20 June, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
20 Jun 1958: L/6205 Air Mechanic Denis Rene Human Massart from 1 Air Depot died from a brain tumor in the Pretoria General Hospital. He was 18.
20 Jun 1960: E/15631 Rifleman Colin Richardson from the Royal Natal Carbineers died of polio in Pietermaritzburg. He was 24.
20 Jun 1963: V2124 Air Mechanic Robert Henry Mentis died from a gunshot wound accidentally sustained while stationed at Voortrekkerhoogte. He was 17.
20 Jun 1968: 65725475E Candidate Officer Pieter Frans Jurgens was killed when his AT-6 Harvard, Serial No. 7259 crashed near Dunnottar while on a routine General Flying training sortie. He was 19.
20 Jun 1977: 74463399BA Sapper Johannes van Wyk Mouton from 2 Field Engineer Regiment was killed in a training accident at the Unit. He was 18.
20 Jun 1981: 81512626PE Rifleman Peter Joseph Dzikiti from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment in Phalaborwa was found dead at the Unit. He had died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 20.
20 Jun 1983: 81031940BG Trooper Jan Hendrik de Lange from 2 Special Service Battalion was killed at Zeerust after being struck by a bullet resulting from an accidental discharge of a fellow soldiers rifle. He was 17.
20 Jun 1984: Two members from the 2nd Battalion Transvaal Scottish accidentally drowned while their patrol was crossing the Cunene River near the Ruacana Falls. They were:
78576055BT Rifleman Arthur Hendrik Boshoff. He was 21
79402210BT Rifleman Leslie George Wasas. He was 21
20 Jun 1984: Special Constable Blasius Kutenda 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.
20 Jun 1987: 86853264SWH Rifleman K. Tjihote from 102 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN Insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 22.
20 Jun 1988: 84488105BG Rifleman Ian Michael Webb from 6 SAI died in hospital at Tsumeb after sustaining severe head injuries when the right front tyre of a SAMIL truck burst causing the driver to lose control approximately 5km past the Tsumeb turn-off. The truck had 57 troops on board and was towing a trailer with their bags and kit. The truck veered off the road and hit an embankment throwing most of the troops off the vehicle before rolling back into a ditch. He was 20.
20 Jun 1992: 86474889BT Lance Corporal Nicholas Johannes Fourie from Regiment Hoeveld had just completed a 50 day deployment and had contracted malaria. He was admitted to 1 Military Hospital where he sadly succumbed to the disease. He was 22.
20 Jun 2000: 98028863PV Lieutenant Sindile Walter Mthiyane from 5 SAI was Killed in Action when he was shot dead by persons unknown at Bambayi during a search operation. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.