Identity
Person No.
33223
Old ROH no.
1400
Service No.
76928621SP
Last Name
First Name
Waite
Initials
W
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
27
Military Service
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
ACC 1,522
Accident
Cause of Death
Due to tactical circumstances, the troop got stuck in the mud of a shona near the Lomba River during a tank fight, and the Ratel 90 was destroyed at point blank by a T55 tank. The commander, 2Lt Alves, his crew as well as 32 Bn members were killed instantly. The tank round penetrated the Ratel through the side door, detonated in the main ammunition storage container and resulted in an explosion causing the vehicle to catch fire. (Operation Modular)
Location
Country
Locality
Cemetery
Grave Reference
Memorial
Memorial
Location
Cuito Cuanavale, Cuando Cubango province, Angola
Coordinates
Panel
On the panel
Operation Moduler
Operation
Operation
Dates
1987-08-01 to 1987-11-15
About
Operation launched to support UNITA against a major FAPLA offensive aimed at capturing UNITA's stronghold of Mavinga. Culminated in the Battle of the Lomba River (September-October 1987), where SADF mechanised and artillery forces, fighting alongside UNITA, halted and largely destroyed FAPLA's 47 Brigade attempting to cross the river — the action in which several ROH records on this site (Alves, De Klerk, Kuyler, McCallum, Mananza, Tchipango and others) were killed when their Ratel 90 was destroyed at point-blank range by a T-55 tank.
Notes
ref "Die Buffel Struikel" by LJ Bothma
Citations
Unknown
External References
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Mike Sandham List 1
List 1 (Mike Sandham hard-to-research list): listed as 'Chipango' (year 1987). matched ROH by force number 76928621SP. list notes: 01 Jan 1987(Date of Death 2 = 1987-12-31) W T Chipango from 32 Battalion Unknown cause of death. Force Number = 76928621SP, Name and Rank = Tchipango W., L/Cpl, Date of Death = 1987/09/13, Killed in action (Operation Moduler) - 32 Battalion SOURCE: The War In Angola Information P....
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SADF.info Border Roll of Honour
SADF.info Border RoH
- South African War Graves Project
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The War in Angola
War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), pages 66-76 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
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