Quoted from JustDone.co.za

Article 75

In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger, oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg. Both ships were severely damaged but TAFELBERG returned safely to Simon’s Town. President Kruger sank approximately two hours after the collision when efforts to keep her afloat failed.

14 men from Mess 12, Chief Petty Officers J B Booysen and W M G van Tonder; Petty Officers S A Bothma, G A Brind, R C Bulterman, G W de Villiers, E Koen, H Lotter, R A McMaster, R F Skeates, H W Smit, W R Smith, M B R Whiteley and C J Wium died in the collision and their bodies went down with the ship. A further two men, Chief Petty Officer D Webb and Able Seaman G T Benjamin, lost their lives after the collision and whilst abandoning ship. Of these last named two only CPO Webb?s body was recovered after being sighted by SAS Protea on the morning of 19 February.

See the full story in Three Frigates by Rear Admiral Chris Bennett SAN (Ret)

John Dovey
dovey.john@gmail.com
2006-06-11 01:15:16

helicopter

I was the Signalman (Bunter) on watch, who sent out the new “screen orders” to the fleet. Most of you remember me as Stompie Williams. I turned 21 years on the 18th February 1982.

I joined the Dept of Foreign Affairs, now the Dept of International Relations and Cooperation, and am presently serving at the South African Embassy in Nouakchott, Mauritania.

Kind regards

Derrick Williams
williamsd@foreign.gov.za

I was the Chief Yeoman on board at the time.

Please contact me.

e-mail – stevejohns3@gmail.com

Thanks

Steve Johns

*

January 15, 2010 at 11:57 am

Kyknet is making a series on disasters in South Africa AND the PK is the first in their series which will be shown in January 2010, I contacted them via their adress on the blog and they took me
to Simonstown to shoot (whatever my experience was that day)the documentary on the Disaster of the PK and through the comments left by other members and family, they could also get hold of them and
put their memories on film.

Awesome stuff.

To all who have contributed to this forum

We are a Cape Town based production company who have been commissioned by kykNET to at last produce a project that has been very close to our hearts for some years. The theme of the 13 part series is South African disasters and we are beginning the series which goes on air in January with the sinking of the SAS President Kruger. This project is very close to our hearts and we are treating all the disasters with the utmost respect and dignity. We are currently speaking to the Navy as well as any one else with stories from that night. Our aim is not to lay blame, open old wounds or make anyone look bad, but rather to tell the story from the mouths of those who experienced it and were forever affected by it as well as those who are no longer here and cannot tell their story. If anyone on this forum would be interested in talking to us, being interviewed, has any articles, memorabilia, pictures or the like it would be greatly appreciated. I can be contacted on gen@plan-c.co.za

I was conscripted from Windhoek, South West Africa (now Namibia) to Simonstown to start my National Service in in the Navy, in January 1972. My Service number is 69 22 57 46. I spent the last six months of 1972 on the PK as a chef, although my main tasks were devoted to washing dishes and peeling potatoes! The head chef was WO second class Bender who ran a tight ship. There was a Cief Chef called “Pa” and a PO Chef called PO Botes; also an able Chef Steve Dickens. Us three “CF” chefs were Joe Bornman from Kimberley, Zacharias le Roux from Port Elizabeth and myself. The GI was GI Bosse, a very engaging person but a strickler for hair being kept accoding to Navy regulations. I think our captain was Captain Green, who, I think, succeeded captain MacNorton (?). I took my last leave from the PK on 14 Dec. 1972. Then in February 1982 I did a camp in Walvisbaai and while there, the news came through that the PK sank. Us PK old boys were shocked and saddened by the news. In 2009 I chanced to meet the owner of the Norvalspont Hotel, Rod Mann. Interested in sailing, he told me he was working on a project boat he recently aquired. IT TURNED OUT IT WAS THE PK’S LIFEBOAT, A WHALER CUTTER, WHICH SURVIVED THE DISASTER. IT WAS PROBABLY THE SAME BOAT YOU CLUNG ONTO. Captain Bligh did his epic open boat voyage with 6 ” freeboard on an identical boat after he lost his ship the Bounty, to mutineers led by Fletcher Christian. My tel no is 00 33 562 700 168. I have a home in France but am planning to reurn to SA in Dec. this year

THE LAST VOYAGE

One daybreak the dignified grey lady set sail
Proud and with many promised tomorrows of hope.
The water was mirror quiet of calmness
While the fresh breeze tickles her hair.

The sunset for the last time for the lady
as the night gleams with cold hopes.
The clouds crowded around the horizon
filled with furious howling winds.

Unaware of danger lifting it’s hand.
They slept in the warmth of the lady.
The storm begins curling her up in fear.
The waves are furiously bigger with each breath.

From no where a penetrating cracking sound
tear through her feminine body.
Fear and horror cries filled the dark.
Then she disappeared into her deep dark grave.

Today she’s still wandering the seabed
With emptiness and horror I’m longing for her.
I was also one time part of the lady
and now the lovely graceful lady will never return.

Melt de Kock22/7/84

# A tribute to the SAS PRESIDENT KRUGER which sank in the early morning of 18 Feb ‘82
and lost 16 men. I knew 13 of the 16 lost in the tragedy. I served on her from Aug ‘80 until Aug ‘81.

my father was on the president Kruger. unfortunately he died on the ship, hes was Evert Koen.

So now im doing a bit of research on the whole incident for my own personal reasons. i was only 2 years old at that stage so couldnt remember much of what happend.

if any body has some extra info they can pass over to me ill be greatfull for it.

werner@basearchitects.co.za