Christiaan Jacobus van Rooyen - Woltemade Cross for Bravery, silver,

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This Gallantry Cross (engraved on the REVERSE Number “2”) was awarded to Christiaan Jacobus van Rooyen who risked his life to save a 13 year old boy in the sea near St Lucia in Natal in November 1987.

Chris van Rooyen was the coach of a South Eastern Transvaal school rugby team. In November 1987 he and two adult couples accompanied their winning team on a celebratory weekend near St Lucia on the Natal coast.

 

On the Saturday morning some of the boys began to play in the shallow water and before long one of the boys, Giel Coetzee, was caught in a rip current. 

 

Without any hesitation Chris swam after him, but just as he was reaching close to him the current swept Giel back to the shoreline while Chris was swept out deeper into the sea.

 

With the aid of a rope Susan Strauss, the wife of a friend of Chris and one of the young school boys, Andre Prinsloo, entered the sea in an endeavour to rescue Chris. 
Unfortunately, both Susan and Andre were drowned in their gallant attempt to rescue Chris, but luckily Chris was fortuitously washed back semi-conscious to the shore. 

 

These events drew wide publicity in the South African Press and the following year at a ceremony in Pretoria, the heroism of those involved in this tragedy were remembered when no less than four civil 
gallantry awards were presented by the State President of South Africa, Mr P.W. Botha.

 

A singular citation for all four of these awards was worded as follows: 
“André Prinsloo and Mrs Susan Strauss lost their lives on 7 September, while Mr Erasmus Hattingh and Mr Christiaan van Rooyen endagered their lives in an attempt to save Giel Coetzee from certain death by drowning. During an excursion on St Lucia Lake, one of the vehicles broke down.

 

While an attempt was being made to repair the vehicle, the boys were playing in the shallow water. A strong cross-current knocked down Giel Coetzee (aged 13) and swept him offshore. André Pretorius (aged 13) swam towards him and helped to keep his head above water. Mr Van Rooyen, who realised that the children were in trouble, ran into the water and swam towards them.

 

He had almost reached them when a strong current pulled them in ever deeper. Mr Van Rooyen also encountered trouble and Mrs Susan Stauss, who was a good swimmer, swam towards him with a rope tied around her waist. Mr Strauss, Mr Hattingh and another person were holding the end of the rope.

 

Mrs Strauss had only a few metres to go when a large wave knocked them down and they lost their hold on the rope. Mrs Strauss was swept off by a strong cross-current and Mr Hattingh who was also knocked down by a wave, suceeded in reaching Giel and André, who was still keeping Giel’s head above water. 

 

The two boys grabbed hold of Mr Hattingh in a panic and almost dragged him under water. He calmed them and advised them to systematically swim with the current to the beach. 

 

A large wave broke over them and Mr Hattingh and Giel were washed out on the beach. The body of Mrs Strauss was washed ashore shortly afterwards. André’s body was however never found.

 

For their outstanding bravery, the Woltemade Cross for Bravery, Class I: Gold, is awarded postumously to the late André Prinsloo and the late Mrs Susan Strauss, and for their exceptional bravery, the Woltemade Cross, Class II: Silver, is awarded to Mr Erasmus Albertus Hattingh and Mr Christiaan Jacobus van Rooyen.”

 

The Woltemade Cross for Bravery in silver was the lesser of two classes of the South African civil decoration for Acts of Bravery.

 

The Cross replaced the earlier Woltemade Decoration in Silver which in turn had replaced the earlier Union of South Africa King’s Medal for Bravery. 

The Cross was manufactured by the South African Mint and is officially hallmarked.