Today, 27 October, 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
27 Oct 1977: 76908417SP Rifleman Joao Victor from 32 Battalion was Killed in Action during a contact with enemy forces near Numuidi in Southern Angola during Operation Kropduif. He was 28.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1974 – Tpr Ronald Vaughn STOCKHILL-GILL, Spt Grp, 1st Bn, RLI, died from drowning in a vehicle accident on the flooding Ruya River, Mt Darwin, Op Hurricane, aged 21 years. He drowned when the truck he was driving overturned whilst crossing a very low bridge that was nearly under water and his ankle got trapped by the truck.
1976 – Rfn Phillip John ARMSTRONG, 1st Bn, RR, died from gunshot wounds in a contact in the Mtoko area, Op Hurricane. Died aged 25.
1976 – DA Elliot CHIVENDE, Regular, Intaf, died from gunshot wounds, Shumba Township, Sabi North TTL, Op Repulse. Based in Enkeldoorn, he was 23 years old.
1977 – FR Neil Thomas ASH, PR, BSAP, was killed in a landmine incident, aged 45. A landmine detonation caused him to be thrown out of his vehicle and under the wheels, resulting in him sustaining fatal injuries.
1977 – FR Andries Daniel HERBST, PATU, BSAP, died from a heart attack whilst on active service with his stick, Karoi, Op Hurricane, aged 39. He collapsed on the rifle range where he was participating in a training exercise, and died later in Sinoia Hospital.
1978 – Col Sgt Suleman Ahmed CHOTHIA, A Coy, 1st Bn RDR, was killed in a CT action.
1978 – Spr Paul SAKALA, 1 Sqn RhE, died on active service at the age of 17.
1979 – PO Stephen Richard JOLY, Uniform, BSAP, died on active duty, aged 19 years.
1979 – Pte Joseph Benjamin LAYTON, A Coy, 1st Bn RDR, died from shrapnel wounds received in a CT action, aged 35 years.
1979 – Spr E. NDLOVU, 7 Sqn, RhE, died from injuries received in a vehicle accident.
† Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten †
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