Identity
Person No.
33075
Old ROH no.
1337
Service No.
81559502PS
Last Name
First Name
Andre Anthony
Initials
A A
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
30
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,779
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, crashed while on a operational sortie in Angola, in Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II #1024
Military Service
Branch
Air Force
Rank
Captain
Regiment
Unknown
Unit
Secondary Unit
H.Q.
Defence Force
SADF 3,832
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Grave Reference
Memorial
Memorial
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Awards
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
Husband of Mrs. C. Stapa
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
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 77 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
Stories 7
Andre Stapa was killed when his Impala Mk2 crahed while on a operational sortie.
If my memory serves me right Andre Stapa flew a photo recconaisence sortie that day and disapeared shortly after the vital evedence was gathered. I believe the wreck was spotted from the air but at a too precarious position to ondergo a recovery. A remark was made that the parachute was spotted as it collapsed on the ground. Due to that, all planned sorties was jeopardised.
Andre Stapa was shot down by AA and killed near Cuvelai, Angola while on an operational sortie in Angola, in Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II #1024. References: 85 Years of the SAAF Peter
The accident happened while I was part of the SA Air Force in SWA in 1987, at Ondangwa Air Force Base. Capt Stapa and a Major (Still remember his surname) flew a bombing sortie with Impalas on a cloudy evening (Saturday or Sunday evening). I still recall, the radio conversation between Ops and the Major the evening it happened. The Major reported back that he saw a flash in front of him while diving through low level clouds, and thereafter lost radio contact with Capt Stapa. A Mirage III RZ arrived the following day to take pictures of the crash site in Angola.
He was my best friend. He was conducting the second "Donkermaan" sortie in the same evening, in Southern Angola. His wingman was Jan Mienie. Reports from our troops on the ground say that they heard 2 explosions. Not sure if it was ejection seat and bombs, ejection seat and aircraft impact or bombs and aircraft. Reconnaisance of the area reportedly showed numerous large impact craters but no wreckage was seen.
I was part of the Mission Control time that controlled Andre on his last sortie. We took them to over the target and they were saying that there was lots of reflection of the anti-aircraft fire against the clouds. This was the last we heard. The next moment he was gone and his wingman just said "Andre is gone".
I was part of 10 armour sqn that horrible Sunday night. from a distance we could observe the 23mm gun fire and as they came for the attacks. We saw the explosions. Now after 30 years a group is going back to Cuvelai to plant a Cross and assist the family to find closure. Has any one got more info on his wingman, Grid reference aerial photographs of the town in the 80s , this would largely be used to plot the ground attack and more or less plane came down. You can mail me with any other info that you might have. May he Rest in peace
Dedications
No dedications have been added yet.