24 January, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
24 Jan 1964: P/46111 Leading Air Mechanic Cornelius Abraham van der Poel from Air Force Station Ysterplaat was accidentally killed after being shot with a.22 pistol. He had just come off guard duty at D.F. Malan Airport and took a pistol out of his bag and attempted to shoot a bird. The pistol misfired so he threw it over to his friend who tried to catch it but the weapon discharged and the bullet struck Van der Poel in the mouth, killing him instantly. He was 32.
24 Jan 1965: Major Diederik Johannes Müller from the Military College suffered a heart attack and died later in 1 Military Hospital. He was 51.
24 Jan 1978: 70297262BT Private Cornelius Jacobus Borchardt from the Army Service Corps was killed in a military vehicle accident at Otjiwarongo while traveling in a convoy between Windhoek and Grootfontein when his Buffel Troop Carrier left the road and overturned. He was 23.
24 Jan 1979: 73743334PY Rifleman Gerald Wayne Williams from 6 SAI accidentally drowned during a training exercise at the Base. He was 22.
24 Jan 1981: 78240264BG Trooper Eugene Margo Nel from 4 Vehicle Reserve Park was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned 2 km from Kroonstad. He was 19.
24 Jan 1984: 74444613BT Corporal Dawid Lambert van Niekerk from Regiment De Wet was killed instantly when he was struck by lightning during a thunderstorm while on a field training exercise. He was 25.
24 Jan 1985: 81290850BG Corporal Jacobus Petrus Hall from 1 Parachute Battalion was accidentally shot dead by a fellow soldier who was on guard duty while the patrol was in a TB for the night North of Okankolo. Hall was seen moving around outside the “Security Perimeter” of their TB sometime during the night and was mistaken for a SWAPO/PLAN insurgent who were known to be in the area. The guard opened fire, killing him instantly. He was 19.
24 Jan 1985: 84069251CK Rifleman Saul Frederick de Kock from the South African Cape Corps was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned during a follow-up operation against SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Southern Angola. He was 26.
24 Jan 1985: 82901455SWK Rifleman J.H. Fillipus from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN Insurgents. He was 22.
24 Jan 1987: 83347187BG Rifleman William Viljoen from 8 SAI was accidentally killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned after losing a front wheel 3 km South of Ondangwa. He was thrown out of the vehicle which then rolled over him. He was 22.
24 Jan 1992: 90082066CK Rifleman Dion Jesse Baggott from the Army Battle School was critically injured when his Landrover overturned at the Army Battle School on 22 January 1992. He was casevaced to the Universitas Hospital in Bloemfontein where he sadly succumbed to his injuries on 24 January 1992. He was 18.
24 Jan 1998: 85063097PE Sergeant Ockert Barendse from the School of Artillery accidentally drowned in Potchefstroom. He was 28.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.