper's Prayer Heavenly Father, King of the world I know that all things are in your hands, whatever happens to me. As a paratrooper I am prepared to suffer hardship. I am ready to endure danger and unrest, pain and hurt. I am willing to be hungry end thirsty. I am prepared to face the enemy fearlessly. Lord I am weak. I cannot depend on my own strength. I do not want to trust in my own abilities. Lord my God; Let me trust in you alone. Give me courage and strength, and, above all, faith to do my work
Gavin, we remember you, our brother, John Sparrow and Richard Berry J and R
Hey Gavin Just to let you know I remember.
Gavin ... rest in Peace and may it be known that we will never forget ... Ex Alto Vincimus!
R.I.P. Gavin. They shall not grow old nor the years condemn, for at the going down of the sun and in the morning, we WILL remember them. Owen Croft (Instr @ 1 Para Bn, B Coy 1979)
Gav, you are always remembered for your smile, your cartoons, sense of humour and "the pig"!
Thinking of you Gav.