On 16 July, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
16 Jul 1951: MPO161761 Sapper Robert Alfred Harrison from the South African Corps of Engineers was Boarded as Medically Unfit as a result of ailments contracted during his military service. He later died from tuberculosis in 1 Military Hospital in Voortrekkerhoogte. He was 44.
16 Jul 1955: 2/Lieutenant Stanley Arthur Shurdle from Air Force Station Swartkop died from a ruptured heart and internal bleeding sustained in a private motor vehicle accident in Pretoria. He was 20.
16 Jul 1977: 69410728KT Rifleman Christiaan Michael Albert Tesnar from the Lydenburg Commando was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near Ruacana. He was 24.
16 Jul 1981: 78976149SWH Rifleman G. Ruhuzo from 102 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 26
16 Jul 1984: 81257230BG Private Gabriel Johannes Jacobus Frederik Crouse from 72 Motorised Brigade was killed in a military vehicle accident in Alberton. He was 19.
16 Jul 1984: 83961754CK Rifleman Daniel Adonis Douwrie from the 1stBattalion South African Cape Corps was Killed in Action in a landmine explosion in Northern Owamboland. He was 25.
16 Jul 1985: Private Philip Andre Marius Fourie from the Personnel Service Corps attached to the Natal Command Maintenance Unit, suffered critical head injuries in a private motor vehicle accident in Durban on 13 July 1985 and was admitted to the Addington Hospital in Durban where he succumbed to his injuries on 16 July 1985. He was 22.
16 Jul 1986: 05547849PE Flight Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Edward Michael Bloem from 31 Squadron was Killed in Action when he fell to his death after being flung out of Alouette III Helicopter 43 when it collided with a radio mast stay-wire at Okankolo (17 57 24 S 016 25 32 E) while carrying out early evening counter-insurgency Lunar Operations in the area. The Helicopter crashed inside the Base but the Pilot, Captain Duncan Hayton survived. The Helicopter was based at and operating out of Air Force Base Ondangwa. He was 39.
16 Jul 1987: 73251472PE Sergeant Abraham Johannes Nicholas Smit from the Army Catering Corps died of malaria at Oshakati. He was 30.
16 Jul 1993: 81192106HW Staff Sergeant Richard Ebanhaezer Gericke from 31 South African Infantry Battalion was killed in a motor vehicle accident between Schmidtsdrift and Kimberley. He was 27.
16 Jul 1994: 94977873AY Rifleman Daliwonga Sydwell Mbangamti from the South African Infantry Corps based at the Boston Military Base, was killed after suffering multiple injuries when he was thrown off a moving train near the Pinelands Station in Cape Town. He was 26.
16 Jul 1999: 91750851PE Able Seaman Sakhile Obed Nzuza from Naval Base Durban was killed in a non-work related incident while off duty. He was 30.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten