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Grinyer , John (J)

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Photo of Grinyer
Identity
Person No.
30540
Old ROH no.
528
Service No.
65395287N
Last Name
Grinyer 2
First Name
John
Initials
J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
1950 (±1 yr) 232
Age at Death
20
Death Record
Date of Death
13 September 1970 120
Cause code
MVA 2,660
Motor vehicle accident
Cause of Death
Died in motor vehicle accident 1,764
Died in Military Vehicle Accident, while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspaper Delivery Van between Colesburg and Philippolis and the vehicle immediately burst into flames with the men still trapped inside and unable to escape
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Rifleman
Regiment
5 South African Infantry Battalion 98
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
KwaZulu-Natal 1,589
Cemetery
DURBAN (STELLAWOOD) CEMETERY 408
Grave Reference
E.C. 6930. 1
Coordinates
-29.88587, 30.97733 OSM
Unit History
Part of
Infantry Formation (SAAIF) — Motorised Infantry — Regular
Notes

Son of Mr. E. C. Grinyer, of Durban.

Research notes


Col (rt) Graham du Toit Last Post 13 Sep 2026 / Bushwar Books Lest We Forget 13 September (https://www.warbooks.co.za/posts/lest-we-forget-13-september/ 65395287N Rifleman John Grinyer, 5 SAI, same Gladiator MVA as Coker, age 20. Exact match.
25 Sep 2026, Unit2 service-branch sweep: the stored Secondary Unit "Air Force" was CLEARED. It was not a sub-unit, it was a service-branch word, and it CONTRADICTED this record's own Branch, "Army". Across the roll 787 records carried such a contradiction; judged against Corps and Regiment -- independent of both columns -- the evidence backed Branch 744 times and Unit2 not once. Branch is therefore kept and the contradicting word removed. Nothing is guessed: this man's branch of service is already recorded, and his sub-unit, if any, is simply not known.

Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 3
by Ralph McLean on 09 July 2009 · via source
Died in a Military Vehicle Accident, involving his section being transported in a Gladiator. There was a bad crash and fire, with the troops trapped in the rear. The army vehicle he was in collided head-on with a newspaper delivery van between Colesberg and Philippolis, on their way back to Ladysmith army camp.
on 17 August 2026 · via source
65395287N Rifleman John Grinyer (5 SAI). He was 20.
on 17 August 2026 · via source
13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspaper Delivery Van between Colesburg and Philippolis and the vehicle immediately burst into flames with the men still trapped inside. The casualties were:
Dedications 1
by Dick Klynsmith on 02 June 2012 · via source
I was with them when they died. They were the Anti-tank section and John ,"Tich" Marriott and Kevin Mack were all Natal boys we tended to spend time together. The last time I spoke to them was an hour or so before the accident when we stopped for a pee break and I asked if they had space. The PF Training Staff were in a hurry to get back from Battle Trials and had decided that we would drive through the night, all the vehicles had a layer of Jerrycans full of petrol in the bed of the trucks and we slept on top of them. I was looking out the back when our truck (think it was also a Gladiator or a Landie,) swerved and a huge truck went roaring past in the opposite direction, Hit the Bedford behind us at an angle as he was trying to get out of the way and launched into the Air . John Grinyer was driving, he didn't have a chance. John was definitely killed instantly,the truck then ploughed through the back and the petrol cans ignited and blew, when we got there it was impossible to rescue anyone, if anyone was alive,as the fire was so intense . Marriott was thrown out of the vehicle and was on the ground next to it , but I think he went instantly as well as the explosion took out all the oxygen. I went to four of the Funerals. I understand it was the Sunday Times Cape Town delivery truck and the driver had fallen asleep at the wheel.