18 October, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
18 Oct 1936: P2/925 Air Apprentice Charles Smith from the School of Technical Training was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Pretoria. He was 20.
18 Oct 1968: 05570718E Lieutenant John Andrew Zimmerman from Central Flying School Dunnottar was killed when his AT-6 Harvard, Serial No 7519 crashed near Devon while on a routine General Flying training flight. He was 21.
18 Oct 1975: The Shetland Pony and official Mascot of the Navy Training Base SAS Saldanha, “Chief Petty Officer De Jonge Thomas”, was accidentally killed after being struck by a motor vehicle. The Shetland Pony had served with SAS Saldanha for seventeen years.
18 Oct 1977: Rifleman André Gerhardus van der Walt from the South African Infantry was accidentally killed when his Unimog overturned on the Rundu to Katima Mulilo road. He was 27.
18 Oct 1980: 74090002PE Sergeant Jonathan Sykes from Infantry School was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the National Road near Ladysmith. He was 30.
18 Oct 1981: 76110543PB Sergeant Victor Malesela Gwanqwa from 113 Battalion was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident at Letsitele. He was 27.
18 Oct 1981: 80820335SP Rifleman Jose Ndala from 203 Battalion SWATF was killed in a shooting incident while off duty. He was 22.
18 Oct 1984: 82723487SP Rifleman Domingos Antonio from 32 Battalion was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned near Buffalo. He was 24.
18 Oct 1986: Special Constable Simon Daniel from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 29.
18 Oct 1986: 73454290BT Lance Corporal Hendrik Christian Johannes Myburgh from Air Force Base Waterkloof suffered a fatal heart attack and died while he was taking a shower. He was doing a compulsory 30-day military camp at the time of his death. He was 31.
18 Oct 1988: 75224584BT Corporal Francois de la Rey Uys from 2 Reconnaissance Regiment died from unknown causes in Middelburg. He was 29.
18 Oct 1998: 91708990 Lance Corporal S.W. Solo from 1 SAI died of disease in Bloemfontein. He was 33.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.