On 23 July, let us pause to remember these young men and women from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
23 Jul 1958: P/18276 Signaler James Robert Leslie from School of Signals was accidentally killed at a boarding house in Arcadia, Pretoria after he got involved in a fight with another man and during the scuffle, a verandah wall was pushed over and fell on him. He was 26.
23 Jul 1973: 71458368BA Rifleman Stuart Craig McGregor from 4 SAI died from a gunshot wound to the stomach while stationed at Greefswald. He was 18.
23 Jul 1984: 78931052HK Rifleman K. Murongo from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 22.
23 Jul 1989: 80012099PE Flight Sergeant Casparus Johannes Jacobus Gerhardus Vorster from 1 Air Depot collapsed and died after suffering a fatal heart attack. He was 57.
23 Jul 1989: Three members of the South African Air Force were killed in a private motor vehicle accident on the N1 Highway at the Witbank Off-ramp. The casualties were:
83318527PE Lance Corporal Steven Reginald Trollip from Air Force Base Swartkop. He was critically injured in the accident and later succumbed to his injuries in the H.F. Verwoerd Hospital He was 21.
88761622PE Airman (Miss) Marlise Loock from the Northern Air Defence Sector at Devon. She was killed instantly. She was 18.
88775051PE Airman (Miss) Marianna Christina Murphy from the Highveld Airspace Control Sector in Pretoria. She was critically injured in the accident and later succumbed to her injuries in the H.F. Verwoerd Hospital. She was 18.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten