17 May, let us pause for a minute to remember the following young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
17 May 1973: 68203041E Sergeant James Lionel Hargreaves from the Air Force Gymnasium was killed in a private motor vehicle accident near the Valhalla Shopping Centre where he had gone to buy some items during his lunch break. He was 20.
17 May 1980: 75546218BA Rifleman Michael Cecil Vorster from the Dog Training Centre at Bourkes Luck was killed after suffering multiple injuries in a private motor vehicle accident in Pretoria while on weekend pass. He was 21.
17 May 1981: Signaler Albert Peter Jordaan from the Army Signals Training Centre at Heidelberg was killed in a private motor vehicle accident between Heidelberg and Grootvlei, on the N3. He was travelling home on a weekend pass after standing guard duty the whole night. He was 18.
17 May 1988: 77582203PE Sergeant Douglas Keel from 1 Special Forces Regiment was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the Whittlesea to Queenstown road. He was 26
17 May 1991: 89749535PD Rifleman Antonio Joao Sampaio from 32 Battalion was Killed in Action after being struck in the neck by an AK-47 bullet fired from an unknown gunman while he was on foot patrol in Tokoza Township. He was 34.
17 May 1993 84605062BT Lieutenant Michael Dennis Nixon from the Kaffrarian Rifles was accidentally killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned while on patrol in the Kubusi Forrest near Stutterheim.. He was 25.
17 May 1994: 79222055PE Warrant Officer Class II Robert Henry Hurn from 44 Parachute Regiment was accidentally killed at Bainsvlei when his main canopy failed to deploy during a practice free-fall parachute jump. As a result of his death, an automatic activator was installed on all sport parachutes. He was 30.
17 May 1995: Two members from the South African Medical Services Academy were killed in a Military Vehicle Accident at Walmansthall. The casualties were:
81112112PE Staff Sergeant Evert Petrus Philip Gray. He was 29.
89328835PE Corporal George Opperman. He was 21.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.