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De Kock , Abraham Jacobus Petrus (A J P)

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Photo of De Kock
Identity
Person No.
29989
Old ROH no.
2081
Service No.
71310536PE
Last Name
De Kock 36
First Name
Abraham Jacobus Petrus
Initials
A J P
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1955 (±1 yr) 397
Age at Death
26
Death Record
Date of Death
30 November 1981 124
Cause code
KIA 14,811
Killed in action
Cause of Death
Killed in action 14,686
Killed in Action, in Operation Candle Light, in contact with the enemy. Died in an accidental explosion while laying demolition charges in Luanda
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Captain
Regiment
1 Reconnaissance Regiment 14
Formerly 1 Reconnaissance Commando (1996)
Corps
South African Infantry Corps 10,347
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,874
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
South Africa 23,879
Locality
Western Cape 2,137
Cemetery
VREDENDAL MAIN CEMETERY 3
Grave Reference
Memorial stone - Heroes Acre - Body not recovered 1
Unit History
Role at time of death
Special Forces (reconnaissance)
Status
Regular Force
Each numbered Reconnaissance unit was renamed over time: "X Reconnaissance Commando" -> "X Reconnaissance Regiment" (1981) -> briefly a Parachute Battalion designation (1992/93, under "45 Parachute Brigade", a Special-Forces-only designation distinct from the real 44 Parachute Brigade) -> "X Special Forces Regiment" (1995). The parent formation itself changed name several times before 1995 (Special Forces Headquarters, then Directorate Reconnaissance(Forces)) with disputed exact dates between sources -- 1995 is the one date sources agree on. Corps classified as SAIC (South African Infantry Corps) per this site's own records; no independent source found confirms that for Special Forces units specifically -- treat as owner-asserted pending a better citation.
Awards
Southern Cross Medal (1975)
Southern Cross Medal (1975) (SM)
South Africa
Listed with this post-nominal on the SASFA In Memoriam PDF. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf SASFA lists SM(d).
Pro Patria Medal
Pro Patria Medal
South Africa
Pro Patria Medal warrant, Government Gazette No. 5171 (25 Jun 1976), Rule 5, as amended by GG No. 5575 (3 Jun 1977); discontinued by GG No. 25213 (25 Jul 2003, Schedule corrected by GG No. 26778, 17 Sep 2004) for service on/after 27 Apr 2003. Gazette extracts: https://rohsa.co.za/award.php?id=24
Notes

Son of Mr. T. S. de Kock. His brother also died in service. ref. "The Silent War" by Peter Stiff. Border War DVD has more about that "Operation Candlelight" in it. The implication in there was that there was not much of a body to recover after the explosion, and the recces withdrew in a hurry. He was also known as "Kokkie"

Research notes

SASFA In Memoriam (operators): confirmed Special Forces operator. SASFA: De Kock Kokkie SM(d) KIA 1981. https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf 26 Aug 2026: Unit was leftover "South African Marines". SAWGP Regiment 1 Reconnaissance Regiment with no separate unit. 26 Aug 2026: Unit2 leftover formed-unit text cleared (not an arm-of-service or company/squadron qualifier).
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
Stories 1
by Douw Steyn on 25 November 2007 · via source
Kokkie, dink nog baie aan jou. Jy het as soldaat en vriend diep spore getrap.
Dedications 2
by CPL SJR on 29 September 2002 · via source
To my old friend,& company commander "Kokkie" from Cpl "Rubberswitch" from 2SAI BN 1977. Thought of you through the years. Your training stood me in good stead over the years.
by de Kock on 30 September 2003 · via source
Kokkie, Braahm - jy is ons hero! Ons mis jou, en wens dat ons 'n langer tydjie gegun kon word om jou te kon ken! Ons almal mis jou vreeslik, veral ouma en pa. Alle liefde: Cezanne en Celest? xXx Cezanne & Celest?