10 February, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
10 Feb 1951: P6275 Staff Sergeant Petrus Johannes Ferreira from the South African Infantry Corps accidentally drowned at Barberspan near Delareyville during a military training exercise while based in Potchefstroom. He was 31.
10 Feb 1951: P/11695 Air Mechanic Okert Barend Jonathan Nel from 1 Air Depot died as a result of a fractured skull sustained in a private motor vehicle accident in Pretoria. He was 23.
10 Feb 1954: 2/Lieutenant Petrus Jacobus van Aswegen, a Station Pilot at Air Force Station Bloemspruit, was killed when Harvard 7659 crashed near Bloemfontein during an authorised low-level cross country training exercise. He was 22.
10 Feb 1961: Five members from 28 Squadron were killed when their C-47 Dakota 6856 crashed and burnt out near Bizana. The casualties were:
Captain Frans Krige Siebrits. He was 24.
P/45520 Lieutenant Andries Johan Adam Heyns. He was 34.
P/5459 Air Sergeant Leslie Frederick Meise. He was 42.
Leading Air Mechanic David Henry Nel. He was 19.
Leading Air Mechanic James Errol Serfontein. He was 22.
10 Feb 1965: Private Wynand Mathyse Engelbrecht from 5 Base Ordnance Depot in Pretoria suffered a cerebral aneurysm and died in 1 Military Hospital shortly after admission. He was 33.
10 Feb 1972: 65451726E Lance Corporal James Charles Warren from 2 Squadron was accidentally killed in an aircraft ground mishap at the Squadron. He was in the process of removing the ejection seat from Mirage 802 in order to repack the drogue parachute. During this process, the ejection seat drogue gun activated while he was still leaning over the seat and he was fatally injured. He was 23.
10 Feb 1983: 78912359SP Rifleman Adao Salvador from 32 Battalion was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident at Mosese. He was 22.
10 Feb 1994: 86403821PS Lieutenant Garth Harold Esterhuizen from 42 Squadron was killed when his Cessna 185A, Serial No. 720 crashed at Carletonville after flying into power lines during an authorised low level cross country training flight. He was 23.
10 Feb 1996: 89729313PE Corporal Lucas Guluva Simelane from Group 12 Headquarters was killed in a military motorcycle accident while on farm patrol at Amsterdam. He was 31.
10 Feb 1997: 87766663PE Rifleman Mothobi Edwin Moleko from Group 42 Headquarters was killed at Lenz Military Base after being accidentally shot by another SANDF member who was playing around with a private pistol. He was 31.
10 Feb 2001: 87800678CA Mr Mathiblea Abraham Matlaila, a civilian employed by the SANDF and working at the Wallmansthal Assembly Area suffered a heart attack and died shortly after being admitted to the Wallmansthal Sick Bay. He was 52.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.