Today, 6 August, we salute and honour 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
06 Aug 1980: 79861193HV Rifleman Petrus Jacob from 35 Battalion was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 19.
06 Aug 1980: 79876405SC Rifleman Neels Jacobus Reynolds from 41 Battalion was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 18.
06 Aug 1986: 83346981BG Lance Corporal Jacobus Andries Cornelius Nel from the Intelligence School in Kimberley died in the Universitas Hospital after being critically injured on 05 August 1986 when his SAMIL 50 vehicle overturned 5km from the Unit Headquarters. He was 18.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1976 – Cpl John Barnfield (aged 45),Regular Army, KOAS. Died in the Andrew Fleming Hospital, Salisbury, from injuries sustained in a vehicle accident.
1976 – Sgt Moses Moyo (aged 35), Uniform BSAP, KIA.
1976 – D Cst Headman Njunube (aged 27), SB BSAP, KIA.
1976 – FR (scout) Malana Nyathi (aged 52), PR BSAP, KIA.
(The three BSAP members, above, were all KIA from gunshot wounds received in a vehicle ambush, Maitengwe Dam, Madhlambuzi, Plumtree district, Op Tangent.)
1977 – L/Cpl Ismail Lambat, RDR, KIA in an ambush near Mrewa, Op Hurricane.
1978 – Lt Ian Fraser, 2 Pln, A1 Coy, 8th Bn RR, KIA by a lone, hidden, enemy following clear-up ops after a contact in the Mutasa South TTL, Op Thrasher.
1979 – Pte Isaac Chirwa, D Coy, 2nd Bn RAR, KIA from gunshot wounds sustained during a Fire Force operation, Rutenga area. He died instantly when fired on from close range by a hidden terrorist who was himself killed shortly afterwards.
1979 – Gd Gibson Svibe, 9 Group, PV Ptrn Group, Mt Darwin GF, DOAS.