We honour the fallen,

Daniel Roxo part 7

WE HONOUR THE FALLEN

“There comes a time in every great warriors life when he has earned the right to lay down his armour and go home”

After Paul Els and I had found the resting place of Daniel, Ponciano and Jose at the cemetery I think it’s safe to say we both had the same thought in mind. “How is it possible for men such as Daniel, Jose and Ponciano who had died in the defence of South Africa not to have a headstone indicating their last resting place” We discussed it on the way back to Pauls house and over a cup of coffee agreed this was totally unacceptable and with Pauls usual tenacity he soon after that conversation put the wheels in motion to collect monies so a headstone could be purchased and erected.

Paul drew Manuel Ferriera into the project and I have to say that the work and effort they both put in was the reason for this initiative being so successful. E-mails where sent, phone calls made and before long enough monies had been collected for Paul to arrange the making of the headstone, its design and wording was a collaboration between Paul, Manuel and myself and I believe that it does justice to those 3 brave men. All that was needed now was to set a date for the unveiling and arrange invitations as well as the program, this again wonderfully taken in hand by Paul and Manuel.     

  

On the 23^rd of August 2005, 29 years to the day that Daniel and Ponciano where killed 60 friends, Portuguese community representatives and ex comrades in arms gathered at the new military cemetery at Thaba Tswane, (Voortrekkerhoogte) to pay their respects and to mark the last resting place of Staff Sergeant Daniel Francisco Roxo, Sergeant Ponciano G Soeiro and Sergeant Jose Correia Pinto Ribeiro. The Homage started with a short service by Special Forces Chaplain D.S Hugo as well as Father Gilberto Teixeira. Sybie van der Spuy the outgoing Chairman of the Special Forces league said a few words on behalf of the Special Forces League as did Barry Roper who was asked to do so on behalf of the 32 Battalion Association with Adelino Pires saying a few words on behalf of the Portuguese community.

To the haunting sound of the Last Post, Major General Fritz Loots unveiled the headstone and thereafter wreaths where laid by General Nel, Barry Roper, Mrs Margarida Oliviera, Adelino Pires and his wife Fiona as well as Paul Els, Manuel Ferreira and myself. All present where then invited to pay their respects while a lone piper played. The Homage ceremony was both dignified and a fitting way to say Goodbye to Daniel, Jose and Ponciano and as Adelino Pires pointed out in his speech “Finally honour is being paid to these 3 valiant men who have been spared the ignominy of an unmarked grave. Now Roxo, Soeiro and Ribiero can rest in peace, they will never be forgotten” Manuel soon after set up a webpage (http://sadf.sentinelprojects.com/sasfl/roxmed.html) so that those who had been unable to attend due to distance or prior commitments could see the events of that day. The service was reported in a number of local as well as Overseas media services as listed below.

  Beeld (24/8/2005)

·         Correio da Manah (Lisbon daily paper)(24/8/2005)

·         Citizen “Voz Portuguesa”  (3/9/2005)

·         Seculado (28^th and 29^th /8/2005)

·         Rekord (9/9/2005)

·         Independente (9/9/2005)

·         Portuguese state TV (22/9/05)

·         Soldier of Fortune (December issue 2005)

·         Macau News .com (3/12/2005)

·         Citizen “Voz Portuguesa”

·         Mais Alto (Portuguese Air Force magazine)

On the whole the coverage of the memorial service was well balanced and unbiased the only exception was the Portuguese newspaper the “Independente” who stated the following “The Portuguese ambassador in SA had paid homage to 3 mercenaries that had worked for the Apartheid regime”.

 A few of those who attended the memorial service had the following to say afterwards in E - mails to ourselves as well as other military orientated sites.

·   “Good afternoon gents, I would just like to congratulate you on a excellent job done. I do not know if words can describe what you have accomplished and what it must mean to the families of our fallen colleagues”

·     “Once again my heartfelt congratulations to you and the team on a splendid job. I have no doubt you all will be blessed by your thoughtful actions”

·         “I would like to thank the 3 of you very much for giving me the honour of being able to make a speech at yesterday’s ceremony. You have no idea how it felt for me personally to be able to stand at Daniel’s, Robbie’s and Silva’s grave and be able to salute and pay tribute to 3 very brave and honourable men”

·         “Hope younger guys will remember the contribution towards peace by these brave and dedicated soldiers and not only these 3, but all that died and their bodies never came back because of their origin”

·         In the programme aired by the Portuguese state TV they stated that the men and women who initiated and attended the memorial service “did not have short memories”

My two amigos Manuel and Paul 

As for myself, it is a day that I, as I am sure all who were present will never forget and I was privileged to have played a small part in ensuring that these three men will be remembered, the main role players in ensuring that this day was the success it was from co-ordinating the donations received to ensuring that all was ready on the day were, Mr. Paul Els and Mr. Manuel Ferreira, they deserve all the praise and I am extremely proud to call them friends.  

