Today, 1 April, we salute and honour the following men & woman who sacrificed their lives whilst standing in the defence of what they held dear at the time and against evil and tyranny.
SOUTH AFRICAN BORDER WAR
01 April 1985: 83890251SW Rifleman Daniel Aupini from 201 Battalion SWATF was killed when struck by a bullet resulting from an accidental discharge of a fellow soldier’s rifle. He was 22.
01 April 1985: 83890251SWK Rifleman D. Haupindi from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 21.
01 April 1986: Special Constable Andrek Mwandinovanhu from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops K Division (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 27.
01 April 1989: As the Bush War and South Africa’s involvement in South West Africa started to wind down, SWAPO/PLAN started mass infiltrations of extremely heavily armed insurgents into Northern Owamboland and the Ops K Division (Koevoet) Units in the field initially bore the brunt of the onslaught in the fierce engagements that raged throughout Northern Owamboland. Four members from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) were Killed in Action during first of these initial heavy contacts. The casualties were:
- Special Constable George Dawid. He was 24.
- Special Constable Mathais Lukas. He was 29.
- Special Constable Uutafehe Rjiposa. He was 27
- Special Constable Daniel Sakaria. He was 28.
- Special Constable Zaako Uaapulatena. He was 25.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1977 – DSA Felix CHIGWEDZA, Keep Protection, Intaf, died on active service.
1977 – Pte M. TADIOS, Regular Army, died on active service.
1978 – Pte G. CHIRAMBA, Regular Army, died on active service.
1978 – Keep Sgt B. Liwa, 5 Group Guard Force, was killed on active service in the Mrewa area.
1979 – Smn Trevor Louis BASSON, RhSigs, died in a motorcycle accident in the Matopos, near Bulawayo.
1979 – Flt Lt John FOX, RhAF, died on active service.
1979 – Gd T. MADODA, Protected Village Protection Group, Guard Force, died on active service.
1979 – Sgt Maj Fanie Bonga MAZARIRE, Support Unit, BSAP, died in a vehicle accident in the Op Grapple area, aged 40 years.
1979 – Cst Edward MUBANGA, Support Unit, BSAP, was killed in an accident.
† Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten †
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