13 February, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
13 Feb 1960: Air Mechanic Willem Alwyn van Wyngaard from 68 Air School died from a brain embolism in 1 Military Hospital following an attempted suicide. He was 20.
13 Feb 1972: Patrol Officer Michael Fenton Hill, a South African National serving in the British South Africa Police and was stationed at Wedza, was killed in a motor vehicle accident while travelling on the Salisbury to Umtali Road. He was 20.
13 Feb 1978: 70012109PE Staff Sergeant Peter James Sutton from 16 Maintenance Unit suffered a heart attack and died shortly after admission to the Grootfontein Sickbay. He was 44.
13 Feb 1980: 74335423PE 2/Lieutenant Ignatius Petrus Du Preez from 201 Battalion SWATF Died of Wounds during an operation in Southern Zambia when he accidentally triggered a booby trap while clearing an enemy base. Despite receiving medical treatment on the spot, he succumbed to his wounds a short while later. He was 21.
13 Feb 1981: 78370186BG Airman Jacobus Albertus Marais, a dog handler at Air Force Base Waterkloof died 1 Military Hospital from injuries sustained when he accidentally fell off a moving Bedford while on duty in the Security Area at Waterkloof AFB. He was 18.
13 Feb 1981: 73456477BT Signaler Gerald Kendall from the Witwatersrand Command Signal Unit was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the Golden Highway near Johannesburg. He was 23.
13 Feb 1985: One member from 32 Battalion was Killed in Action during Ops Forte and one member Reported Missing after he was wounded and captured by enemy forces in a contact in Southern Angola during Ops Forte. The Casualties were:
78911989SP Rifleman Pedro Jose Antonio. He was 35.
79453764SP Rifleman B. Paulo was Reported Missing. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. He was 33.
13 Feb 1994: 93657732PK Rifleman Mbhonono Johnson Myeni from 111 Infantry Battalion was killed in a military vehicle accident at Alexandra. He was 27.
13 Feb 1998: 94069853 Lieutenant S Maleto from 21 Battalion died of disease in the Johannesburg General Hospital. He was 32.
13 Feb 2006: 77649372PE Warrant Officer Class I Vincent Long from 2 SAI suffered a fatal heart attack at the Unit. He was 45.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.