19 November, let us pause to remember these young men and women from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
19 Nov 1958: 621817 Pioneer Cornelius Johannes Lucas Beneke from the Essential Services Protection Corps died from hypertension in 1 Military Hospital. He was 60.
19 Nov 1974: W56732P Constable Bartholomeus Harmse from the South African Police was critically injured during a training exercise while serving in Rhodesia when an expended 60mm Mortar Bomb Illuminating casing that had just been fired, struck him in the back as it fell back to earth. He succumbed to his injuries two hours later. He was part of C/S 43, based at the Kadzi River Camp in the Dande Tribal Trust Land, Sipolilo, Rhodesia. He was 29.
19 Nov 1978: 75293472BG Signaler Arnold Charles Lewin from the South African Corps of Signals who was serving a sentence in the Detention Barracks in Grootfontein, was rushed to the Grootfontein Hospital in a critical condition but died soon after admission. The official SADF version as to cause of death was heat exhaustion. After his body was returned to South Africa, his parents had a second autopsy carried out and the findings were that he had in fact died from a pulmonary haemorrhage as a result of blunt force trauma to his chest. He was 18. Charges of culpable homicide and perjury were laid against 6 members, two Military Policemen from the Detention Barracks and 4 prisoners who had allegedly assaulted him as well. The results of this case are unknown.
19 Nov 1987: 76235845PE Major Petrus Abraham van der Merwe from 1 Parachute Battalion, was serving as the Company Commander for Hotel Company on the Infantry School Instructor Staff. He was critically wounded on 18 November 1987 after suffering multiple shrapnel wounds in a M26 Hand Grenade explosion. During grenade practice, an M26 hand grenade that was thrown, failed to detonate and after the mandatory waiting period had expired, he rose from cover to continue with the exercise. Just as he stood up, the hand grenade exploded. He succumbed to his wounds on 19 November 1987. He was 27.
19 Nov 1989: 85450765BG Signaler Jan Gabriel Kriel from 2 Signals Regiment was killed when he was accidentally run over by a Ratel 20 at Keetmanshoop. He was 20.
19 Nov 1992: Three civilians were killed and five injured when two APLA operatives opened fire with AK-47 assault rifles on their vehicle that was travelling between Herschel and Lady Grey. Both APLA operatives were later granted amnesty. The casualties in this attack were:
Shirley Ethne Brummer (killed instantly in the attack)
Peter Schroeder (shot execution style next to the vehicle)
James Tsemane (shot execution style next to the vehicle)
19 Nov 1993: 93072163CK Lance Corporal Martin Kennith Leukes from the Western Province Command Provost Unit, South African Corps of Military Police died at Wynberg Military Base as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 25.
19 Nov 1993: 88718044HG Rifleman Aupalia Shadrack Radebe from 121 Battalion accidentally drowned while swimming in a dam at Ghamalakhe near their temporary base. He was 28.
19 Nov 1994: 89756126PE Rifleman Tankiso Fritz Letlojane from Group 36 Headquarters shot and wounded his wife during an argument at Ladybrand. He then turned the gun on himself and shot himself in the head. He was 27.
19 Nov 1998: 95656815 Corporal D E Khumalo from 121 Battalion died of disease in St Aiden’s Hospital He was 26.
19 Nov 1998: 4081692 Leading Seaman Simon Yengwo from Naval Base Durban died from tuberculosis in St Aiden’s Hospital. He was 32.
19 Nov 1999: 96200357PF Sergeant (Miss) Jacqueline Stander from the School of Armour was accidentally killed after sustaining critical head injuries when the Rooikat Armoured Car in which she was the Crew Commander, overturned on the General De Wet Training Area near Bloemfontein. She was 22.
19 Nov 1999: 97284236PV Rifleman Jeremy Botman from 1 Parachute Battalion was accidentally killed when his parachute failed during a practice jump at Tempe Airport. He was 20.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.