19 December, let us pause to remember these young men and woman from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
19 Dec 1963: P/7365 Warrant Officer Class I Jan Gerhardus Barnard from the Administrative Service Corps attached to Witwatersrand Command Headquarters died in 1 Military hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was 48.
19 Dec 1964: P51166 Air Mechanic Henri Martin Strydom from Air Force Base Ysterplaat was critically injured in a private motor vehicle accident on 17 Dec 1964. He was transferred to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria where he sadly succumbed to his injuries on 19 December 1964. He was 18.
19 Dec 1976: 65584062BT Corporal Benjamin Johannes Schoeman of Regiment Noord Natal Died of Wounds while on patrol along the Cut-line North of Ombalantu. His Section came under heavy SWAPO/PLAN insurgent rifle and machine-gun fire at evening "klaarstaan" in their TB and he was severely wounded in the neck. Although a Casevac Helicopter was called for, he succumbed to his wounds before the helicopter arrived. He was 28.
19 Dec 1977: 74366970BG Rifleman Hannes Coenrad Groenewald from 11 Commando was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the Cape Town Freeway near Edenburg. He was 19.
19 Dec 1980: 80013980PR Sergeant Basil James D'Oliveira from 7 Base Ordnance Depot died of brain cancer in 3 Military Hospital. He was 58.
19 Dec 1982: Airman Michael Luyt from the Air Force Gymnasium was killed in a private motorcycle accident while traveling home on a weekend pass. He was 19.
19 Dec 1982: 80354293BG Rifleman Terence Norman Fitzpatrick from 5 SAI was killed in a military vehicle accident at Ladysmith. He was 18.
19 Dec 1982: 79480596BG Rifleman Shaline Lloyd Keen from Special Forces Headquarters was accidently killed at the Headquarters while he was standing on the back of a Landrover. The vehicle overturned and he was thrown out of the vehicle which then rolled over him. He was 19.
19 Dec 1985: Two members from 202 Battalion SWATF were killed when their Buffel Troop Carrier overturned near Omega. The casualties were:
84830363SCH Rifleman Lenox Hipangua. He was 20.
83812678SCC Rifleman Benjamin Johannes Thomas. He was 21.
19 Dec 1991: 77350999PE Sergeant Johannes Hendrikus Jurgens Bothma from the Eastern Province Command Maintenance Unit suffered a fatal heart attack and died while on duty. He was the driver of the Duty Bus when he stopped after feeling unwell. He climbed out of the bus whereupon he collapsed. He was 30.
19 Dec 1992: A civilian, Mrs Leonie Anderson was shot dead by two APLA operatives on her family’s farm “Danside” in Ficksburg, Orange Free State. Both APLA operatives, Lerato Abel Khotle and Phila Martin Dolo were later granted amnesty during 1999 for this murder.
19 Dec 1998: 94843760 Rifleman M R Nemakwelengive from 15 SAI was shot dead in Venda by persons unknown. He was 25.
19 Dec 1998: 89961072 Gunner T.D. Pheto from 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment was found hanged in Kimberley. No foul play was suspected. He was 23.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.