19 October, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
19 Oct 1952: P13792 Airman Caspar Willem Petrus Nel from Air Force Station Congella suffered fractured vertebrae when he was dumped by a large wave while swimming in the sea sometime during March 1952. He was re-admitted to the Sanitarium Hospital in Durban on 15 Oct 1952 after complications set in as a result of this injury but he unfortunately died on 19 October 1952 following surgery. He was 20.
19 Oct 1959: P/20304 Flight Sergeant Evert Philippus Jacobus Kleynhans from the Air Force Gymnasium died in 1 Military Hospital as a result of critical head injuries sustained when his private motor vehicle was involved on an accident and overturned n Voortrekkerhoogte and he was thrown out of the vehicle. He was 32.
19 Oct 1975: 73245870E Private Andre Marinus Kievit from Army Headquarters was killed in a private motorcycle accident, in Pretoria. He was 18.
19 Oct 1992: 2/Lieutenant Gregory Ben Waterhouse from 4 Reconnaissance Regiment was critically injured in a private motor vehicle accident at Empangeni and succumbed to his injuries a short while later. He was 21.
19 Oct 1994: 93475267BG Private Mahlareng Klaas Shabalala from the South African Military Police Provost School was killed instantly after he picked up an unexploded projectile in the veld at the Army Battle School and took it to his tent where he apparently hit the projectile with a stone or dropped it causing it to detonate. He was 23.
19 Oct 1995: 68392711BV Warrant Officer Class I Voden Frank Hamilton from 8 Division Headquarters was killed in a military vehicle accident in Bloemfontein. He was 43.
19 Oct 1998: 94099173 Private K. Sonandi from the South African Army was killed in a private motor vehicle accident at Warden. He was 23.
19 Oct 1999: 95061032PV Corporal Jacob Themba Mathe from Natal Command Headquarters was killed in a military motor vehicle accident near Bloemfontein while on his way to participate in a karate championship. He was 22.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.