14 October, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
14 Oct 1953: P7568 Staff Sergeant Theunis Christoffel Botha from the Administrative Service Corps died as a result of an accidentally self-inflicted gunshot to the head. He was 34.
14 Oct 1959: L/16494 Rifleman Johannes George Horn from Army Gymnasium accidentally drowned in the Unit swimming pool. He was 19.
14 Oct 1959: Air Mechanic Robert de Burg Riordan Twycross from 1 Air Depot sustained critical head injuries when a truck collided with his bicycle while he was pedalling to work. He was rushed to 1 Military Hospital but died from his injures shortly after admission. He was 20.
14 Oct 1970: 01181007E Commandant Johannes Frederick "Doons" van Heerden from 24 Squadron was killed when his Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S-50, Serial No. 418 crashed on the weapons range West of Bloemfontein while carrying out a low level “retarded bomb” sortie. "Doons" van Heerden and his Navigator Captain G. M. Joubert both ejected. Captain Joubert survived but by the time "Doons" van Heerden's ejection seat functioned, the aircraft was virtually in the inverted position and the ejection seat fired straight into the ground killing him instantly. He was 34.
14 Oct 1977: 08093777KV Lieutenant Phillipus Lodewyk Le Roux from the Delmas Commando was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Cut-Line. He was 48.
14 Oct 1981: 79208468BG Private Christiaan Wouter Coenraad Pieterse from Air Force Base Swartkop was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the Ben Schoeman Highway while on his way home to say goodbye to his parents as he was leaving for a Special Duty Tour in the Northern Operational Area on 20 October 1981. He was 18.
14 Oct 1990: Private Johann Wagenaar from the Technical Service Corps was killed after suffering a gunshot wound, accidentally self-inflicted while he was in the process of cleaning a weapon. He was 19.
14 Oct 1991: 88284419BG Rifleman Gregory Burns from 5 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident when his vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle on the Utrecht to Dundee road. He was returning to the Unit from a 7 day pass when the accident occurred. He was 20.
14 Oct 2000: 93761682PF Rifleman M. Khaile from 21 Battalion was killed when his military vehicle was involved in a collision with a civilian motor vehicle in Lenasia. He was 32.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.