Today, 27 June, 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 Jun 1977: Private Hendrik Johannes Naude from 42 Squadron was killed in a private motor vehicle accident. He was 18.
27 June 1980: 762115493BG Rifleman Nicolaas Johannes Kruger from 25 Field Squadron was Killed in Action when he stepped on and detonated a boosted anti-personnel mine near Okatope in Northern Owamboland. He was killed instantly in the explosion. He was 20.
27 June 1985: Rifleman J. Filimon from 101 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 23.
27 June 1986: 83065169CK Rifleman Frikkie Carolus from the South African Cape Corps died from a gunshot wound sustained during the accidental discharge of a fellow soldiers rifle at De Aar. He was 26.
27 June 1988: 85445708BG 2/Lieutenant Muller Meiring of 61 Mechanised Battalion was Killed in Action North East of Calueque. His Ratel received a direct hit by a Soviet PG-7 Anti-Tank Rocket on the Commanders position, killing him instantly. He was 19. He parents later moved to Australia and his lonely grave in the Verkeerdevlei Cemetery was all but forgotten. The Grey College, Bloemfontein Class of 1986 decided it was time to “bring their Officer home”. Permission was sought and granted to have his remains exhumed and cremated. On Thursday 19 June 2014 at 16h00, a moving ceremony, attended by 80 people was held at Grey College Bloemfontein where his ashes were re-interred in a niche at the School’s Garden of Remembrance. Three of the original four members of his Ratel crew were in attendance. They had successfully brought their Officer and Crew Commander “back home” to rest.
27 June 1988: Eleven members of the SADF were Killed in Action during a retaliatory air strike by Angolan Air Force MiG-23 aircraft on SADF positions near the Calueque Dam after SADF Artillery had accurately bombarded Cuban and FAPLA positions in the town of Techipa on 26 and 27 June 1988 causing heavy casualties. A SADF Buffel troop carrier from 8 SAI and an Eland 90 Armoured Car from 10 Armoured Car Squadron were completely wrecked when a Soviet 460kg (1 000lb) aircraft bombs landed between them, killing all aboard.
The casualties in the Buffel were:
- 80468341BG Lieutenant Noah Tucker of 8 SAI. He was 23. (Lieutenant Tucker was born in Israel and moved together with his father to South Africa in 1968. His father, Norman Tucker was a Veteran of the Six Day War in Israel. Prior to joining the SADF, Noah had obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of the Witwatersrand).
- 84247501BG Corporal Ewert Phillipus Koorts of 8 SAI. He was 19.
- 84481994BG Lance Corporal Johannes Reinhard Gerhardus Holder 8 SAI Ops Medic. He was 19.
- 84241694BG Rifleman Johannes Mattheus Strauss Venter of 8 SAI. He was 19.
- 8448141BG Rifleman Thomas Benjamin Rudman of 8 SAI. He was 20.
- 84458074BG Rifleman Phillipus Rudolph Marx of 8 SAI. He was 19.
- 85434181BG Rifleman Andries Stephanus Johannes Els of 8 SAI. He was 19.
- 84382407BG Trooper Michael John van Heerden of 8 SAI. He was 19.
The casualties in the Eland 90 Armoured Car were:
- 84450683BG Lance Corporal Wynand Albert van Wyk of 1 SSB Attached 10 Armoured Car Squadron. He was 19.
- 84246024BG Trooper Gregory Scott of 2 SSB Attached 10 Armoured Car Squadron. He was 19.
- 84432756BG Trooper Emile Erasmus of 10 Armoured Car Squadron. He was 20.
27 June 1990: 76914373HI Lance Corporal C Chimongaia from 201 Battalion Died from Natural Causes at Omega. He was 27.
RHODESIAN BUSH WAR
1969 – Patrol Officer Hendrik Elperus Johannes POTGIETER, Uniform BSAP, killed on active service. Died in a vehicle accident on the Salisbury/Bulawayo road. He was 19 years old and is buried in Gwelo.
1976 – Field Assistant Michael KABASA, Regular Intaf, murdered. Died from gunshot wounds, near Mtoko, Op Hurricane (VR172950). He was abducted by a group of CTs on 14 June, but his body was only discovered almost two weeks later. He was 28 years old and is buried in Mtoko.
1978 – Private Leonard MPOFU, A Company, 2nd Battalion, RAR, KIA. Killed by a single round from an SKS rifle in a contact on Devuli Ranch. 2nd Lieutenant Bruce Thompson was killed in the same incident.
1978 – 2nd Lieutenant Bruce Malcolm "Goosey" THOMPSON SCR (Post. 13/10/78), A Company, 2nd Battalion, RAR, KIA. Killed by a single round from an SKS rifle in a contact on Devuli Ranch, Bikita area. His SCR citation states that he was involved in 35 contacts in which 170 CTs were killed. This included 29 parachute deployments. In a contact on 27 June 1978, under very heavy fire, he went to the rescue of his wounded machine gunner. He accounted for 2 CTs, but in the follow up he was fatally shot. Died aged 27. He was buried in the Umtali Cemetery. Private Leonard Mpofu was killed in the same incident.
1978 – District Security Assistant Richard MUSHONGA, Keep Protection, Intaf, died on active service.
1979 – District Security Assistant Elias MATARE, Keep Protection, Intaf, died on active service.
1979 – District Security Assistant Martin MUSEKIWA, Keep Protection, Intaf, died on active service.
† Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten †
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