22 February, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
22 Feb 1977: 65837791PE Lieutenant Neil Bradley Liddell from 17 Squadron Died of Wounds when his Alouette III Helicopter Gunship, Serial No. 76 was shot down by concentrated small arms fire during anti-insurgent operations in Southern Zambia. He was critically wounded when a bullet entered the cockpit area directly from below and penetrated through his seat, striking him in the spine. He successfully managed to land the helicopter before he succumbed to his wounds. The Flight Engineer, Sergeant Flip Pretorius successfully evaded capture and made his way back to Kwando, arriving there at dusk. A follow-up operation was launched at first light and both Lt Liddell’s body together with the Helicopter were successfully recovered back to the Caprivi Strip. He was 28.
22 Feb 1978: 75244863BG Rifleman Andre Bosch from 2 SAI Died of Wounds in 1 Military Hospital after being shot and bayoneted while standing guard at their TB just outside Elundu Base after their position was overrun by a large group of SWAPO/PLAN insurgents on 19 February 1978. This was the same incident in which Sapper van der Mescht was captured and Rifleman Hunter was killed. He was 18.
22 Feb 1979: 72398985BG Lance Corporal Joachim Hermanus Cornelius Mostert from the Parys Commando attached to 52 Battalion was accidentally killed in the Delta Company Base after being struck by a bullet resulting from an accidental discharge of another soldier’s R1 rifle while the soldier was in the process of unloading and rendering his weapon safe. He was 22.
22 Feb 1980: 77328491BG Sapper Phillipus Jurie Wynand Swanepoel from 25 Field Squadron, South African Engineer Corps was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned in Northern Owamboland. He was 19.
22 Feb 1980: 75545608PE Seaman Francis William Weyers from Naval Base Simonstown accidentally drowned while crayfish diving at Kommetjie while off duty. He was 20.
22 Feb 1981: 78303930PE Private Nicolas Cornelius Van Onselen from the School of Technical Training died of multiple injuries in the Johannesburg General Hospital sustained when his private motorcycle was involved in a collision with a motor vehicle at Oberholzer in Carletonville. He was 18.
22 Feb 1984: Special Constable Patisiu Tobias 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 24.
22 Feb 1985: 8234152BG Private Philip Nat Gould from 61 Base Workshops was critically injured when he accidentally fell off a moving vehicle. He was admitted to 1 Military Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries later in the day. He was 18.
22 Feb 1988: 84506179BG Lance Corporal (Acting Section Leader) Steven Eric Lelong from 1 Parachute Battalion Combat Engineering Unit, attached to 25 Field Engineer Squadron, was accidentally killed when they were mistakenly engaged by a 102 Battalion SWATF Romeo Mike Unit in Southern Angola. A small sliver of 60mm Mortar Bomb shrapnel had passed through the note book in his left chest pocket and penetrated his heart, killing him instantly. He was 19.
22 Feb 1988: 86389701SCB Corporal Petrus Jacobus Louw from 102 Battalion SWATF accidentally drowned in the Officers/NCO’s swimming pool at the Battalion Headquarters. He was last seen sitting on a tube in the pool during the late afternoon and nobody saw him fall into the water. Due to the high levels of lime in the water at the time, the pool water was murky and it was only the following morning while the pool was being swept by Sergeant Smith, that his body was discovered. He was 19.
22 Feb 1991: 73436834PS Major Richard John Miller from 85 Combat Flying School was killed when his Atlas MB326KM Impala Mk II, Serial No. 1008 struck the ground while carrying out an aerobatics display practice at Air Force Base Pietersburg. He was 33.
22 Feb 2001: 97091912PR Rifleman John Marumo from 4 SAI was diagnosed with Malaria on 20 February 2001 while stationed at Ndumu Base. He unfortunately succumbed to the disease on 22 February 2001. He was 23.
22 Feb 2011: 86598430PF Major Gavin Richard Drake from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment suffered a fatal heart attack and died while serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was 40.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.