21 June, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
21 Jun 1952: Private Alwyn Lewis Smit from the Army Service Corps was found in a critical condition as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to 1 Military Hospital but was certified dead on arrival. He was 23.
21 Jun 1958: Flight Sergeant Daniel Horak Potgieter from 1 Air Depot died in 1 Military Hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was 42.
21 Jun 1967: 65675753E Air Mechanic Adam Hendrik Schoeman from 1 Squadron was accidentally killed at Air Force Base Pietersburg after he was sucked into the engine air intake of Canadair C13L Mk VI Sabre 377 while setting the fuel pumps during a full-engine run. He was 19.
21 Jun 1977: 74452889BA Rifleman Raymond Ward from the Army Catering Corps was killed in a military vehicle accident while travelling to De Aar. He was 24.
21 Jun 1980: Two members from 32 Battalion were Killed in Action during a contact with enemy forces in Southern Angola near Beacon 32. They were:
75223610PE 2/Lieutenant Willem Adriaan de Vos. He was 19.
76907237SP Rifleman S. Mukonda. He was 27.
21 Jun 1980: 76495860BG Corporal Petrus Johannes Badenhorst from 5 SAI, attached to 51 Battalion, was critically wounded on 20 June 1980 during evening “Klaarstaan” in the Ops Room at Concor Base, East of Ruacana. He was sitting and playing with a captured Yugoslavian M-60P1 HEAP Pencil STRIM Rifle Grenade and was tapping it against the floor when it exploded. He suffered multiple shrapnel wounds to his body, chest and face and succumbed to his wounds and resultant blood loss during the early hours of 21 June 1980. He was 20. (His Grave Headstone is marked as Pieta Mark Brady Badenhorst in accordance with his Father’s wishes).
21 Jun 1980: 78951456BG Corporal Willem Adriaan Finnies from 41 Battalion was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN Insurgents. He was 18.
21 Jun 1981: 74529884BG Bombardier Dirk Hero Onne Hassebroek from 84 Motorised Brigade was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident in Sector 70. He was 23.
21 Jun 1982: Three members from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) were Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. They were:
Special Constable Paulus Antonius. He was 26.
Special Constable Immanuel Kavulu. He was 29.
Special Constable Theophillus Ndevelo. He was 26
21 Jun 1983: 770135688PE Sergeant Terrence Moffat Atkinson from 1 Construction Regiment was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident at Musese in Western Kavango. He was 26.
21 Jun 1987: 84903267SWO Rifleman Josef Wilhelm from 101 Battalion SWATF died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 24.
21 Jun 1996: 10840700KV Rifleman Mzwandile James Bhanyana from the Umvoti Commando was killed in a military vehicle accident at Mtembesweni while traveling as a passenger in a Samil 20 which overturned after the driver lost control of the vehicle. He was 25.
21 Jun 1998: 14753001 Rifleman P R Bafshoe from 121 Battalion died of disease in the Johannesburg General Hospital. He was 32.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.