Identity
Person No.
31590
Old ROH no.
888
Service No.
73253460BA
Last Name
First Name
David Hercules Dewald
Initials
D H D
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
18
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
DOW 2,733
Died of wounds
Cause of Death
Died of wounds, part of a patrol which was sent out to clear a road which ran parallel to the Nhia River. While busy with this, they encountered an enemy patrol and a fire fight ensued, during which he was wounded in the stomach. They could not be withdrawn until the following morning. He was taken to the hospital at Cela but died the following day of his injuries
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
Civilian
Defence Force
SADF 3,830
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Grave Reference
Memorial
Memorial
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Notes
Son of Mr. D. H. D. Marais, of Klerksdorp.
Research notes
DATE DISCREPANCY 25 Aug 2026: pantser.cmvo.org.za's SADF deaths PDF gives this person's Sterf (date of death) as "10 12 75" (DD MM YY) against the same ServiceNo (73253460BA) and name -- differs from this record's DateDeath (1975-12-12). Not overwritten, flagged for reference.
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
Lys van Weermaglede wat aan diens gesterf het (SADF deaths, pantser.cmvo.org.za)
open source ↗
SADF deaths PDF cross-check, 25 Aug 2026 -- date discrepancy noted
-
SADF.info Border Roll of Honour
open source ↗
SADF.info Border RoH
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), page 78 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
Stories 1
Thsi brave mans story is the same as Tom Lotze he was wounded at bridge 14 and because of a helicopter pilot saying it was to dangerous to cross the river had to be carried until on our side where he was eventually taken to Cela where he passed away while undergoing surgery.
Dedications 1
I helped carry Marais back from the other side of the Nhia river [ Bridge 14] . Remember still talking to him, he was shot through the leg and when he fell he was shot through the top of his chest and the bullet passed through his lung. Remember still talking to him while we were carrying him on the stretcher , he died later that night.