20 May, let us pause to remember these young men and women from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
20 May 1970: Two members from Flying Training School Langebaanweg were killed when their Atlas MB326M Impala Mk I, Serial No 512, flipped over on the runway at Air Force Base Langebaanweg while they were attempting to land after their aircraft developed fuel transfer problems from the wingtip fuel tanks coupled with a very high cross-wind component on the runway. They casualties were:
01459205E Major Gabriel Hendrik van Dyk. He was 31
01519610E Captain Phillip Spencer Weyer. He was 25
20 May 1979: Special Constable Petrus Mabashe 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 26
20 May 1981: Three SADF members were Killed in Action while on a vehicle patrol from Okankolo north-east along the Odilla River bed. Their Buffel Troop Carrier detonated a Yugoslavian TMA-3 Cheese Mine that was coupled with Cortex to three British Mk 7 Anti-Tank Mines that detonated under the vehicle and punched a hole straight through the base of the vehicle. The blast overpressure of the explosion caused the Buffel fuel tanks to rupture and explode. The casualties were:
77496321BG 2/Lieutenant Stephen Soloman Hansen from 6 SAI. He was 19.
77216448 BG Sapper Jan Hendrik Smith from 25 Field Engineer Squadron. He was 19.
77530483 BG Sapper Anthonie Christoffel Strydom from 25 Field Engineer Squadron. He was 19.
20 May 1982: 78460490PE Corporal Brian Gerald Peterson from 701 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action after being shot by a SWAPO/PLAN sniper during a contact with insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 19.
20 May 1982: 79469086BG Rifleman Gerhardus Petrus Cornelius Hattingh from 1 South African Infantry Battalion attached to. 61 Mechanised Battalion Group was accidentally killed at Tsumeb when a Ratel rode over his head while he was asleep next to the vehicle. He was 20.
20 May 1983: A powerful car bomb placed by MK Operatives outside the Air Force Headquarters building in Church Street, Pretoria, exploded during the afternoon rush-hour period killing 7 SADF members and 10 civilians. Another 197 SADF personnel and civilians were wounded in the explosion that also killed the two MK Operatives who had placed the bomb. The Military casualties were:
81541765PE Colonel Stefanus Sebastiaan Walters from DMI. He was 43 (Died of Wounds on 28 May 1983).
68000967PE Commandant Johan de Villiers from Army HQ. He was 49
01570019PE Commandant Izak Johannes Henning from SAAF HQ. He was 60. (Died of Wounds on 23 May 1983)
72257959PE Captain Rian Hendrik Liebenberg from CSI. He was 26
70010186PE Flight Sergeant Jacob Johannes Ras from SAAF HQ. He was 38
77244804PE Corporal Anton Nel from SAAF HQ. He was 22.
79476487BG Airman Wayne Lawrence Kirtley from 250 ADAG was initially reported missing but after an intensive search of the area, his body was located and recovered the following day. The force of the blast had hurled his body across the intersection where it hit a lamp post before landing on a balcony of a residential flat. He was 19.
The Civilian casualties Were:
Mrs Sharon Desire’ Bos
Mr Pedros Ntemo Kohliwe
Mr Sekgoeti Jim Magatsela
Mr Jonas Tomy Mahlahlo
Mr Lengoi Moses Maimela
Mr Mogale Juda Maimela
Mrs Adriana Johanna Christina Meyer
Mr Stephen John Page
Mr Joseph Keane Sambo
Mr Louis Marthinus van Jaarsveld
20 May 1983: 74543380BT Rifleman John Phillip Olivier from Regiment Groot Karoo was Killed in Action near Mupa in South Eastern Angola during a pre-cursor operation in the area prior to launching Operation Dolfyn. Their mission was to neutralise any insurgents and/or donkeys that were being used to transport supplies and ammunition for the insurgents. While the patrol was in pursuit of a SWAPO/PLAN insurgent, he went to ground in a cattle kraal. John Olivier was the first to arrive at the kraal and as he kicked down the kraal wall, the insurgent opened fire with a PKM Machine Gun, shooting him in the chest at point blank range, killing him instantly. He was 24.
20 May 1984: Marine Jacobus Becker from Golf Company, Platoon 19, South African Marine Corps was killed in a horrific private motor vehicle accident in Bellville not long after returning from Wenela Base in the Operational Area. The vehicle in which he was travelling as a passenger, was involved in a three-vehicle collision in Strand Street and immediately burst into flames with him still trapped inside. The seriously injured driver and two badly burned female passengers were more fortunate and only just managed to escape before the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. He was 19.
20 May 1987: 66515271PE Chief Petty Officer Jan Johannes Barend Mostert from Naval Base Simonstown was killed in a military vehicle accident at Nelspoort. He was returning to Simonstown after collecting sports equipment when his vehicle overturned. He was 38.
20 May 1987: 84566546BG Private Clifton Brian Kilian from 97 Ammunition Depot was killed in a military vehicle accident at Mokerong. He was 19.
20 May 1988: 88703517PB Rifleman Motsemoholo Joseph Mpembe from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment was accidentally killed when his parachute failed during a training parachute jump at Kenilworth. He was 23.
20 May 1988: 82342627BG Rifleman Andre Petrus Prinsloo from 4 SAI was killed in a military vehicle accident 10km South of Windhoek. He was 21.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.