PDF
« Previous

Bate , Patrick Michael (P M)

Next »
No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
38919
Service No.
4291
Last Name
Bate 3
First Name
Patrick Michael
Initials
P M
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1932 (±1 yr) 79
Age at Death
47
Death Record
Date of Death
26 September 1979 120
Cause code
AA 1,737
Aircraft accident
Cause of Death
Killed in aircraft accident 1,517
Died in Aircraft Accident, in Alouette III # R5705 which struck power lines near Lake Alexander during Operation Thrasher. They were flying as decoys during an assault on Chimoio base in Mocambique
Military Service
Rank
Air Lieutenant
Regiment
7 Squadron (RSF) 21
Unit
Rhodesian Air Force insignia Rhodesian Air Force 80
Formerly Royal Rhodesian Air Force (1970)
Secondary Unit
Army
Defence Force
RSF 2,789
Rhodesian Security Forces
Location
Country
Zimbabwe 2,787
Locality
Harare (Salisbury) 1,462
Cemetery
CREMATED 33
Grave Reference
Cremated 5
Memorial
Memorial
All Rhodesian Aircrew Memorial
Location
Ste. Marguerite des Loges, Normandy, France
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Memorial
Operation Miracle Memorial — unveiled 3 October 2008 by Tol and Anne Janeke; made by John McKenzie. Dedicated to A/Lt Brian Kelvin Gordon, Flt Lt Kevin Peinke and Johannes Jacobus Strydom (KIA 3 Oct 1979). Geldenhuys colour plate p.141.
Memorial
Operation Miracle Memorial (Shamwari Arms, Westville)
Location
Shamwari Arms / Shamwari Club, Westville, Durban, South Africa
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Operation
Operation
Miracle
Dates
1979-10-03
About
Operation Miracle (3 October 1979) — Hunter / Canberra losses (Gordon; Peinke / Strydom).
Unit History
Part of
Rhodesian Security Forces
Notes

ref. "Pride of Eagles" - History of the Rhodesian Air Force 1920 - 1980 by B. Salt
Rhodesian Air Force Operations Roll of Honour: KIA — Alouette K-Car, with Gary Carter [Alouette R5705 (ASR 1045)].

Research notes

Geldenhuys, Prop. Rhodesian War Casualties. 3rd printing. JustDone / Lulu, 2009 — Alouette III R5705 crash near Umtali / Lake Alexander, 26 Sep 1979 (Flt Lt Patrick Michael Bate, Sgt Gary Ronald Carter, Maj Bruce Miles Snelgar).
Geldenhuys, Prop. Rhodesian Air Force Operations with Air Strike Log. Just Done Productions / Lulu, 2007 (ISBN 978-1-920169-61-9).
5 Sep 2026: Regiment/Unit swapped -- "7 Squadron (RSF)" (the specific squadron) moved to Regiment; "Rhodesian Air Force" (the force-wide designation) moved to Unit, per John's decision.

Citations

***Not yet accepted for War Grave Status by CWGC, need service file

External References
Stories 1
by Prop Geldenhuys (Air Force Operations Roll of Honour) on 26 August 2026
Rhodesian Air Force Operations — Roll of Honour

KIA. Alouette K-Car, with Gary Carter Aircraft/serial: Alouette R5705 (ASR 1045). Listed in Prop Geldenhuys, Rhodesian Air Force Operations with Air Strike Log (2007), Roll of Honour.
Dedications

No dedications have been added yet.