In Memory Of

NIEUWENHUIZEN, VINCENT VERNON

Service Details
Age:
 19
Date of Birth:
 1968-07-07
Service No:
 84477751BG
Rank:
 Rifleman
Unit:
 1 South African Infantry Battalion
Unit 2:
 "B" Coy.
Regiment:
 South African Infantry Corps
Date of Death:
 1988-02-14
Cause of Death:
 Killed in action, in South Eastern Angola during a contact with elements of the 59th FAPLA Brigade during Operation Hooper. The B Company, 1 SAI troops had not klaared out prior to deployment for Ops Hooper so they became 61 Mech Battalion Bravo Company Element and swopped over with B Company 4 SAI. Their Ratel Armoured Personnel Carrier, Callsign 22C was hit on the left hand side and knocked out by a 23mm Soviet ZU-23-2 Anti-aircraft gun deployed in the ground role. On the right hand side where the Groenewald Cousins had been sitting, a large hole was ripped out of the vehicle making it apparent that at some point, the Ratel had also been struck by a South African 105 mm discarding sabot anti-tank round
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 A4
Cemetery:
 ZASTRON CEMETERY
Localitly:
 Free State
Country:
 South Africa
Additional Information
Son of Mrs. E. Nieuwenhuizen, of Zastron.