18 December, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
18 Dec 1965: Warrant Officer Willem Marthinus Prinsloo from Naval Base Simonstown died of broncho pneumonia and chronic nephritis in 1 Military Hospital. He was 50.
18 Dec 1981: 75427997BG Corporal Raymond Arthur Serfontein from the Air Force Gymnasium was killed in a private motor vehicle accident. He was 22.
18 Dec 1983: During Ops Askari, eight members that were part of an Anti-Aircraft team deployed near Caiundu in Southern Angola, were Killed in Action during a fierce fire-fight when their position was attacked by a numerically superior enemy force of more than 200 FAPLA troops. Sergeant Hendrik Albertus Oosthuyse volunteered to remain behind armed with a MAG light machine-gun and due to his heroic actions, he delayed the enemy advance sufficiently to allow the remainder of the team to successfully evade capture. The casualties during this desperate action were:
79526935BT Lieutenant Keith Claassen from the Pretoria University Regiment attached 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 20.
74217076PE Sergeant Hendrik Albertus Oosthuyse from 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment. He was 25.
79364600BG Rifleman Lourens Johannes Janse van Rensburg from 7 SAI. He was 20.
83890970SWK Rifleman Alfred Kamunga from 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 18.
83890418SWK Rifleman Esau Mashika from 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 20.
83890616SWK Rifleman Hamat Hamutenya from 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 22.
83891861SWK Rifleman Aron Dikuwu from 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 20.
83891556SWK Rifleman Edward Moyo from 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 20.
18 Dec 1983: Two members from 202 Battalion SWATF were killed when their Buffel Troop Carrier overturned in Rundu. The casualties were:
76147743HK Rifleman Thomas Kakuru from 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 20.
78931524HK Rifleman Ndara Diyerenge from 202 Battalion SWATF. He was 20.
18 Dec 1985: 82906033SH Rifleman Albert Hapera from 911 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN Insurgents. He was 19.
18 Dec 1988: 73508889PE Commandant Ernestes Johannes Jacobus Brummer from the Northern Cape Command Headquarters died in the Kimberley Hospital after being critically injured in a private motor vehicle accident in Kimberley. He was 31.
18 Dec 1991: 89097778CK Rifleman Gert Jacobs from 3 SAI died of injuries sustained after being severely assaulted by a civilian in Upington while on official sick leave. He was 18.
18 Dec 1992: 89269666BG Rifleman Ryno Ferdinand Claassen from 8 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident when his vehicle left the road and overturned between Aggeneys and Springbok. He was returning home after having completed his two years of compulsory National Service. He was 19.
18 Dec 1998: 759230 Staff Sergeant S.V. Botsheleng from 9 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle Accident at Stella. He was 38.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.