17 December, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
17 Dec 1965: Eight members of the South African Cape Corps and one civilian member drowned during a sea training exercise when their South African Navy 32-foot cutter R1200 (a wood training boat) capsized. The cutter was under sail and on its way from Simon’s Town on a seamanship training cruise. As the cutter approached Kalk Bay, a sudden quick succession of steep high waves developed and capsized the vessel within sight of the Harbour. Petty Officer A.H. Potgieter and Rifleman T. Arendse were rescued and admitted to 2 Military Hospital. A civilian, Mr John Long was swept off the Kalk Bay wall while assisting in the rescue operations and drowned. The cutter later washed ashore at St James.
The casualties were:
540976 Rifleman Piet Rittles. He was 25.
541032 Rifleman Harden Classen Presence. He was 36.
541008 Rifleman Jacobus Newing. He was 22.
541123 Rifleman Mattheus Willem Joubert. He was 24.
540463 Rifleman Harry Harris. He was 33.
541561 Rifleman Jacobus Gideon Farmer. He was 32.
541024 Rifleman Frikkie Braaf. He was 24,
541248 Rifleman Jacobus Abraham Arnolds. He was 20.
Mr John Long (Civilian). He was 35.
NOTE: The body of Rifleman Harden Classen Presence was never recovered. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for.
17 Dec 1975: 73560344BA Gunner Barend Hermanus Neethling from 4 Field Regiment was killed in Central Angola during Ops Savannah while tampering with a captured 75mm Chinese Type 56 Carriage-mounted recoilless gun. While standing directly behind the weapon, he accidentally caused the weapon to discharge and the back-blast from the weapon killed him instantly. He was 18.
17 Dec 1975: 72477714BA Trooper Danie Anderson from 1 Special Service Battalion was accidentally killed during Operation Savannah while standing in the turret of an Eland 90 armoured car that was operating about 100km south of Luanda. The vehicles brakes failed on a steep downhill and the runaway vehicle careered out of control and overturned. Danie was thrown out of the vehicle and broke his neck when he hit the ground. He was 19.
17 Dec 1977: 74269044BG Private David Leon Hack from 1 Military Town Management was accidentally electrocuted while working with an electric drill on his private motor vehicle. He was 21.
17 Dec 1979: 78913100SP Rifleman Leon Perreira from 32 Battalion was Reported Missing after being attacked by a crocodile while swimming in the Kavango River near Buffalo. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. He was 20.
17 Dec 1980: 05186937PE Warrant Officer Class II André Wynand Boshoff from Air Force Station Snake Valley died of heart failure in 1 Military Hospital. He was 40.
17 Dec 1980: 79875829SB Rifleman Andries Nicholaas Bampton from 911 Battalion SWATF died from an accidentally self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest while on duty at Sector 10 Headquarters. He was 18.
17 Dec 1980: 76374842PE Gunner Robin Richard Dickhart from the School of Artillery was killed in a private motorcycle accident at Primrose in Germiston. He was 20.
17 Dec 1980: 69000289PE Major Jacobus Petrus Daniel Rademeyer from 1 Air Depot died of cancer in 1 Military Hospital. He was 45.
17 Dec 1981: 76519990BT Sergeant Ronald Potgieter from Regiment De la Rey Died of Wounds resulting from an accidental mortar bomb explosion during a weapons demonstration in Northern Owamboland. He was 21.
17 Dec 1982: 77419406BG Lance Corporal Karel Daniël Meiring from 2 Field Engineer Regiment was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Klerksdorp. He was 21.
17 Dec 1983: Rifleman Dolole Chindumba from 201 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Southern Angola. He was 22.
17 Dec 1984: 79820478SP Rifleman Lenas July from 201 Battalion SWATF was killed at Omega after being struck by a bullet resulting from an accidental discharge of a fellow soldier’s rifle. He was 25.
17 Dec 1991: 79014445PR Sergeant David Jacobus Erasmus from the School of Engineers died in the Voortrekker Hospital at Kroonstad after suffering a pulmonary embolism. He was 63.
17 Dec 1994: 92668763PY Trooper Selokoane Petrus Mokoena from the School of Armour was killed after being shot in the head by persons unknown while standing at the Central Park taxi rank in Bloemfontein. He was on an official weekend pass at the time of the incident. He was 24.
17 Dec 1998: 92684315 Rifleman S.C. Mjobo from 9 SAI died of disease in 2 Military Hospital. He was 37.
17 Dec 1999: 72116429PE Warrant Officer Class I Phillipus Arnoldus Myburgh from Group 14 died of multiple injuries sustained in a military motor vehicle accident when the vehicle overturned at Potgietersrus. He was 54.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.