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Jones , Alan Rodger (A R)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
30891
Old ROH no.
647
Service No.
79360806BG
Last Name
Jones 107
First Name
Alan Rodger
Initials
A R
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1964 (±1 yr) 296
Age at Death
18
Death Record
Date of Death
11 October 1982 146
Cause code
ACC 1,584
Accident
Cause of Death
Died of accidental injuries 71
Died of accidental injuries, at Oshivello, during a weapons familiarization accident. A supposedly "safe" foreign grenade exploded and killed several men
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Lance Corporal
Regiment
1 South African Infantry Battalion 111
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,828
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,872
Locality
KwaZulu-Natal 1,589
Cemetery
PIETERMARITZBURG MOTH GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE 3
Grave Reference
Ashes at the MOTH Garden of Remembrance 1
Unit History
Part of
Infantry Formation (SAAIF) — Mechanised Infantry — Regular
Notes

Son of Mr. and Mrs. S. G. Jones, of Pietermaritzburg

Research notes

Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 11 Oct 2024: 79360806BG Lance Corporal Alan Rodger Jones, 1 SAI Mechanised Leadership Wing, Oshivello: during familiarisation training on foreign weapons a Soviet hand grenade was accidentally detonated, killing five. Same incident as Geustyn, Venter, Jones, Meyer and Wessels. He was 18.
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.
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added earlier today REVERTED -- John obtained the actual Government Gazette (GG 5171/5575); the "died before completing the qualifying period" provision relied on does not exist in the primary text (it was a secondary-source claim). Actual Rule 5 requires (a) combat/enemy-caused incident, (b) a Ministerially-acknowledged operation (clasp), or (c) 55+ continuous/90+ non-continuous days in an operational area -- none of which this record's cause of death clearly demonstrates.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Army" was CLEARED as a duplicate. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word repeating what the Branch column already says. Secondary Unit is for sub-units -- a company, a squadron, a commando -- and this record's branch of service is unchanged at "Army".

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 4
by Chris Collingwood on 26 December 2001 · via source
If I am correct, this man was my sister's boyfriend before he was called up. He, and several colleagues, perished in a weapons familiarisation accident. A supposedly "safe" foreign grenade exploded and killed several men. I have no more data.
by Bob Dedekind on 19 September 2008 · via source
I was friends with his sister before he went off to do his duty, and I can still recall Alan as a very out-going, friendly and mischievous character. He was usually up to something, and lived life to the full. You are still remembered Alan, rest in peace mate.
by Geoff Stedman on 29 August 2011 · via source
Alan was my good mate and partner in all sorts of mischief. We both matriculated from Alexandra High School in Pietermaritzburg and went to Scottsville Presbyterian Church. Alan was posted to 1 SAI and I was posted to II SSB - I volunteered for officer training at School of Armour - Bloem, and occasionally saw Alan at church or at 1 SAI during weekends. He was a little sad when I last saw him - battling with homesickness and general army life (as we all did). He asked if I would come and see him a bit more often - (we were a little less restricted at Panzerskool) I was a bit slack at visits and next I heard, he had been killed. I managed to get hold of the Adjudant at 1 SAI when I received the news a couple of weeks after the event, and quizzed him over the events of his death. I was given a similar story to that that was published in the Natal Witness - I still have a copy of the article. Not sure of the accuracy of the statement though. (Alan had been on an NCO training course.) I will never forget you My Friend. Your death marked a very definitive change of my outlook of life. Your smile and your lust for life will always enrich the lives of those who you left behind. I never was able to maintain a relationship with Michael, Sharon Cindy or your Mom & Dad after your passing, but I always felt for their pain as well. We Will Never Forget You.
on 14 February 2013 · via source
Alan was at MLW (Mechanised Leadership Wing)with me at 1SAI. On the 11 October 1982, at Oshivello, during a familiarization with weapons used by PLAN, one of the soldiers pressed a button on a Russian grenade that exploded killing 4 soldiers. Candidate Officer CASPER WILLEM JOHANNES GEUSTYN Lance Corporal ALAN RODGER JONES Lance Corporal JACOBUS THEODORUS MEYER Lance Corporal EDGAR SYDNEY WESSELS Doug Beveridge
Dedications

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