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Du Plessis , Jan Adriaan (J A)

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No photograph available — remembrance poppy
Identity
Person No.
6075
Service No.
6021
Last Name
Du Plessis 173
First Name
Jan Adriaan
Initials
J A
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1920 (±1 yr) 678
Age at Death
23
Death Record
Date of Death
01 June 1943 139
Cause code
POW 1,367
Died as prisoner of war
Cause of Death
Died at Arezzo Hospital 1
Died at Arezzo Hospital, whilst a POW
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
Royal Durban Light Infantry 161
Later renamed Durban Light Infantry (1961)
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,346
Unit
2nd Bn. 451
Defence Force
UDF 24,809
Union Defence Force
Location
Country
Italy 1,880
Locality
Unknown
Cemetery
AREZZO WAR CEMETERY 51
Grave Reference
IV. C. 5. 1
Coordinates
43.48411, 11.79039 OSM
Memorial
Roll of Honour of the Royal Durban Light Infantry, 1939-1945 (panel 2 of 2) Source: kznpr.co.za (KZN: A Photographic Historical Record)
Names on WWII Roll of Honour
Memorial
Durban Light Infantry Chapel (Chapel of St Michael & St George)
Location
Durban Light Infantry Headquarters, Durban
Address
5 DLI Avenue, Durban, South Africa
Coordinates
-29.84722, 31.01583 · OpenStreetMap
Panel
WWII Roll of Honour
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Role at time of death
Infantry
Status
Active Citizen Force
"Royal" dropped 1961 on Republic formation.
Notes

Son of Mr. J. A. and Mrs. G. M. M. du Plessis, of Durban, Natal, South Africa. Born Transvaal. A postman.

Research notes


K.M. Jordan, Royal Durban Light Infantry WWII Roll of Honour ("working document", Aug 2026 draft; email to John & Bobby, 4 Sep 2026, marked "not 100% correct"): Du PLESSIS, Jan Adriaan (Son of Jan Adriaan & Gertruida Maria Margaretha (nee Niemand) du Plessis of 11 Chestnut Road, Umbilo, Durban.) 6021 Sergeant Royal Durban Light Infantry Born Transvaal; a postman before enlistment; served with the 2nd Battalion RDLI in North Africa; captured at Tobruk; died in Arezzo Hospital, whilst a POW in Italy. (His brother Casper Jan Hendrik Du PLESSIS also died in WWII.) Arezzo War Cemetery, Italy. (Also, on & the Royal Durban Light Infantry & the Durban Cenotaph WWII Memorials.) 01/06/1943 PS9Q-GVR 23

Citations
Unknown
External References
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Source: https://rohsa.co.za/person.php?PersonNumber=6075&pdf=1

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South African Roll of Honour — Remembering those who served and fell. Lest We Forget.