11 March, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
11 Mar 1965: Rifleman Paul Willemse from 6 SAI collapsed during Basic Training after suffering heat stroke. Unfortunately, the NCO’s in charge failed to take the necessary actions or administer water and continued with the exercise. After collapsing for the fourth time, he was admitted to hospital where he sadly died the following day. He was 19.
Three NCO’s that were charged in this incident were later Court Martialed for gross negligence and dereliction of duty and dishonorably discharged from the SADF.
11 Mar 1979: 75540583BG Rifleman Paul William Ernest Carroll from 7 SAI was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Cut-Line. He was 20.
11 Mar 1981: Sapper Abraham Jacobus Britz from 47 Survey Squadron South African Engineer Corps was killed in a private motorcycle accident on the Ben Schoeman Highway at the off-ramp to Tek Base in Lyttelton. He was 20.
11 Mar 1983: 75480616BT Lance Corporal Ronald William van Rooyen from the Technical Service Corps was accidentally killed on his private farm in Fort Beaufort in an incident involving an angle grinder. He had only recently returned after completing a 30-day Camp in Northern Owamboland. He was 23.
11 Mar 1984: 75289629PE Staff Sergeant David John Ward from 101 Battalion SWATF was critically wounded in the hip when his team was ambushed by a combined SWAPO/PLAN and FAPLA force in Southern Angola. He died from blood loss before he could be evacuated. He was 24.
11 Mar 1985: Rifleman K. Iyango from 101 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Southern Angola. He was 24.
11 Mar 1987: Rifleman E. Nangula from 101 Battalion Romeo Mike Team 901 SSC-RM-3 SWATF was Killed in Action in Southern Angola after suffering multiple shrapnel wounds when he triggered a Soviet POMZ-2M Anti-Personal Picket Mine. He was 22.
11 Mar 1988: 86265451BG Rifleman Pieter Leon Hendrik van Dyk from 1 Parachute Battalion was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned while carrying out anti-crime operations in Mamelodi Township. He was 18.
11 Mar 1990: 86492857BG Lance Corporal Olaf Johan de Villiers Lagesen from 5 SAI was killed when his Samil 20 truck overturned 20km North of Komatipoort. He was 19.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.