13 October, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
13 Oct 1973: 70489018N Rifleman Michael Wulfsohn from the Cape Town Highlanders was accidentally killed when he fell off the back of a moving Bedford Troop Carrier just north of Ondangwa. He was 19.
13 Oct 1982: Private Daniel Stephanus Bredenhann from the Technical Service Corps died from an apparently self-inflicted R1 Rifle gunshot wound to the head while he was on a weekend pass. It is believed he was suffering serious depression at the time of the incident and no foul play was suspected. He was 19.
13 Oct 1983: Special Warrant Officer Immanuel Hendjala from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 36.
13 Oct 1983: 81030272BG Private Johannes Mattheus Strauss from the Technical Service Corps was found dead in his quarters at Rundu. It is suspected that he may have taken his own life. No foul play was suspected as at the time of his death, everybody’s whereabouts had been accounted for and nobody had been into the area where his body was found. He was 18.
13 Oct 1985: 82520990PE Corporal Johan Schoeman from 5 SAI was Killed in Action after he was ambushed and brutally killed by persons unknown while on a foot patrol in Kwazakele Township during riots and unrest in the area. After his body was located and recovered, the post mortem revealed that he had been stabbed 75 times, castrated, disemboweled and pieces of his buttocks had been cut off and removed. He was 19.
13 Oct 1988: 88073218CK Rifleman John Rex from the 2nd Battalion South African Cape Corps died at the Rooiberg Training Area when he accidentally stepped on an unexploded 40mm “Snotneus” High Explosive Grenade that was lying in the veld. The device exploded the instant that it was disturbed, killing him instantly. He was 20.
13 Oct 1988: Special Constable Thomas Kastodiu from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifice have not been forgotten.