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Kruger , Sarel Jacobus (S J)

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Photo of Kruger
Identity
Person No.
31187
Old ROH no.
755
Service No.
73521593PE
Last Name
Kruger 143
First Name
Sarel Jacobus
Initials
S J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1958 (±1 yr) 437
Age at Death
26
Death Record
Date of Death
08 February 1984 93
Cause code
ACC 1,584
Accident
Cause of Death
Died in Freak Accident 255
Died in Freak Accident, parachute accident, at Hoedspruit
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Captain
Regiment
5 Reconnaissance Regiment 72
Later renamed 5 Special Forces Regiment (1995)
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
North West 534
Cemetery
BRITS (LANGBERG) CEMETERY 19
Grave Reference
HA7 1
Unit History
Role at time of death
Special Forces (reconnaissance)
Status
Regular Force
Each numbered Reconnaissance unit was renamed over time: "X Reconnaissance Commando" -> "X Reconnaissance Regiment" (1981) -> briefly a Parachute Battalion designation (1992/93, under "45 Parachute Brigade", a Special-Forces-only designation distinct from the real 44 Parachute Brigade) -> "X Special Forces Regiment" (1995). The parent formation itself changed name several times before 1995 (Special Forces Headquarters, then Directorate Reconnaissance(Forces)) with disputed exact dates between sources -- 1995 is the one date sources agree on. Corps classified as SAIC (South African Infantry Corps) per this site's own records; no independent source found confirms that for Special Forces units specifically -- treat as owner-asserted pending a better citation.
Notes

Husband of Mrs. A. S. Kruger

Research notes

SASFA In Memoriam (operators killed in training): confirmed operator; died in training (SASFA: Operators killed in Training). SASFA: Kruger Sarel 1984. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf 26 Aug 2026: Unit was leftover "South African". SAWGP Regiment 5 Reconnaissance Regiment with no separate unit.
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

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Dedications 1
on 26 January 2008 · via source
Sarel, nag ou grote !!! Ek onthou ons dae saam in 32 - 1978 Martin Venter