Today, 5 August, we salute and honor the following men 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
05 Aug 1983: 81169468BG Rifleman Johannes Jacobus Christoffel Stols from 3 SAI Support Company attached to 52 Battalion, was Killed in Action when his Buffel Troop Carrier detonated a boosted TMA-3 Cheese Mine while on patrol near Ogongo. He was 20.
05 Aug 1985: 81233033BG Gunner Riaan Jakob Rautenbach from 61 Mechanised Battalion was accidentally killed when a 120mm Mortar Tube exploded after firing an over-boosted mortar bomb during training at Omuthiya. He was 20.
05 Aug 1986: Four members from the Intelligence School in Kimberley were killed when their SAMIL 50 vehicle overturned approximately 5 km from the Unit Headquarters. Two more members were critically injured and admitted to the Universitas Hospital where they sadly succumbed to their injuries on 06 August 1986 bringing the total casualties for this incident to six. The four initial casualties were:
- 83359851BG Lance Corporal Alan Bernard Clarke. He was 18
- 84376177BG Lance Corporal Jacob Johannes de Jager. He was 18
- 82525840BG Lance Corporal Jacques Delport. He was 18
- 83234799BG Lance Corporal Jacobus Frans Hamman. He was 18
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1978 – Cpl Isaac Ngulube, A Coy, 2nd Bn RAR, KIA from wounds received in a contact, Op Repulse.
1979 – Gd J. Jameson (not his surname), 4 Group, PV Prtn, Bindura GF, DOAS.
1979 – WO2 C. Rukara, LRPG GF, DOAS