Williams, Edwin

Identity

Person No.

33874

Old ROH no.

1666

Service No.

75808470BG

Last Name

Williams 181

First Name

Edwin

Initials

E

Date of Birth

Unknown

Est. Birth Year

1962 (±1 yr) 360

Age at Death

23

Death Record

Date of Death

08 August 1985 133

Cause code

ACC 1,586

Accident

Cause of Death

Died in Shooting Accident 18

Died in Shooting Accident, accidental discharge at Makalani Base, Oshakati, Namibia

Military Service

Branch

Army

Rank

Rifleman

Regiment

8 South African Infantry Battalion 71

Corps

South African Infantry Corps 10,347

Unit

Unknown

Defence Force

SADF 3,856

South African Defence Force

Location

Country

South Africa 23,872

Locality

Western Cape 2,137

Cemetery

MALMESBURY CEMETERY 9

Grave Reference

Alternative Commemoration until grave found 1

Unit History

Part of

Infantry Formation (SAAIF) — Mechanised Infantry — Regular

Notes

Son of Mr. and Mrs. M. P. Williams

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

Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post
Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 08 Aug 2026: fellow-soldier AD at Ondangwa (ROH had Makalani Base, Oshakati).
SADF.info Border Roll of Honour open source ↗
SADF.info Border RoH
South African War Graves Project open source ↗
The War in Angola open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), pages 129-131 of 143: confirmed, no changes.

Stories 3

by Allan Moneron on 18 January 2009 · via source

Williams, Platoon 3, Alpha Coy, 8SAI. Killed by friendly fire in Oshakati, Makalani Base. Will always be remembered as a sad day for all of us.

on 24 October 2010 · via source

Ek is ?Kpl Van Zyl? en was die Pelaton Sersant van Pelaton 3, Alpha Company, 8 SAI wat gedurende 1984 en 1985 grensdiens gedoen het. Ek was Williams se Pelaton Sersant en dit was vir my ?n baie groot hartseer die dag toe Williams dood is ? ons was groot vriende gewees en het saam Bybelstudie gedoen. Dit het reg voor my tent gebeur toe hy geskiet is. Almal was oppad paradegrond toe en dit het reg voor my tent gebeur. Ek en van die ander manne het onmiddelik noodhulp toegepas en gehelp om hom te stabiliseer. Ek het die reelings vir die gebruik van 'n ?Garry? (Jeep) getref om met hom hospital toe te jaag. Ek was saam hom agter op die Garry en het druk op die wond geplaas tot by die hospital, ek was by hom in die teater tot amper op die einde toe die dokter gevra het dat ek ook maar moet gaan en liewer buite wag. Ek onthou nog hoe ons ?n klomp manne bymekaar gemaak het om bloed te skenk en hoe almal in ?n ry by die hospitaal gestaan het met die regte bloedgroep om hom te help skenk. Ek het heeltyd geglo hy gaan dit maak. 'n Tyd later het die Medic uitgekom en vir my 'n boodskap gebring en met die tyding dat Williams dit nie gemaak het nie. Van Williams se laaste woord wat hy vir die Medic spesiaal gevra het om vir my te stuur was 'Se vir Kpl Van zyl ek is lief vir hom'. Sal graag kontak wil maak met van die ander manne van 8SAI en dalk fotos deel. Hierdie huldeblyk is met groot agting aan 'n vriend en kameraad. Stoffel van Zyl stoffel@timcor.co.za 2010-10-24 18:29:06 </tr

by T G Bam on 19 October 2012 · via source

I recall the day that Willempie died as if it were yesterday, and now almost 30 years later I remember that he was a sharing guy and and slow to anger. He was in my section and although I hung out with the other guys like Alan, Brian Tilly and Darryl Harvey, we were all close and counting the days. Darryl was actually one of the first ops medics there to give assistance.

Dedications 1

by Melenie De La Guerra on 27 December 2011 · via source

Edwin was my stief-broer. Ek was besig om vir biologie te studeer in std 8 (1985) toe ons die nuus kry. Ons mis hom baie. Altyd n glimlag, altyd n grappie en lief vir Leon Schuster se musiek. Doodgeskiet deur sy vriend wat blykbaar besig was om sy R4 skoon te maak en dit net 2 weke voordat hy sou uitklaar. Sy magsnr. 78508470BG. Soos aan ons vertel is was Edwin se eintlike laaste woorde : "Ek wil nie nou doodgaan nie." Volgens die medici by die boshospitaal het Edwin hom doodgebloei. Hy was in die pankreas geskiet. Ek hou sy bruin boekie met fotos en die gat waardeur die koeel is.

Williams , Edwin (E)