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Wasas , Leslie George (L G)

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Photo of Wasas
Identity
Person No.
33802
Old ROH no.
1632
Service No.
79402210BT
Last Name
Wasas 1
First Name
Leslie George
Initials
L G
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1963 (±1 yr) 330
Age at Death
21
Death Record
Date of Death
20 June 1984 188
Cause code
DROW 1,200
Drowned
Cause of Death
Died in Freak Accident 255
Died in Freak Accident, drowned near the Epupa Falls on the Cunene River. Rifleman Boshoff and Wasas were on the Angolan side, trying to get back to the Namibian side. The log they had used to get to Angola from Namibia had disappeared down through the rapids. Wasas entered the river and got pulled through the rapids and most likely hit his head on a rock, losing consciousness. Boshoff and the section leader ran alongside the embankment of the river, past the rapids until they found a more calm spot and proceeded to swim across. When the section leader reached the Namibian side he could see Boshoff battling to keep his head above the water. He threw his arms in the air and got pulled under and disappeared. The section leader maintains he was pulled under by a whirlpool. Both bodies were found about 25 kms down the river. Boshoff 6 days later and Wasas 7 days later by a group of men in a boat who were sent to search for them
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
2 Transvaal Scottish 2
Unit
"C" Coy. 20
Secondary Unit
3 Group
Defence Force
SADF 3,815
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,847
Locality
Gauteng 9,374
Cemetery
JOHANNESBURG (WEST PARK) CEMETERY 478
Grave Reference
Grave 4400 1
Coordinates
-26.15926, 27.9943 OSM
Notes

Wasas's wife, was pregnant at the time of his death. His wife gave birth to a daughter, which she named Lesley after him.

Research notes

DATE DISCREPANCY 25 Aug 2026: pantser.cmvo.org.za's SADF deaths PDF gives this person's Sterf (date of death) as "21 06 84" (DD MM YY) against the same ServiceNo (79402210BT) and name -- differs from this record's DateDeath (1984-06-20). Not overwritten, flagged for reference.
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 2
on 30 July 2008 · via source
You taught me about love that is real, about Karma and you gave me a little girl who has so much of you in her - you would be[are] proud. "Wish you were here" K Karen
by Trevor White on 18 August 2010 · via source
Les I often think about you and that terrible day. Rest in peace.
Dedications 4
on 20 June 2004 · via source
Laci, of all our Hungarian guys that fought so what came to Hungary would not come to South Africa, you were the one who really didn't like the Army. Of all of us, you were the one who shouldn't have died. I will always miss you. "Isten hozz?d ?des bajt?rs!" Rfn Chris Szab?
on 24 January 2007 · via source
to my dad who i never you....peace Lesley Forssman
on 24 January 2007 · via source
we will never know what happened....but just know that your wife and your daughter are ok and happy. wish i met you....all my love your daughter Lesley Lesley
by Kevin Whitaker on 12 January 2008 · via source
Les, You were a great friend. You didnt deserve what happened. It was a tragic loss. Our group of friends was never the same without you. Rest in Peace.