01 March, we pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
01 Mar 1974: W56166K Constable Wynand Calitz from the South African Police was serving in Rhodesia when he was Killed in Action during a contact with insurgents 2 km West of the Chironga Mission at Mount Darwin. He was 22.
01 Mar 1978: 70000062PE Major General Frederik Johannes Strydom, Deputy Chief Accountant from the Financial Service Corps died of heart failure in 1 Military hospital. He was 51.
01 Mar 1980: Rifleman Gary Robin Horace Cooke-Tonnesen from 5 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident while returning to his Unit from a weekend pass. He was 19.
01 Mar 1988: Special Constable Thomas Kanitus from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 23.
01 Mar 1989: Airman Boeta Oosthuizen from 42 Squadron was killed in a private motor vehicle accident. He was 22.
01 Mar 1990: Four members of the SADF were killed while traveling as passengers in a military minibus when the vehicle collided with a stationary truck at Muldersdrift while they were travelling from Pretoria to Potchefstroom. The casualties were:
83416552BG Private Gerhardus Stephanus De Bruin from Danie Theron Combat School. He was 22.
85561322BG Rifleman Louis Frederick Putter from the Equestrian Centre. He was 20.
86461050BG Gunner Jacques Terblanche from 10 Artillery Brigade. He was 19.
87422853BG Private Edward George Kruger from Military Medical Command. He was 19
01 Mar 1994: 80895501PE Staff Sergeant Willem Samuel Mabunda from 451 Parachute Battalion died of leukaemia in 1 Military Hospital. He was 33.
01 Mar 1998: 71207351KV Warrant Officer Class II Casper Stander from the Bethal Commando was shot dead by a fellow soldier while he was on duty at the Bethal Commando Headquarters. He was 33.
01 Mar 1998: 93772564 Rifleman M.J. Mahlatsi from the Vaal Commando was shot dead by persons unknown during an argument at Bophelong. He was 27.
01 Mar 1998: 93748515 Rifleman N.M. Myeni from 121 Battalion died of cancer in Pietermaritzburg. He was 34.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.