Le Roux , Terrence Rodney (T R)

Hi I attended the funeral in Palabora representing 5SAI Bn Very Sad then Sgt Gary Meyer Lt Col Gary Meyer (Ret)

TERRY, HE WAS ONE OF MY BEST BUDDIES AT SCHOOL. AN ABSOLUTE GENTLEMAN AND WELL MANNERED. PLAYED WING WITH ME AT FULL BACK FOR OUR SCHOOL'S 1ST RUGBY TEAM. I STILL REMEMBER THE NIGHT WE HAD SOME BEERS BEFORE HE LEFT FOR THE ARMY. AND RECEIVING THE TERRIBLE SAD NEWS THAT HE WAS KIA ON THE BORDER. WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU MY BUD....AND YOUR DAD STILL DRIVES HIS VOLVO!!!

In order to honour Terry's memory I have tried to capture some of the pertinent information that I remember. Please note that almost 30 years have passed and I may have some details wrong. Terry was a Rifleman in Platoon 1, B Coy (unconfirmed) 5 SAI. Major J.P. "Snakes" Snyman was the Company Commander Staff Sergeant Jakes "Rooibaard" Oosthuizen was the CSM Lt Tony Eyselle was the Platoon Commander I, Rod Bath, was the Platoon Sergeant Two of the Section Leaders that I can remember were Roger Holman and Kevin Ginsberg Platoon 1 was an excellent platoon with a strong leader element and very good troops. Terry was an excellent soldier, well disciplined and highly regarded and, due to his gymnastic background, very powerful. The company was deployed in March 1981 to Etale Base in 53 Bn. The platoon undertook numerous patrols - mainly to the NE of Etale Base and knew the area well. The area was a major transit route for Swapo to penetrate further south and although we regularly picked up spoor we we unable to inderdict the enemy as they generally travelled at night. It was decided (I think in May) to split the platoon in 3 smaller groups and operate mainly at night along Oom Willie se Pad. Tony Eyselle (with Terry) took the area closest to Ondobe, Kevin Ginsberg the middle area (about 3 km to the E) and I the furthest near to Omuulu. We patrolled during the night and were resting up in a TB mid-morning when we heard a major contact to our NW at a distance that corresponded with the postion of one of our two sticks. I remember counting the explosions (as Tony Eyselle was carrying a M79 with 8 grenades) and became extremely worried when we heard numerous explosions from RPGs, mortars and PKM fire. We were unable to make comms with either the base or Tony's call sign and we moved ASAP in the direction of the contact, met up with Kevin Ginsberg's stick and finally RV'ed with Tony and his team near Ondobe where we heard the sad news. As they had followed up heavy spoor through thick Mopani bush about 5km to the N of Oom Willie se Pad they had been ambushed by a large number of Swapo (40+) at close range, Terry had been hit in the chest and killed and the stick had extracted themselves from the Killing Zone with great difficulty and were extremely fortunate not to have sustained mo

Terry. Strong gentleman and gentle man. It was an honor to serve with you. You are in my thoughts every day. I relive that ambush regularly and still wonder why the rest of us, Colin, Alan, Griesel, Lt Eyselle, Nici, we were able to survive such fire power. 60-6 were unlikely odds.

I remember Terry to be a very strong and likeable guy. I am proud to have served with him and share the same surname. I was in base at the time of ambush. I will never forget you Terry.

I was fortunate to know Terry as a family and school friend and remember very well the day that I heard he had been killed in an ambush while serving in the South African army in SWA (now Namibia). He was one of the most well mannered and gentle persons I knew. He had a passion for gymnastics and loved sky diving, as did his dad. Also in the ambush at the time was Stephen Griesel who also went to school with Terry and I in Phalaborwa. His folks still live in Phalaborwa and every time I see them I am reminded of the sensless death of Terry during that ambush. He will always live on in my memory. You died bravely and lived an honourable short life Terry! You will always be remembered with fondness by all who knew you.