Today, 8 September, we salute and honor 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
08 Sep 1953: Four members from 17 Squadron were killed when their Lockheed PV-1 Ventura Mk V, Serial No. 6490, crashed near Oudtshoorn while on a night cross-country navigation exercise. There were no survivors. The casualties were:
- 210601V Captain Johannes Louw DFC. He was 31
- P13796 Air Corporal James Henry Brown. He was 21.
- Air Mechanic David Hurcules van Wyk. He was 20.
- Air Mechanic Michael Alexander Cremer. He was 18.
08 Sep 1977: P/48888 Candidate Officer Leon Loubser Jones from 4 Squadron was killed when his AT-6 Harvard, Serial No. 7361 flew into rising ground while he was carrying out a low level flight near Pretoria. He was 20.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1973 – Cst PINDA, SU, BSAP, was killed in a contact. Source: Contact. The official BSAP RoH gives his status as KOAS.
1977 – SO Patrick Brian "Paddy" ALLEN, D Tp, SU, BSAP, died in hospital from injuries received on 28 August in a vehicle accident in Salisbury, aged 25. He is buried in the Warren Hills Cemetery, Harare.
1977 – Pte Phillip Peter FRANCIS, WO2 Emmanuel JOE, and Pte Michael John "Jock" MACDONALD, all of 6 Prtn Coy, RHU, RDR, died in a vehicle accident.
1977 – Sgt Michael Hamilton "TC" WOODS, C Sqn, SAS, was killed in an accident.
1979 – Gd Danny FONDO, RHQ Charlie, Op Repulse, died on active service.
1979 – Pte Ignatius MAPURANGA (also Ncube) 8th Bn RR, was killed in an enemy ambush near St. Triashill Mission in the Zimbiti TTL, Inyanga district, Op Thrasher.
† Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten †
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