Identity
Person No.
33631
Old ROH no.
1519
Service No.
72481708PE
Last Name
First Name
Leon
Initials
L
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
26
Military Service
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
KIA 14,310
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action, east of Otavi during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. A single SWAPO/PLAN insurgent was holding up in a shack on a farm. The shack was surrounded by a section of Paratroopers in the dark and after a heavy volume of fire had been brought to bear on the shack, Leon tried to enter it. However, the insurgent was still alive and fired at Leon with his AK-47 as he burst open the door. Leon was hit by several shots and severely wounded. He died shortly afterwards from his wounds. The insurgent escaped in the confusion
Grave Reference
Location
Country
Locality
Coordinates
Notes
Next of kin, Mrs. E. van Wyk
Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 1
Captain Van Wyk was killed by a SWAPO hand grenade just east of SWASPES at Otavi. It was around April or May, forget the dates. I was Bike squad PL 11 pl sgt at the time, we were involved in the annual SWAPO invasion of the farm areas south of Tsumeb. I have since learned that this was by a unit called "vulcan", a highly trained special ops type of operation. We, and other units, chased them every day for weeks, with gunships and Koevoet Casspirs called in to help. The bikes were highly mobile so we were used as a quick reaction force. There was a hut about 8 k's east of Otavi, south of the Grootfontein road just before it S-turned into the valley that we had been to once or twice, looking for spoor or signs of SWAPO presence. It was out in the bush somewhere, forget the significance of it, seems like it was a cattleherder's shack in occasional use. The parabats were going to surround it that night, I believe they had some info that SWAPO would be there. Turns out one WAS there, and he threw a grande that killed Capt van wyk. We heard it the next day. While some of the details have slipped my mind, I can still see him walking acroos the street at the HQ on an Otavi side street, my 2lt platoon commander and I were sitting on the steps outside the door on standby. We jumped up, but he waved at us and said relax guys. I had spoken to him a few times before that, a friendly officer who acted very professionally. Anyways, we exchanged a few words and he walked off. About 6 hours later he was killed. I drove through Otavi Dec 2002 while on the BIKE SA desert run, and went to find some of the old haunts. We stopped right where I had sat 20 years before, and I got a very strange cold feeling, I could see him again. As I recall he had a family too. What a waste.
Dedications 1
Paratrooper's Prayer Heavenly Father, King of the world I know that all things are in your hands, whatever happens to me. As a paratrooper I am prepared to suffer hardship. I am ready to endure danger and unrest, pain and hurt. I am willing to be hungry end thirsty. I am prepared to face the enemy fearlessly. Lord I am weak. I cannot depend on my own strength. I do not want to trust in my own abilities. Lord my God; Let me trust in you alone. Give me courage and strength, and, above all, faith to do my work