13 March, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
13 Mar 1977: 73341729BA Rifleman Jacobus Frederick Steyn from 5 SAI was killed in a military vehicle accident at the Kongola Bridge. He was 19.
13 Mar 1982: Four members of 32 Battalion were Killed in Action during Operation Super in Southern Angola. SWAPO/PLAN had set up a new infiltration route into the Kaokoveld towards the end of 1981 and when the SADF became aware of this, it was decided to assault the transit camp base at Cambeno, 40 kilometers north of the Cunene River. Puma helicopters airlifted the assault force into the area but as the Puma Helicopters lifted off out of the LZ, 2/Lieutenant Nel found that the enemy was only 50 metres away. Fortunately, the Alouette III Helicopter Gunships managed to neutralise some of the enemy, allowing him the opportunity to consolidate his position. The contact soon developed into an intense fire fight with Lieutenant Nel's position being assaulted from both flanks simultaneously. He requested air support but it was not available so he, together with two men, charged the enemy to try and eliminate the threat to his troops. During this selfless act of courage in the face of extreme danger and adversity, he received multiple gunshot wounds and was killed. A total of 201 SWAPO/PLAN insurgents were killed and a vast amount of Soviet and East Bloc weaponry and equipment was captured. 2nd Lieutenant Nel was posthumously awarded the Honoris Crux for his Gallantry and Self-Sacrifice. The four casualties in this desperate action were:
78440187PF 2/Lieutenant Petrus Johannes Stephanus Nel HC (P). He was 19.
77581098PE Corporal Phillip Thomas Stewart. He was 23.
76908342SP Corporal Yombi João. He was 32.
81533630SP Rifleman Eduardo Dumba. He was 22.
The following SADF Members were also awarded the Honoris Crux for Gallantry during this action. They were:
Major N. Ellis HC SAAF Helicopter Pilot, AFB Ondangwa
Sergeant S. Coetzee HC Helicopter Flight Engineer, AFB Ondangwa
Sergeant V. Dragula HC from 32 Battalion
Rifleman B. Domingos HC from 32 Battalion
13 Mar 1983: 80354004BG Rifleman Andrew Matthews Smit from 5 SAI was Killed in Action in a landmine explosion in Southern Angola. He was 18.
13 Mar 1983: 72455488PE Sergeant Johan Diedericks from the Army Ordnance Corps, attached to 5 Maintenance Unit, was killed in a private motorcycle accident on the Oshakati to Ondangwa Road. He was 26.
13 Mar 1986: 78120870PD Corporal Victor Rodriques Pedro from 1 Reconnaissance Regiment accidentally drowned in Durban during a training exercise. He was 31.
13 Mar 1988: 86278504BG Private Carel Johannes Beneke from 1 Maintenance Unit was killed when his military vehicle overturned near Buffalo. He was 18.
13 Mar 1988: 68214261BG Lieutenant (Doctor) Herman Jan Roelof Gerding from the South African Medical Corps was Killed in Action when the vehicle in which he was travelling, detonated a landmine. He was 35.
13 Mar 1989: 85259802BG Private Christian Hermanus van Wyk from the Intelligence School, attached to Group 36, was found dead in Ladybrand with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 19.
13 Mar 1994: Three civilian members of the Baha’i Faith Community were shot and killed by APLA operatives at the Baha’i Faith Centre in Mdantsane near East London. All the victims were of Iranian extraction but were allegedly regarded by the perpetrators as “whites”. The APLA operatives were all granted amnesty during 1998. The casualties were:
Rivan Razavi
Shamam Bakhshandegi
Alex Anvari
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.