On 11 July, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
11 Jul 1961: P/5052 Sergeant Edward Frederick Barr from 1 Air Depot was found dead at his home in Pretoria with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 43.
11 Jul 1979: 77547784BG Rifleman Peter Wayne Bowry Atherton from 11 Commando Regiment died from a gunshot wound at Jan Kemp Dorp as a result of an accidental discharge of a fellow soldier’s rifle. He was 17.
11 Jul 1979: 75526509BG Rifleman Anton Philip Joubert from Infantry School died in the Groote Schuur Hospital after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage. He was 20.
11 Jul 1980: 77443869BG Rifleman Paul Louis van der Walt from Infantry School was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the National road near Winburg while on a weekend pass. He was 18.
11 Jul 1980: 77532570BG Private Richard Anthony van Rooyen from the Technical Service Corps was killed in a private motor cycle accident in East London while on leave pass. He was 19.
11 Jul 1981: 78533809BG 2/Lieutenant Daniel Malan Emmanuel van Niekerk from Group 7 was killed instantly in a private motor vehicle accident while traveling as a passenger when the vehicle collided with a bridge near Cookhouse. He was on a weekend pass at the time when the accident occurred. He was 19.
11 Jul 1982: 81954760SWH Rifleman Munehemba Muharukua from 102 Battalion SWATF was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned in Northern Owamboland. He was 26.
11 Jul 1984: 61231676PE Captain Joseph Jacobus De Jager from the Army Catering Corps collapsed and died after suffering a fatal heart attack while on duty the Military Academy in Saldanha Bay. He was 39.
11 Jul 1985: 84247857BG Sapper Kenneth Claude Cole from 2 Field Engineer Regiment died from a gunshot wound sustained as a result of the accidental discharge of a fellow soldier’s rifle. He was standing guard duty at 2 Field Engineer Regiment in Bethlehem at the time of the incident. He was 19.
11 Jul 1985: Special Constable U. Ngombe from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 27.
11 Jul 1986: 84917798SWK Rifleman L. Sivanda from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 22.
11 Jul 1987: 84903233SWO Rifleman Damiao Ngumbe from 101 Battalion SWATF Died of Wounds after being shot by a member of the South West Africa Police (SWAPOL) at Elundu. He was 29.
11 Jul 1988: 07524358PE Flight Sergeant Barry Neil Cartledge from Air Force Headquarters apparently took his own life. He was found gassed in his private motor vehicle near the N1 Highway. He was 41.
11 Jul 1989: 83713875PE Warrant Officer Class 1 Johannes Petrus Coetzee from 16 Maintenance Unit was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident 10km from the Mangetti Dunes. He was 50.
11 Jul 1990: 85330413BG Private Iain Bruce Robertson from the Technical Service Corps was critically injured when the Ratel in which he was travelling, overturned on the Krugersdorp to Sandton Road. He succumbed to his injuries a short while later. He was 20.
11 Jul 1992: 87980900PE Corporal Petrus Johannes Rooyfontein from the Army Battle School Signal Section at Lohatla was killed after suffering multiple injuries in a private motor vehicle accident near Danielskuil. He was 23.
11 Jul 1994: 86723665PE Corporal Oageng Richard Mafulako from the Witwatersrand Command Provost Unit was killed in a military vehicle accident at Vereeniging. He was 29.
11 Jul 1997: 80630528PE Warrant Officer Class II Jonny Henry Links from 8 South African Infantry Battalion was killed in a military vehicle accident in Upington. He was 39.
11 Jul 1997: 94748191PE Rifleman Nkagisang Gert Senwedi from 10 SAI died in the Bray Hospital from injuries received when he was accidentally driven over by a SAMIL 20 truck. He was 34.
11 Jul 1998: 93750057 Private M E Maduna from the South African Intelligence Corps died in 1 Military hospital after suffering multiple injuries in a private motor vehicle accident. He was 34.
11 Jul 2001: 81551954PE Sergeant S Moyo from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment was killed when he accidently fell off a cliff while carrying out operational duties in the Tzaneen area. He was 38.
11 Jul 2003: Flight Sergeant Ralph Gouws, a Computer Technician in the Command and Control Information Unit at Central Flying School Langebaanweg was killed while flying as a passenger in a Pilatus Astra. The aircraft completed the sortie and landed safely landed at CFS Langebaanweg. However, while the aircraft was taxying to the dispersal area, it appears that he accidentally activated the aircraft rear ejector seat and was subsequently ejected out of the aircraft. Because the ejection seat was activated outside of the design parameters, the seat failed to function correctly and he was killed instantly. He was 30.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten