Son of Mrs. J. van Rensburg
Chris Bennett, Three Frigates (2006): while SAS President Steyn was homeward-bound escorting the new submarine SAS Emily Hobhouse, the ship’s Westland Wasp (after a main-rotor/head change) crashed on a required overland test flight from Luanda on 25 November 1971; all four crew were killed.
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 05 Nov 2025: 67012484E Corporal Nicolaas Frederick van Rensburg, 22 Flight (later 22 Squadron), killed in a private vehicle accident in Cape Town, 05 Nov 1971, age 20. Same service number on this ROH record: Jansen Van Rensburg, Nicolaas Frans, 22 Flt, Westland Wasp #83 air crash 25 Nov 1971, age 32. Date, cause, age and second name not overwritten. | War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), page 7 of 143: confirms SN 67012484E, Unit 22 Flt, DateDeath 25 Nov 1971 — same date/unit/SN as the three other Westland Wasp crash victims already on ROH (Stork, Tiedt, Blom J.G.), strongly corroborating ROH's existing air-crash account against the conflicting 5 Nov 1971 private-vehicle account noted elsewhere in ExtraCitation (still not overwritten, but now better-sourced in ROH's favour).
Bennett, Chris. Three Frigates: President Class Frigates bring the SA Navy to maturity. Just Done Productions / Lulu, 2006 (ISBN 978-1-920169-02-2).
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Bennett — Three Frigates (President Class)
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Wasp #83 Luanda test flight, 25 Nov 1971
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Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 05 Nov 2025: 67012484E Corporal Nicolaas Frederick van Rensburg, 22 Flight (later 22 Squadron), killed in a private vehicle accident in Cape Town, 05 Nov 1971, age 20. Same service number on this ROH record: Jansen Van Rensburg, Nicolaas Frans, 22 Flt, Westland Wasp #83 air crash 25 Nov 1971, age 32. Date, cause, age and second name not overwritten.
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
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The War in Angola
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War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), page 7 of 143: corroborates ROH's 25 Nov 1971 air-crash account, see ExtraCitation.
Bennett (Three Frigates) places the loss during President Steyn’s return voyage from Europe after acceptance of the Daphne-class submarine SAS Emily Hobhouse; the Portuguese liaison officer informed the ship that afternoon that all four crew had died.
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