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Mennigke , Cecil Ian (C I)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
31859
Service No.
71348213PE
Last Name
First Name
Cecil Ian
Initials
C I
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
22
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, during counter-insurgency operations in Mocambique as part of Operation Melon (SADF Name (Operation Acrobat). They were attached to "D" Squadron Rhodesian Special Air Service when their patrol walked into 30-man strong Frelimo ambush in the Gaza Province of Mozambique
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Lance Corporal
Defence Force
SADF 3,832
South African Defence Force
Memorial
Memorial
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
On the panel
1978 Army. Right column. 1st name from the top (Mennigke C.I.). Wall rank SKTR; ROH Lance Corporal — not overwritten
Unit History
Home Unit
Attached To
Role at time of death
Special Forces (Reconnaissance)
Status
Permanent Force (Regular), some sub-units Citizen Force
The first South African Special Forces unit, established at Oudtshoorn, Cape Province, 1 October 1972. Special Forces operate as their own branch within the SANDF (not part of the Army/Navy). Some Reconnaissance Commandos had Citizen Force (reserve) components alongside the standing Permanent Force structure -- needs further research to determine which applies to a specific record/era.
Awards
Pro Patria Medal
South Africa
Pro Patria Medal warrant, Government Gazette No. 5171 (25 Jun 1976), Rule 5, as amended by GG No. 5575 (3 Jun 1977); discontinued by GG No. 25213 (25 Jul 2003, Schedule corrected by GG No. 26778, 17 Sep 2004) for service on/after 27 Apr 2003. Gazette extracts: https://rohsa.co.za/award.php?id=24
Notes

Son of Mr. A. T. Mennigke, of Johannesburg. ref. "Rhodesian Roll of Honour" by P. Geldenhuys (Roll compiled by Dr. J. R. T. Wood)

Research notes

Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 04 Jan 2024: 71348213PE Lance Corporal Cecil Ian Mennigke, 1 Reconnaissance Regiment, KIA during counter-insurgency operations in Mozambique while attached to D Squadron Rhodesian SAS, age 24. ROH rank was Rifleman, unit Armoured Corps (regiment already 1 Recce); age is 22 (not overwritten).
SADF Wall of Remembrance (Voortrekker Monument): named on photograph "1978 SAA (Castle–Havenga, Mennigke–Wolfgang)". 1978 Army. Right column. 1st name from the top (Mennigke C.I.). Wall rank SKTR; ROH Lance Corporal — not overwritten.
SASFA In Memoriam (operators): confirmed Special Forces operator. SASFA: Mennigke Moose KIA 1978. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf 26 Aug 2026: . SAWGP Regiment 1 Reconnaissance Regiment with no separate unit; Unit 2 attd. "D" Squadron Rhodesian Special Air Service recorded as attachment.
Geldenhuys, Prop. Rhodesian War Casualties. 3rd printing. JustDone / Lulu, 2009 (Rhodesia: Roll of Honour). (same name/date; record remains South African Force=SADF).
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 1
by Chris Bester on 28 November 2010 · via source
Lance Corporal C. I. Mennigke (Mil no: 71348213PE) and L/Cpl C.L. De Willzem(336) were killed in action on 4 January1978 in the Gaza Province, Mozambique, during operation Melon. Mennigke and De Wilzem were part of D Squadron, Rhodesian Special Air Service. Information: Rhodesian SAS ROH.
Dedications

No dedications have been added yet.