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Van Der Vyver , Johannes Andreas (J A)

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Identity
Person No.
33421
Old ROH no.
1566
Service No.
70423157PE
Last Name
Van Der Vyver 9
First Name
Johannes Andreas
Initials
J A
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1954 (±1 yr) 318
Age at Death
31
Death Record
Date of Death
12 September 1985 155
Cause code
AA 1,734
Aircraft accident
Cause of Death
Killed in aircraft accident 1,514
Died in aircraft accident, walked into the rotating port propeller of a C160 Transall at night at Mavinga airstrip, South Eastern Angola, while trying to board the last resupply flight (rear ramp already closed; crew door still open); died instantly
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Major
Regiment
32 (Buffalo) Battalion 275
Later renamed 32 Battalion
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Secondary Unit
13 Field Squadron
Defence Force
SADF 3,852
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,872
Locality
Western Cape 2,137
Cemetery
BELLVILLE (STIKLAND) CEMETERY 91
Grave Reference
Dutch Reformed Block Grave 628C 1
Notes

Husband of G. J. van der Vyver, of Bellville. ref. "Die Buffel Struikel" by LJ Bothma

Research notes


Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 12 Sep 2026 / Bushwar Books Lest We Forget 12 September (https://www.warbooks.co.za/posts/lest-we-forget-12-september/ 70423157PE Maj Johannes Andries van der Vyver, 32 Bn Logistics Officer Rundu, C160 Transall propeller Mavinga, age 31. CauseDeath enriched (C160 not C-130; night resupply; port propeller). CONFLICT flagged, not changed: FirstName Graham "Andries" vs stored "Andreas" (Initials J A fit both).
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.

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 1
by Peter on 04 February 2009 · via source
Major Johan van der Vyver was the Logistics officer for 32 Battalion, based at Rundu. On the night of 12 September, he flew to Mavinga in Angola, on board a C-130, to co-ordinate the Battalion's supplies and other requirements. Normal procedure in these supply flights was for each landing aircraft to land and turn at the end of the runway where their loads of personnel, rations and supplies would be swiftly unloaded, and any returning personnel etc. would be loaded, all whilst the engines were kept running, to precipitate a quick take off from the rudimentary airstrip at Mavinga, and allow further approaching SAAF aircraft to land in their turn. After completing his task, Major van der Vyver was supposed to fly back to Rundu on the last C-160 aircraft leaving Mavinga that night. He was late arriving for his flight, however, and by the time he got to the aircraft the back ramp had been closed as all the passengers returning to Rundu had boarded. There was still a side door open and Major van der Vyver ran to try and get into the aircraft via this door. Unfortunately, his path took him into the path of the aircraft's rotating port propeller, which he completely failed to see in the dark. He was struck by this propeller and killed instantly. Information exracted from the book: " From Fledgling To Eagle: The South African Air Force During The Border War " by Brig-Gen Dick Lord. ISBN 978-1-920143-30-5.
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