19 January, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
19 Jan 1951: Two members from 91 Ammunition Depot South African Technical Service Corps and one member of the South African Corps of Military Police were killed after sustaining multiple injuries in an accidental explosion in the workshop of Laboratory No 1 at 91 Ammunition Depot. The casualties were:
Captain Albert Phillip Cumming from the Technical Service Corps. He was 33.
P/2250 Warrant Officer Class 1 Petrus Jacobus Jansen van Vuuren from the South African Corps of Military Police. He was 47.
Labourer Samuel Matutule from the Technical Service Corps. He was 39.
19 Jan 1955: Captain Stephanus Petrus Prinsloo from Air Force Headquarters died after suffering a coronary and cerebral thrombosis at his home in Pretoria. He was 40.
19 Jan 1963: Bandsman Reinder Woldinga from the Army Band died of heart failure at his home in Pretoria. He was 52.
19 Jan 1964: P1/21599 Major Jean de Wet DFC from 1 Squadron died in a shooting incident at his home. The Board of Inquiry was unable to determine whether the gunshot wound that killed him was deliberately or accidentally self-inflicted. He was 32.
19 Jan 1971: 68464486E Air Mechanic Jean le Roux from 35 Squadron was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Bellville. He was 20.
19 Jan 1979: 75385482BC Private Martin Eugene Weideman from the Air Force Gymnasium died of natural causes in 1 Military Hospital. He was 19.
19 Jan 1979: 73011140PK Sergeant Jacobus Nicolaas Engelbrecht from the South African Medical Corps died from cancer in the Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital. He was 64.
19 Jan 1979: Two members, one from Air Force Base Potchefstroom and one from the Equestrian Centre were killed when their private motor vehicle burst into flames after being involved in a collision with another motor vehicle in Cumberland Road, North Riding, Johannesburg while on their way to work. Their bodies were burnt beyond recognition.in the subsequent fire. The casualties were:
76232727PE Private Michael George Porter from the Air Force Base Potchefstroom. He was 19.
74507161BG Private Dennis van Niekerk from the Equestrian Centre. He was 20.
(NOTE: Both men are buried together in same grave as Michael Porter's older brother 72531742BG Sapper Louis Francois Porter from 46 Survey Squadron who was killed in a military vehicle accident at Kimbezi in Eastern Caprivi on 31 July 1978 at the age of 21).
19 Jan 1980: 76263870BG Seaman Robert Steven John Swartz from SAS Chapman accidentally drowned in a diving accident at Camps Bay while swimming with some friends. He was 20.
19 Jan 1982: 70596960BT Rifleman Fernando José Gaspar De Sousa from 3 Parachute Battalion was critically injured on 05 January 1982 when he was accidentally driven over by a Buffel Troop Carrier at Ondangwa. He was evacuated to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria where he sadly succumbed to his injuries on 19 January 1982. He was 28.
19 Jan 1982: Two members from 4 SAI that were attached to "A" Coy, 53 Battalion, were Killed in Action near Etale Base. They were assigned to an escort detail protecting a Water Works JCB armoured vehicle that had the task of repairing the water pipeline between Charlie Tower at the Engela Hospital and Eenhana. On the way there, the JCB vehicle got stuck in the mud on several occasions. Reyneke and Nel got off the armoured vehicle and stayed close to the JCB with the intention of assisting it through the mud whenever it got close to getting stuck. From this point on, the going went well until the JCB detonated a boosted land mine with one of the rear wheels, killing them instantly in the explosion. The casualties were:
78532413BG Lance Corporal Johannes Gerhardus Reyneke. He was 19.
79395984BG Rifleman Dudley Nel. He was 19.
19 Jan 1982: 68358688PE Flight Sergeant John Williams (Flight Engineer) from 15 Squadron was killed when his Alouette III helicopter, Serial No. 49, crashed while conducting dagga operations in conjunction with the South African Police who were destroying dagga plantations in the Greytown and Tugela Ferry area. He was 29.
19 Jan 1988: 85576734BG Rifleman Johannes Petrus Barnard from 1 SAI was killed instantly in Ratel 20, Callsign 22A during Ops Hooper when he was struck in the head by a bullet accidentally fired from an AK-47 Assault Rifle. The Ratel Driver had acquired an AK-47 Assault Rifle somewhere as a souvenir and was playing around with it when the weapon accidentally discharged. He was 18.
19 Jan 1998: 95077772 Sapper S N Goba from the South African Engineer Corps was shot dead at Kwa Mashu by persons unknown. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.