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Heyns , Hendrik Andre (alie) (H A)

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Photo of Heyns Photo of Heyns
Identity
Person No.
30709
Old ROH no.
586
Service No.
82585233BG
Last Name
Heyns 10
First Name
Hendrik Andre (alie)
Initials
H A
Date of Birth
17 February 1964 98
Age at Death
22
Death Record
Date of Death
04 January 1984 121
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,655
Killed in action, Ops Askari, contact with FAPLA T-54 NE of Cuvelai, Angola. 4 SAI Ratel 20 Callsign 13C became immobile after detonating a landmine, then knocked out by a T-54; a high-explosive shell penetrated the right-hand door and the ammunition exploded.
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
4 South African Infantry Battalion 97
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,832
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,874
Locality
Western Cape 2,137
Cemetery
STRAND (GOEDE HOOP) CEMETERY 14
Grave Reference
B3 1
Operation
Operation
Askari
Dates
1983-12-09 to 1984-01-19
About
Major SADF operation into southern Angola against SWAPO and, for the first time on this scale, directly-engaged FAPLA forces around Cuvelai and Cahama; unexpectedly heavy FAPLA/Cuban resistance and losses on both sides contributed to the diplomatic track that produced the February 1984 Lusaka Accord.
Unit History
Part of
Infantry Formation (SAAIF) — Motorised Infantry — Regular
Awards
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. H. J. Heyns, of the Strand.

Research notes

Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 04 Jan 2017: 4 SAI Ratel 20 Callsign 13C knocked out near Cuvelai during Ops Askari by a Soviet T-54 HE shell through the right-hand door; ammunition exploded and the vehicle burnt out. Graham lists eight occupants. ROH already records the Ratel immobilised by a landmine before the tank hit. | Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 04 Jan 2024: repeats the eight 4 SAI Ratel 20 Callsign 13C names, T-54 HE near Cuvelai, Ops Askari. | Colyn Brookes, Mibisa: Volume One – Western Cape (Lulu, 2013, ISBN 9781447682523): Strand Cemetery Hero’s Acre B3, Hero's Acre B3.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Air Force" was CLEARED. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word, and it CONTRADICTED this record's own Branch, "Army". 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
Unknown
External References
Stories 1
on 24 October 2009 · via source
Killed in Action (Tank took out Ratel) 4 th January 1984
Dedications 1
on 12 September 2007 · via source
Het jou nie so goed geken nie maar ons was in dieselfed kompanie maar in verskillende peletons . Als was verkeerd in daardie tyd , ons lewens drasties verander deur n sinnelose oorlog . Net soos die monument voor 4 SAI se hek sal ek jou nooit vergeet nie Eugene Liebenberg