12 December, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
12 Dec 1957: Corporal Cornelius du Plessis Venter from the Union Defence Force Headquarters was found dead in Pretoria with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 36.
12 Dec 1975: 73253460BA Rifleman David Hercules Dewald Marais from 2 SAI Died of Wounds received in action on 10 December 1975 in a contact with a Cuban Patrol during Ops Savannah. He was part of a patrol sent out to clear a road that ran parallel to the Nhia River in Central Angola near Bridge 14. The patrol was preparing a TB when they encountered a Cuban patrol dressed in the same uniforms. A few words were exchanged with the Cubans before a fire-fight broke out in which he was critically wounded. The Cuban Patrol was wiped out by SADF counter-fire. Because of the situation, Marais could only be evacuated across the Nhia River early on the morning of 11 December 1975. He unfortunately succumbed to his wounds in the Forward Surgical Hospital at Cela on 12 December 1975. He was 18.
12 Dec 1979: 76267160BG Rifleman Johannes Jacobus Fourie from 5 SAI was Killed in Action by shrapnel from a soviet 82mm Mortar Bomb during a 20-minute running battle with a numerically superior force of 181 heavily armed SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Cut-line. He was 20.
12 Dec 1980: 76361583BG 2/Lieutenant Arthur Eduard De Villiers from 3 SAI was killed instantly at Ondangwa during a thunderstorm when lightning struck a tent pole while he was holding onto the tent pole chain. He was 20.
12 Dec 1980: 70416235PE Lance Corporal Jan William Swart from Army Headquarters died in 1 Military Hospital from multiple injuries sustained in a private motor vehicle accident in Pretoria. He was 26.
12 Dec 1980: Rifleman Gary Lang from 61 Mech Battalion was killed in a private motor vehicle accident while on pass. He was 19.
12 Dec 1985: W400502F Sergeant Pieter Rocher Leslie Venter from the South West African Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops K Division (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 22.
12 Dec 1986: Flight Sergeant Stephanus Petrus Dewald Swanepoel from 15 Squadron was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Durban. He was 38.
12 Dec 1992: 90705344HG Rifleman Sabelo Lukhozi from 21 Battalion was Killed in Action after being assaulted and stabbed to death by persons unknown while on foot patrol in Soweto. He was 24.
12 Dec 1998: 95097176 Rifleman R Phokane from 1 SAI died of disease at Burgersfort. He was Absent Without Leave (AWOL) from the Unit at the time of his passing. He was 29.
12 Dec 1999: 94974201PF Rifleman Buhle Sidwell Mkhize from 115 Battalion died from unknown causes. He was 34.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.