Service Details
Name:
THOMPSON
Given Name:
ERIC BRIAN
Initials:
E B
Service No:
71225163PM
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Other Casualties of this Rank
Regiment:
South African Air Force
Other Casualties from this Regiment
Unit:
11 Sqdn.
Other Casualties from this Unit
Date of Death:
1975-11-25
Other Casualties on this Date
Date of Birth:
1955-03-18
Age:
20
Cause of Death:
Killed in action, took off from Cela to do a recce over the Massaba River, in Cessna 185D #739. Presumed shot down over town of Ebo Central Angola. Presumed buried next to wreck.
Additional
Information:
Son of Mr. Thompson. On Tuesday July 11 2006 Mr. Henk van Zyl was physically taken to the gravesite, was able, through an interpreter and in the presence of about five Angolan government officials, able to speak to two headmen. One who assisted in burying Capt DJ (Tallies) Taljaard and 2nd Lieutenants Keith Williamson and Eric Thompson He was shown what remained of the aircraft after 31 years and where the grave was. It is slightly still recognizable as a grave and someone had stuck a little wooden cross on the grave as if someone still cared about the three men. They are in a communal grave next to where the plane came down. He says that the occasion was very solemn in that while he was there, the Angolans all bowed their heads in pray and very little was said on the way back to the vehicles.
Commemoration
Country:
South Africa
Other Casualties commemorated in South Africa
Locality:
Gauteng
Other Casualties commemorated in Gauteng
Cemetery:
SADF WALL OF REMEMBRANCE, VOORTREKKER MONUMENT, PRETORIA
Other Casualties commemorated in this Cemetery
Grave Reference:
Memorial Niche

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