14 April, let us pause to remember these young men and women from our generation who answered the Sunset call.
14 Apr 1966: 03497195R Nursing Sister Jacoba Petronella Horn from 3 Military Hospital died from cancer in 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria. She was 32.
14 Apr 1978: 76485564BG Rifleman Johannes Stephanus Pretorius from 1 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident between Virginia and Theunissen. He was 17.
14 April 1983: 78530482BG Rifleman Barend Christoffel Dippenaar from Infantry School was killed in a private vehicle accident on the Clocolan to Ladybrand road while on an Easter Weekend Leave Pass. He was 21.
14 Apr 1991: 88214028BG Trooper Abraham Paulus Jacobus Coetzee from the School of Armour was accidentally killed at the Army Battle School while a group of soldiers were drinking beer and playing around with an R5 rifle. Someone produced a live round and while they were taking turns in loading and unloading the weapon, a shot went off that struck Trooper Coetzee, killing him instantly. He was 19.
14 Apr 1994: 78911567PE Rifleman Arthur Samoco from the Army Battle School died of respiratory failure at the Universitas Hospital in Bloemfontein. He was 32.
14 April 1996: 94738929PE Rifleman Edward Mothusi Pheko from 10 SAI was killed at Mmabatho when his Buffel Troop Carrier burst a tyre and overturned. He was 49.
14 April 1997: Captain Christo Louw, a former SAAF Helicopter Pilot serving with the South African Police Air Wing, died in the Pretoria Academic Hospital. He was suffering from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, a form of cancer of the lymph nodes. He was 37.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.