Gnr. Jan Cronje Octogenarian, Gnr. Roy Andersen, National President of the Gunners’ Association of South Africa
Gnr. Wolf Wassermeier, National Vice President of the Gunners’ Association of South Africa, Yolindi Stander Gnr Jan’s daughter, Gnr. Jan Cronje Octogenarian, Gnr. Roy Andersen, National President of the Gunners’ Association of South Africa
During the Vereeniging Branch’s Year-end Function, held at Steam Café, in Vereeniging, on Saturday 8 November 2025, the spirit of camaraderie and respect within the Gunners’ community was displayed as one of its members, Gunner Jan Cronje, was celebrated on reaching the grand age of eighty. This remarkable milestone was commemorated with the presentation of an octogenarian certificate, a symbol of his long-lived dedication and service.
The honours were bestowed by fellow Gunner, Roy Andersen, National President of the Gunners’ Association of South Africa and Gunner Wolf Wassermeier, National Vice President of the Gunners’ Association of South Africa.
Gnr Jan Cronje’s military career started in 1964 at 10 LA Regiment, Youngsfield Wynberg. He completed his 9-month National Service Training in September 1964. Subsequent to his National Service he started to work at Stewards and Lloyds’ Technical Marketing Division, in Vereeniging.
During 1971, Col Jan Lubbe convinced him to go through the Officers Selection Process in order to become an Officer in Regiment Vaalrivier. He was successful and was promoted to 2nd Lt in 1971.
During 1973 he resigned at Stewards and Lloyds and moved to Eskom where he had numerous roles and responsibilities. Gnr Jan’s passion was training and Plant Performance Improvement and Optimisation and he left Eskom as the PPO Engineer in 1995 to pursuit his entrepreneurs dream. Gnr Jan and his late wife Rina, together with their two daughters started Creative Talents, today a very successful Arts and Craft Business.
Gnr Jan continue his military career in Regiment Vaalrivier and proved himself as a very good administrator which suited him well when he was appointed as HQ Battery Commander with the rank as Major, in the early 90’s.
In 2008, with the introduction of the Virtual Hybrid Model, during which all the Gauteng LA Units were consolidated at the Apex Base in Brakpan, Gnr Jan decided to call it the day
AD INFINITUM Gnr Jan Cronje
Vereeniging Branch members at the November Year-end Function
Front: Gnr. Corrie Feldtman, Octogenarian, Gerhard Stapelberg, Chaplin Bok van Rensburg, Roy Andersen, National President of the Gunners’ Association of South Africa, Wolf Wassermeier, National Vice President of the Gunners’ Association of South Africa, Jan Cronje Octogenarian, Renier Henning, Vereeniging Branch Chairman and Trevor Taute, Johannesburg Branch Chairman
Back row: Gnr. Piet Pretorius, Josef Coetzee, Dominic Hoole, HLVP, Harry Chatterton, Frans Erasmus, Tinus Esterhuizen, Lieb Venter, Gerrit Strydom, Pieter Moller, Bobby Marks, Johannesburg Branch and Marius Fourie.