Identity
Person No.
30719
Old ROH no.
589
Service No.
71235162BT
Last Name
First Name
Douglas Gerard
Initials
D G
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
20
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, in an ambush while escorting workers from the Ruacana - Ovamboland pipeline to Etali
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Lieutenant
Regiment
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
"C" Squadron
Defence Force
SADF 3,828
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Cemetery
Grave Reference
Unit History
Role at time of death
Infantry
Status
Active Citizen Force (Reserve)
Regiment Christiaan Beyers, established 1939 as the second battalion of Regiment Botha, later separated into its own reserve regiment. Renamed Mapungubwe Regiment.
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 Douglas Arthur and Laurentia (nee Taljaard) Hinds. Husband of Mrs. Erna Hinds, of Bloemfontein
Research notes
4 Sep 2026: Unit leftover "Regiment Christiaan Beyers" (a named regiment, not a sub-unit) moved to Regiment. Corps unchanged.
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 (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), pages 29-32 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
Stories 4
Hi John. His first name was Douglas. He was born in Zambia. He went to school in Pietersburg. According to his dad, he was shot whilst driving in the border region. He had just taken over from his driver when this happened. I am trying to track down his sister.
One of the earliest memories of my life was the story my Dad told me about Dougie Hinds, when I was a little boy and my Dad returned from the Border... Up to this day, my father has told us almost nothing about his times on the Border, hence the fact that the story of Dougie made such an impact on me that I still remember it to this day! In short, my father John Hartslief, served with Dougie on the Border. Both of them were Lt's at the time. If memory serves me right, Dougie and his men was on patrol just ahead of my father's patrol. Dougie and his men drove into an ambush and he, his gunner and his radio operator was shot and killed instantly. Dougie was shot behind the ear and my father was the first / one of the first to rush to his body. My father lifted his head of the ground and held it in his hands. This obviously had a deep effect on my dad... I honour him - it could have been my Dad... John Hartslief (Jnr)
Dougie and I were at school together and were the closest of friends for our entire time together during our High School years and after School we did our then compulsory military service together. Both serving in the Army. After that year Doug went off to University in Bloemfontein and I went to Varsity in Pretoria and in the USA. Each year till 1976 we did our camps together and I was there when he died in 1976 serving his Country... I was very close to his Mom and Dad and his elder sister Mavis. Both his parent died post 2000. His Mom in a tragic car accident and his father a few years later. Lovely people they both were and like parents to myself... Mavis is lovely and has two children and lives in Krugersdorp. Dougie had a son that was born in 1976 and his name is also Douglas. His Mom Erna lives I think today in Kroonstad. You will always be remembered dear friend and forever in our hearts..!
I was one of the persons that had to search for the two sections when they did not return to base camp in April 1976 and lifted Dougies body out of the vehicle later that evening. He and three other young South Africans paid the highest price that evening for the stupidity of politicians like John Vorster and PW Botha. The wild west cowboy attitude of the regiment leadership and the total lack of logistical planning by the military can also be blamed. What for? To protect some contractors that was constructing a water pipeline. Why am I the bliksem in? After nearly fifty years, I realise that I could have been killed that evening. Two sections went out every day to escort the contractors while the third stayed behind to protect the camp. Both persons driving the vehicles were killed that night. I was the driver of the other section that stayed behind in the camp on that specific day. I often think about the talent that was wasted that evening, but it inspires me to make the best of my life. At least I received another opportunity in life. The four people that died and about seven that was wounded in this skirmish, did not deserve this. In hindsight, it should have been foreseen that 22 people on two open Unimogs driving the same 20km route adjacent to the border every day, was a very easy target for Swapo who probably had about 100 armed men in the ambush. The bravery of the South African Soldiers prevented all 22 from being massacred on this day. I am sorry I can not remember the names of the other three that died on that day.
Dedications
No dedications have been added yet.