Carla Ribeiro and Manuel Ferreira

On 30 August 2006 we again gathered at Voortrekkerhoogte to mark the 30^th Anniversary of the death of S Sgt Daniel Roxo (HC), S Sgt Ponciano Soeiro and Sgt Jose Ribeiro to pay tribute. General Swart paid a moving tribute to our fallen comrades and handed over to Carla Ribeiro her father’s operators badge and S Sgt Mourao da costa Operators badge to Mrs da Costa. Daniels operator badge was received by myself on behalf of his brother Alipio. S Sgt Soeiro’s badge will be kept in the Special Forces museum until his family can be traced.  It was at this ceremony that I had the pleasure of meeting Carla ……………….Jose Ribeiro’s daughter who had flown out from London to attend the ceremony and to receive her father’s Operators insignia, as well as Mrs Erna da Costa, wife of Mauro da Costa who told me that her husband had been very fond of Daniel and had mourned deeply for him when he heard of his death he commented that “The South African defence force had lost its best soldier ever”.

Ds Hugo was again Master of ceremonies and wreaths were laid by WO1 Pearce on behalf of the Infantry association, Major W van Deventer Special Forces League, General K Greef on behalf of the 32 Battalion Association, WO1 K Moorcroft on behalf of Pretoria Moth. Manuel, Paul and myself on behalf of family and friends. Colonel Allen Young* read the citations and WO1 Koos Moorcroft recited the Moth prayer. Paul came up with the idea to lay a white rose at nearby graves of Special Forces as well as Parabat Regiment soldiers. It was another special day, especially for family members who attended.

Carlos Ribeiro who was killed during a contact between Luenge and Coutada du Mucusso on or around 16 - 19 August 1976, Carlos was driving a vehicle transporting explosives and the vehicle he was driving was hit during an ambush by an RPG rocket, his body was never recovered, Paul, Manuel and myself had an idea that we needed to also ensure the he had a place where his name is written and would not be forgotten.

Mrs. Adelino pires, Neves Matais and Manuel Ferreira  

Paul as normal came up with the idea of adding a small memorial/headstone to the original one erected 2 years previously, so on 29 August 2007 a number of people gathered to unveil this headstone. The Special Forces flag covering the stonework was unveiled by Mr. Neves Matias, a highly decorated Special Forces operator. A wreath was laid by a member of the Portuguese military community and all those present placed a white rose at the graveside.

Due to the sudden death of General Loots on 12 August 2008, it was decided not to go ahead with the annual homage ceremony at the grave site of Daniel, Ponciano, Silva and so Paul Els, Manuel Ferreira and Manuel Pestana pai paid a private visit to the graveyard and laid flowers on the grave.

Adelino Pires and Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke Jr paid the cemetery a visit on 13 July 2009. Mr. Duke and his wife Dolly  had hunted in Mozambique with Adelino at the time Jose “Carnaval” Ribeiro was part of special unit that was attached to Mr Pires’s hunting company. Mr. Duke was kind enough to send Manuel a photo with the following inscription “ To Manuel Ferreira a salute to you. All best wishes Charlie Duke, Apollo 16”

.

Paul has also over the years preceding 2005 at his own initiative and time has put flowers on the grave, as well as laid wreaths for Daniel, Ponciano, Jose and Carlos at various occasions or functions, for this Paul............................ “I salute you”.

Daniels name and those of his friends and comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice for South Africa are engraved on the walls of remembrance at

• Fort Klapperkop just outside Pretoria
• The Airborne wall at the Imperial war museum in Gauteng
• Voortrekker Monument Freedom Park wall of remembrance

Daniels name appears on the South African Special Forces Roll of Honour as well as the South African Parabat Roll of Honour and until recently (December 2012) on the 32 Battalion Roll of Honour. To my, as well as many others disappointment, Daniel’s as well as Jose Ribeiro, Carlo Ribeiro and Ponciano Soeiro’s names were removed, why it was done will be covered in full in my upcoming book “Phantom of the Forest”.

    

It’s astonishing to think that this man who was such a legend could be forgotten so quickly by his own people. Daniels name and his exploits have become ancient history and he is only remembered by a few Portuguese friends and comrades with whom he fought  Angola.  At the Belem wall in Lisbon you will find the names of some 10 000 Portuguese security forces that died fighting on Portuguese soil between 1961 and 1975, but not Daniel’s, Jose’s, Carlos’s, Ponciano’s, Mauro’s or numerous Portuguese men who fought for Portugal and later died fighting for South Africa or Rhodesia, this I believe to be a travesty, one that needs to be remedied.

Researching Daniels life over the last 8 years has been a journey of discovery (one I believe that has as yet not ended). This journey has brought me into contact with so many interesting people, its allowed me to meet people who I don’t consider friends, I think of them as family, I have learnt so much about Portugal’s history in Africa and the reason when in std 8 we had an influx of Portuguese children into our school, it has shown me that the ordinary men and women can become hero's

"Can you lay your life down, so a stranger can live? Can you take what you need, but take less than you give ? Could you close every day without the glory and fame ? Could you hold your head high, when no one knows your name? That's how Legends are made, at least that's what they say"  ("Never give up", Bryan Adams)

Finally I have to thank Daniel Francisco Roxo and many others like him for sacrificing their lives so that I and my family could have a tomorrow.   

Daniel Roxo, Heroi, Portuguese e Sul Africano! Descana em paz camarada.

Stephen Dunkley

Port Elizabeth

24/3/2103