On 13 July, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
13 Jul 1950: Lieutenant George Edward Conning from 7 Wing was killed when Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXE 5557 crashed on Koppiesfontein Farm near Heidelberg. He was 27.
13 Jul 1950: MPO/146208 (35723V) Sergeant Lancelot Garnet Elliott from the Pretoria Regiment died of tuberculosis in 1 Military Hospital. He was 30.
13 Jul 1966: 05576583PE Candidate Officer Christo Cornelius Johannes Joubert from Air Operations School Langebaanweg was killed when his AT-6 Harvard, Serial No. 7147 crashed 5 miles south of Velddrif while engaged in a routine general flying training exercise when the aircraft went into a spin from which he was unable to recover before the aircraft hit the ground. He was 19.
13 Jul 1982: 81955346SWH Rifleman Karetu Muhenje from 102 Battalion SWATF was critically wounded on 12 July 1982 during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. While reloading an RPG-7 Rocket Launcher, he had cocked the trigger and placed the launcher on his leg while in the kneeling position and proceeded to insert the PG-7 Rocket Projectile into the tube. When he rammed it down, the trigger released and the charge ignited. His leg was blown off completely by the back-blast and he was grievously burned by the flame from the projectile rocket motor ignition. Although he survived the actual incident, he succumbed to his grievous injuries at 05h00 the following morning. He was 26.
13 Jul 1985: Private Mark Lloyde Hookam from 1 Maintenance Unit was accidentally killed after suffering multiple injuries in a private motor vehicle accident near Bethulie while on a weekend pass. He was 19.
13 Jul 1986: 82363250BG Corporal Steyn Johannes De Villiers from 5 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the Elandslaagte Road while on a weekend pass. He was 20.
13 Jul 1986: 74740812PE Petty Officer Frederick Thomas Kiewietz from SAS Chapman collapsed after suffering a severe stroke. He was rushed to 2 Military Hospital at Wynberg but was pronounced dead on arrival. He was 32.
13 Jul 1987: 80253875BG 2/Lieutenant Arie Erasmus Human from 8 SAI was Killed in a private motor vehicle accident when his vehicle was involved in a head-on collision near Keimoes. He was off duty at the time of the accident. He was 22.
13 Jul 1991: 83061309HR Rifleman Richard Crouch from 93 Ammunition Depot died as a result of a stab wound to the neck sustained during an altercation at Flora Street, Andalusia Park, Jan Kempdorp. He was 28.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten