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Williams , Colin Arthur (C A)

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Photo of Williams
Identity
Person No.
33873
Service No.
67929885N
Last Name
Williams 181
First Name
Colin Arthur
Initials
C A
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1951 (±1 yr) 254
Age at Death
18
Death Record
Date of Death
18 September 1969 132
Cause code
ACC 1,585
Accident
Cause of Death
Died in Freak Accident 255
Died of lung complications after being forced, with others, to take part in an unauthorised CS gas training exercise at the training grounds at Doornkop
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
4 South African Infantry Battalion 97
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,843
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,872
Locality
Gauteng 9,374
Cemetery
BENONI (RYNSOORD) CEMETERY 15
Grave Reference
Alternative Commemoration until grave found 10
Unit History
Part of
Infantry Formation (SAAIF) — Motorised Infantry — Regular
Notes

Son of Mrs. D. E. Williams

Research notes

Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 18 Sep 2025: 67929885N Rifleman Collin Arthur Williams, 4 SAI, died from lung complications after participating in an unauthorised gas exercise at the training grounds in Doornkop, age 18. ROH first name is Colin.
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 18 Sep 2026: "67929885N Rifleman Collin Arthur Williams from 4 SAI died from lung complications after being forced together with others, to participate in an unauthorised CS gas training exercise held at the training grounds in Doornkop. He was 18." Cause enriched -- the stored text said only "suffocated as a result of gas", omitting that the exercise was UNAUTHORISED and that he was compelled to take part. Forename spelling flagged, not changed: Graham "Collin", this record "Colin".
Mike Sandham OMISSIONS (mailed 18 Sep 2026, credited The South Africa War Graves Project unless otherwise specified): SAME INCIDENT as Gunner G.S.J. Labuschagne (48643), SA Artillery, who died the same day of lung complications after the same unauthorised gas exercise at the Doornkop training grounds. Mike's entry for Labuschagne, sourced to the War In Angola Roll of Honour Member Dedications, uses almost the same wording as Graham's for this man. Two deaths from one exercise.
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
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