Today, 15 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
15 April 1982: 80695547CK Rifleman Brian Richard Buttland from the South African Cape Corps, attached to the Army Catering Corps died in hospital after contracting malaria in the Operational Area. He was 25.
15 April 1982: Eight SADF and SWATF members attached to 61 Mechanised Battalion Group were Killed in Action when their Ratel was ambushed and knocked out by RPG-7 anti-tank rockets near Tsintsabis by a group of heavily armed SWAPO/PLAN insurgents during Ops Yahoo. By the time the back-up force had formed up and gone to their rescue, they had all been killed. The casualties were:
- 74846544PE 2/Lieutenant Daniele Rudolf van der Westhuizen. He was 49. (Etosha Area Force SWATF)
- 77554202PF Corporal Maartin Jacobus van Jaarsveld. He was 20. (1 SAI)
- 78330479BG Lance Corporal Johannes Jacobus van den Berg. He was 20. (1 SAI)
- 77375863BG Rifleman Leonard Patrick Hough. He was 20. (3 SAI)
- 78491404BG Rifleman Marius Petersen. He was 19. (1 SAI)
- 67302257BG Rifleman Johan Hendrik Potgieter. He was 30. (Etosha Area Force SWATF)
- 78431104BG Rifleman Barend Jacobus Wolfaardt. He was 19. (1 SAI)
- 79648515SP Rifleman Jan Kouswab. He was 40. (Etosha Area Force SWATF)
15 April 1983: Nine recruits from 202 Battalion SWATF were murdered by SWAPO/PLAN Special Forces Typhoon Unit members in a Kraal in Northern Owamboland. These members were part of a number of 202 Battalion platoons operating in the area just above Oom Willie se Pad in the north and just above the Grootfontein road in the south and were gathering intelligence on activities of the SWAPO/PLAN Special Forces operating in the area. They all wore civilian clothes and on the 2nd day of operations, a SWAPO/PLAN patrol was successfully ambushed by a 202 Battalion patrol. Three days later, the SWAPO/PLAN Typhoon Unit members infiltrated a kraal wearing civilian clothes where these nine members were located and executed them. Eight bodies were found with their hands and feet bound and each had multiple bayonet stab wounds. Three days later, another 202 Battalion patrol located the badly decomposed and partial skeletal remains of the ninth member. The whole operation was cancelled shortly hereafter. The casualties were:
- 83891911SWK Rifleman T. Sikwaya. He was 18.
- 83890517SWK Rifleman A. Mushambe. He was 19.
- 83890467SWK Rifleman V. Muyota. He was 19.
- 83890640SWK Rifleman T.K. Mukwambi. He was 20.
- 83890418SWK Rifleman M. Matamu. He was 19.
- 83891358SWK Rifleman V. Tobias. He was 21.
- 83990350SWK Rifleman L. Sindere. He was 20.
- 83892059SWk Rifleman F. Shikusho. He was 20.
- 83892042SWK Rifleman J. Muyevu. He was 19.
15 April 1990: 88064423BW Rifleman Stoney van Wyk from the Cape Regiment was Killed in Action after being shot dead by persons unknown while on foot patrol during anti-riot operations in a township in Mpumulanga. He was 24.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1967 – Constable Paul Kohwe CHIKUTU, Uniform BSAP. Drowned following a road traffic accident on the Dora River Bridge near Raffingora, Mashonaland West. He was buried in Chilimanzi on 21 April.
1967 – Patrol Officer Nicholas Charles “Charlie” FOX, Uniform BSAP. Drowned following a road traffic accident on the Dora River Bridge near Raffingora, Mashonaland West. His full military funeral was held on 29 April. He is buried in Warren Hills, Salisbury.
1967 – Patrol Officer Lloyd William LAWRENCE. Drowned following a road traffic accident on the Dora River Bridge near Raffingora, Mashonaland West. A Requiem Mass was held for Lloyd in the Salisbury Cathedral on 20 April. His ashes were returned to his parents in Australia.
1976 – Extension Assistant Supervisor Edward Tapera CHINOYI, ADF, Intaf, KIA. Died aged 50 from injuries in a landmine explosion, 1km west of Makaha Keep, Mudzi, Op Hurricane (VR535892). He is buried in Chivhu.
1978 – Private Herbert ISAAC, 1st Battalion, Rhodesia Defence Regiment, died aged 18 on active service. His headstone carries the RR badge. Buried in the Warren Hills Cemetery, Salisbury.
1978 – Trooper Robert MLILO, Regular Army, died on active service. The rank of trooper would indicate he was with a regular unit
1978 – Private Jenamiso NCUBE, Army, died on active service.
1979 – Field Reservist Robert HOLLYWOOD, Police Reserve, BSAP, killed on active service. Killed aged 47 by a passing vehicle whilst directing traffic at the scene of an accident. His semi-military funeral was held in Bulawayo on 19 April.
† Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten †
0