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Van Brakel , Daniel Gerhardus (D G)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
33393
Old ROH no.
1452
Service No.
75255448BG
Last Name
Van Brakel 3
First Name
Daniel Gerhardus
Initials
D G
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1960 (±1 yr) 417
Age at Death
19
Death Record
Date of Death
02 July 1979 133
Cause code
SHOT 546
Shot
Cause of Death
Died in Shooting Incident 289
Died in Shooting Incident, at Oshivello
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
1 South African Infantry Battalion 111
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,839
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,872
Locality
Gauteng 9,374
Cemetery
SADF WALL OF REMEMBRANCE, VOORTREKKER MONUMENT, PRETORIA 1,926
Grave Reference
Alternative Commemoration until grave found 1,612
Memorial
Memorial
SADF Wall of Remembrance
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Voortrekker Monument, Eeufees Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria, 0181, South Africa
Coordinates
-25.77639, 28.17583 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Part of
Infantry Formation (SAAIF) — Mechanised Infantry — Regular
Notes

Son of Mr. and Mrs. P. M. van Brakel, of Potchefstroom.

Research notes


14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added -- database-wide sweep for SADF Border War operational-area deaths within the medal's gazetted window (25 Jun 1976 - 27 Apr 2003), per the warrant's died-before-qualifying-period provision. See PersonAward.Citation for the gazette references.
14 Sep 2026: Pro Patria Medal added earlier today REVERTED -- John obtained the actual Government Gazette (GG 5171/5575); the "died before completing the qualifying period" provision relied on does not exist in the primary text (it was a secondary-source claim). Actual Rule 5 requires (a) combat/enemy-caused incident, (b) a Ministerially-acknowledged operation (clasp), or (c) 55+ continuous/90+ non-continuous days in an operational area -- none of which this record's cause of death clearly demonstrates.
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 Francois van Wyk on 26 September 2007 · via source
Gerrit was our driver. He was a funny guy and a drummer. He ran out of the tent naked once when ordered to fall in. He showed us how to drum using sticks on concrete. He put on a show once standing in the corner, wearing a woman's blouse (I think), and pretended someone was making out with her (him) - you had to be there - he was funny. Unfortunately he died because of an accidental shooting. If I remember correctly, one of the other drivers was farting around and accidently shot Gerritt?. What a tragedy, and for what?
Dedications 1
by Francois van Wyk on 08 December 2007 · via source
Gerrit van Brakel was my driver, just a regular white South African dude, conscripted into the army, he was just a young teenager, and he ended up dying for nothing. My heart goes out to his parents. When his buddies went to his funeral, they told us his mother begged them to tell her this had not happened. My heart still breaks for Gerrit. I want his family and friends to know that he was funny, a good friend, a wonderful guy, just doing what he thought he had to do at the tender age of eighteen. He was just a kid doing what he thought he had to do.