Danny Roxo Staff Sergeant Francisco Daniel " Danny " Roxo ( 1933 – 1976 ) was a legendary Portuguese soldier from Mozambique . Born in Portugal , he moved to Portuguese East Africa as a civil servant , before working as a big game hunter in the Niassa Province . During his military career , Roxo distinguished himself in in several counter - guerrilla actions against FRELIMO insurgents and was decorated by the Portuguese government for his valour . Early life . Daniel Roxo was born in Mogadouro , Trás - os - Montes , on 1 February 1933 . As a young man he migrated to Niassa Province in 1951 , where he settled as a professional hunter and safari guide . When the Mozambican War of Independence broke out in 1964 Roxo formed his African trackers , servants , and European acquaintances into a private militia , hunting FRELIMO combatants for government bounties . Disillusioned by Portugal ' s promise to hand Mozambique to Samora Machel ' s incoming government , Roxo supported an abortive coup d ' etat by anti - FRELIMO forces in Lourenco Marques on September 7 , 1974 . He emigrated to South Africa the following November , joining the South African Defence Force . After completing Special Forces selection , Danny was seconded to Bravo Group ( later 32 Battalion ) . South African military career . Operation Savannah . Daniel was awarded the Honoris Crux for bravery during Operation Savannah for an action during the Battle of Bridge 14 at , an engagement during which he single - handedly killed eleven enemy soldiers . Bridge 14 was situated on the Nhia River , en route from from Cela to Quibala . South African mechanized contingents deploying to the south had routed a FAPLA unit some time prior , and the retreating Angolans had demolished the existing structure . However , since Colonel Jan Breytenbach could not actually ascertain this from his forward positions , he ordered Roxo to conduct a more thorough reconnaissance . Roxo subsequently arrived at the river with four Eland - 90 armoured cars ; his patrol came under heavy mortar fire from an opposite bank and two of the vehicles withdrew , leaving Roxo ' s platoon to retire on foot . Having scouted the bridge alone and determined it was no longer intact , he inadvertently walked into a FAPLA ambush but managed to dispatch his attackers . Two escaped South African prisoners later claimed that aside from the Angolan casualties , four Cuban troops were reported killed in the encounter . Death . Roxo ' s exceptional courage is evidenced by the manner of his death some months later . During a patrol near the Okavango river , his personnel carrier struck a landmine and overturned , killing one man and crushing Roxo beneath it . The rest of the vehicle ' s crew tried to lift it free , but it was too heavy . Breytenbach wrote : Danny Roxo , in keeping with his dauntless character , decided to make the best of things , lighting a cigarette and smoking it calmly until it was finished , then he died - still pinned beneath the Wolf . He had not complained once , nor uttered a single groan or moan , although the pain must have been excruciating . Thus Sergeant Danny Roxo died , a man who had become a legend in the Portuguese Security Forces in Mozambique , and who had rapidly become another one in the South African Special Forces . ( They Live by the Sword , pp . 105 )