13 November, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
13 Nov 1955: Private Jacobus Esterhuise Olivier from the South African Army was found dead at his home in Pretoria with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 25.
13 Nov 1979: 79841219HO Rifleman P.S. Lafitila from 701 Battalion SWATF, attached to Sector 70 Headquarters, was critically injured and two other 701 Battalion SWATF members were killed in a military vehicle accident in the Caprivi Strip on 06 November 1979. He unfortunately succumbed to his injuries in hospital on 13 November 1979. He was 20.
13 Nov 1985: 78912656SW Rifleman Daniel David from 905 Special Services Company (905 SSC) at Nepara was accidentally killed when he fell off a moving military vehicle and broke his neck. He was 27.
13 Nov 1986: Two members from 2 and 5 Reconnaissance Regiment were Killed in Action during Ops Colosseum when two Casspir vehicles were knocked out during a Special Forces raid against a SWAPO/PLAN Base near Xangongo in Southern Angola. The casualties were:
75338285BT Corporal Andries Dawid Renken from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment was killed when his Casspir was hit by RPG-7 Anti-Tank Rockets and Yugoslavian M60 HEAT STRIM Anti-Tank Rifle Grenades during an attack. The projectiles started a fire inside the vehicle that could not be extinguished due to the ongoing contact. The contents of the vehicle namely, 50 kg of PE4 Explosive, Cortex, Detonators, M26 Hand Grenades and a Gas Bottle exploded, wrecking the vehicle completely. He was 27.
81521643PB Corporal Marsh Lazarus Mashavave from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment was killed in Action in the other Casspir when it was hit by a Soviet RPG-7 Anti-Tank rocket during the same action. He was 30.
13 Nov 1988: 85099067BG Rifleman Jacobus Gert Bock from 53 Battalion received a severe skull fracture after being assaulted by members of the local population outside the base. He was flown back to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria where he succumbed to his injuries later in the day. He was 23.
13 Nov 1990: 89065452CK Corporal Gert Gerhardus Boorman from the 1st Battalion Cape Corps Training Unit was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned during a training exercise between Tarraririma and Vorstershoop. He was 20.
13 Nov 1994: 82736737PE Rifleman Mzikawakhelwana Ben Gina from 121 Battalion died in the 121 Battalion Sickbay as a result of multiple organ failure. He was 31.
13 Nov 1998: 94088838 Lance Corporal S Dlamini from 121 Battalion died of disease in Durban. He was 23.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.