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Hollis , Peter Henry (P H)

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Identity
Person No.
30738
Old ROH no.
1858
Service No.
70394770PE
Last Name
First Name
Peter Henry
Initials
P H
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
25
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, shot down while on armed recce over Angola, in Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II #1029. Part of a pair of Impala aircraft on an armed reconnaissance mission in Southern Angola when they located and attacked an enemy target. While he was pulling out from the attack, the aircraft was struck by enemy ground fire and burst into flames. Peter was seen to eject but no further news was received and he was not seen on the ground. A Special Forces Team was immediately inserted into the area and they successfully recovered his body, still attached to his parachute. It appeared that Peter had not lowered his seat prior to ejecting and his head had struck the canopy on ejection. His neck was broken on impact with the canopy, killing him instantly
Military Service
Branch
Air Force
Rank
Lieutenant
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,830
South African Defence Force
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
Awards
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. J. D. Hollis. ref. 85 years of SAAF

Research notes


5 Sep 2026: Unit "8 Squadron" (a squadron, SAAF's regiment-equivalent) promoted to Regiment, per John's decision. Corps (South African Air Force) unchanged.
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, "Air Force". 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 2
on 10 July 2003 · via source
Lt Pete Hollis died in April 1980 when shot down flying an Impala Mk II over Southern Angola. He ejected but was killed in the process. Unknown
by Giep Vermeulen on 16 January 2015 · via source
25 April 1980: 70394770PE Lieutenant Peter Henry Hollis from 8 Squadron was Reported Missing in Action over Southern Angola while flying Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II, Serial Number 1029. He was part of a pair of Impala aircraft on an armed reconnaissance mission in Southern Angola when they located and attacked an enemy target. While he was pulling out from the attack, the aircraft was struck by enemy ground fire and burst into flames. Peter was seen to eject but no further news was received and he was not seen on the ground. A Special Forces Team was immediately inserted and his body was located, still attached to his parachute. It appeared that Peter had not lowered his seat prior to ejecting and his head had struck the canopy on ejection breaking his neck. He was 25.
Dedications

No dedications have been added yet.