On 18 July, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
18 Jul 1963: P5103 Candidate Officer Matthys Marthinus Hattingh from Air Operations School at Langebaanweg was killed when his AT-6 Harvard, Serial No. 7332 crashed into a mountainside near Porterville in bad weather. He was 19.
18 Jul 1968: 44433 Constable Daniel Du Toit SOO (P) from the South African Police COIN (Counter Insurgency Unit) was Killed in Action during a contact with ZIPRA insurgents in a well defended position in the Rawamombe Range near Kariba, Rhodesia during Operation Griffin - a Joint operation in involving the RLI, RAR, SAP and Rhodesian Air Force. He was part of the forward sweep and was engaged by the insurgents at very close range. One SAP officer and two other SAP Constables were wounded during this contact. He was the first member of the South African Police Counter Insurgency Unit to be Killed in Action during the Bush War and was Posthumously awarded the South African Police Star for Distinguished Service (SOO). He was 24.
18 Jul 1973: 71329221N Rifleman Keith Hahn from 1 SAI was killed when the Bedford vehicle in which he was travelling as a passenger, overturned at Kandelaars River Station. He was 18.
18 Jul 1980: 76504810BG Lance Corporal Nicolaas Jacobus van der Merwe from 1 Special Service Battalion was Killed in Action while on patrol 10 km from Ondangwa. Their Armoured troop surprised a SWAPO/PLAN insurgent patrol in a Shona and immediately opened fire. He was killed by enemy rifle fire while directing fire from the turret of his armoured car. Nine members from the SWAPO/PLAN patrol were killed in this contact and two were captured. He was 19.
18 Jul 1981: 78425915BG Rifleman James Findlay-Marshall from the Infantry School was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the National road between De Rust and Uniondale while on weekend pass. He was 18.
18 Jul 1982: 76909662SP Rifleman Frisiano Dala from the 31 Battalion Reconnaissance Wing (Later 201 Battalion SWATF) died in 1 Military Hospital from injuries received when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned near Rundu on 06 July 1982. He was 24.
18 July 1983: 76426352BG Rifleman Jan Harm Kruger from 1 Parachute Battalion accidentally killed after suffering severe brain injuries in a non-military related accident. He was 23.
18 Jul 1985: 80586217BW Rifleman George Mike Thompson from the Army Catering Corps was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned at Oshakati. He was 22.
18 Jul 1987: 84467141PE Airman Andries Hendrik Gustav Humphries from 68 Air School, was critically injured in a private motor cycle accident on the National road near Britz on 11 July 1988. He succumbed to his injuries in 1 Military Hospital on 18 July 1988. He was 18.
18 Jul 1993: 74441536PE Warrant Officer Class I Berne Barnard from 111 Battalion was killed in a private motor vehicle accident near Camden after he lost control of the vehicle on a bend and the vehicle collided with a tree. He was 35.
18 Jul 1998: 91078881 Corporal D Jansen from 3 SAI was found dead in Kimberley with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 38.
18 Jul 1998: 95730263 Corporal N Nodada from the Air Force Gymnasium was found murdered by persons unknown at Bradford. He was 24.
18 Jul 1998: 97471021 Rifleman J S Rakoto from the South African Army died of disease in the Potchefstroom Hospital. He was 23.
18 Jul 1998: 95720157 Rifleman D A Stuurman from 121 Battalion was killed after being struck by a civilian vehicle while he was walking in Umtata. He was 26.
18 Jul 1998: 75529180PE Warrant Officer Class I Anton Johannes van Tonder from 35 Engineer Regiment was found dead in Rustenburg with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was on official vacation leave at the time of the incident. He was 38.
18 Jul 1999: 93654671PV Rifleman Mntuyedwa Vivian Nxumalo from 121 Battalion was killed in a military vehicle accident at Greytown while on an unauthorised trip to a shebeen. He was 28.
18 Jul 1999: 91750851PE Able Seaman Sakhile Obed Nzuza from Naval Base Durban was found dead on the Base with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 30.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten