02 June, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
02 Jun 1979: 75541508BG Rifleman Abraham Johannes Willemse from Infantry School was killed in a private motor vehicle accident at Wellington while on a 7-day pass. He was 20.
02 Jun 1980: 77506731BG Lance Corporal Kenneth Victor Beeker from the South African Dog Training Centre was killed in a private motor vehicle accident when his car overturned on the Pietersburg Highway. He was 19.
02 June 1981: 77254266PE 2/Lieutenant Christoffel Petrus Taylor from 1 Parachute Battalion died in 1 Military Hospital after being critically injured on 29 May 1981 while flying in the rear passenger seat of a 42 Squadron Atlas AM3C Bosbok, Serial No. 958. The aircraft crashed near Eenhana while flying a low level water/ration drop over a Shona when the wing clipped some trees just as the aircraft was pulling up. He was 20. The Pilot, Lieutenant Jeremy John van der Wath from 42 Squadron was killed in the initial crash.
02 Jun 1982: 78276235BG Gunner Hendrik Jacobus Nicholaas Theron from 4 Field Regiment was killed in a private vehicle accident at Winburg while on a weekend Pass. He was 19.
02 Jun 1982: Special Constable Petrus Venasio 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 25.
02 Jun 1986: Rifleman T. Kefas from 101 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Cut-Line. He was 24
02 Jun 1986: 76147354HK Staff Sergeant L. Mutorwa from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Angolan Border. He was 28.
02 Jun 1989: 81131104BG Sapper Francois Crowley from the School of Engineers was accidentally killed when a telephone pole fell on top of him. He was 23.
02 Jun 2001: 80022874PE Warrant Officer Class I John Robert McTaggard from Defence Intelligence collapsed and died after suffering a fatal heart attack while in the Liberty Life Building. He was 46.
Their Names and sacrifice will not be forgotten.