Today, 26 May, 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
26 May 1971: Eleven SAAF members, nine from 21 Squadron and two from 24 Squadron were killed when a formation of three Hawker Siddeley Mercurius HS125 aircraft, Serial Numbers 01; 02; and 03, flew into the side of Devil’s Peak during an aircraft formation practice rehearsal for the Republic Day 10th Anniversary celebrations in Cape Town. The casualties were:
Mercurius 01
- 01239243E Major (Pilot) Michael Christiaan de Graaff Genis. He was 37
- 01556794R Captain (Co-Pilot) Daniel du Plessis Lombard. He was 37
Mercurius 02
- 01217140E Commandant (Pilot) Lourens Adrian Francois Henning. He was 40
- 01240472E Major (Co-Pilot) George Johannes Euvrard. He was 32
- 01238484E Major Nico Beetge from 24 Squadron (Passenger). He was 31
- 01520345ECaptain Gerald Nicol Snyman from 24 Squadron (Passenger). He was 27
Mercurius 03
- 01455849E Major (Pilot) Herwie Herman Albert Cornelius Lamoral. He was 37
- 01204197E Major (Co-Pilot) Willem Abram Prinsloo. He was 37
- 05559893ECorporal Reiner Nicolaas Grobler (Passenger). He was 24
- 65480436E Lance Corporal Eugene Hayes (Passenger). He was 22
- 65533705E Private Gerhardus Hermanus Wasserman (Passenger). He was 21
26 May 1973: 70252598N Rifleman Jeffrey Gerald Holm from 1 Parachute Battalion was killed in a military vehicle accident, in Eastern Caprivi. Jeffrey was the first SADF soldier to die on service in the Border area after the SADF took over the border area protection role from the South African Police. He was 19.
26 May 1980: 76426964BG Rifleman Johannes Stephanus van der Merwe from Sector 10 Headquarters was killed when he was struck by a bullet resulting from an accidental discharge of a fellow soldiers rifle while serving at Oshakati. He was 20.
26 May 1977: 75398638BG Rifleman Charles Henry Janse van Noordwyk from 3 SAI was killed after suffering multiple shrapnel wounds in an accidental hand grenade explosion at Potchefstroom. He was 18.
26 May 1986: 85081909CK Rifleman Ivan Conradie from the South African Cape Corps, attached to Sector 10 Headquarters, was killed in a military vehicle accident at Oshakati. He was 21.
26 May 1987: 81052813PE Corporal Willem Johannes Gysberg Venter from Northern Transvaal Command was killed in a military motor cycle accident at Cullinan. He was 21.
26 May 89: 66015249PE Warrant Officer Class 1 Roland Stanley Sheppard from South West Africa Medical Command was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident on the Tsumeb-Ondangwa Road. He was 50.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1975 – Private Ismael NJOVANA, Rhodesian Army Service Corps, killed on active service. Killed in an accidental shooting at Inkomo Barracks, Salisbury. He was 20 years old and is buried in Gokwe TTL.
1977 – District Security Assistant Madiba NCUBE, Keep Protection, Intaf, KIA. Died in a vehicle ambush, in Bikita, Op Repulse. Aged 27.
1977 – District Assistant Enos SIBANDA, Regular Intaf, killed on active service. Killed in Gwanda, Op Tangent.
† Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten †
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