25 October, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
25 Oct 1961: Air Mechanic Gert Frederik Jacobus Engelbrecht from 68 Air School died of injuries and blood loss when his arm and shoulder blade were severed when his private motorcycle was involved in a collision with a civilian motor vehicle in Pretoria. He was 21.
25 Oct 1975: 73537870BA Rifleman Christian Lambert Kruger from Infantry School was accidentally killed when his private motor vehicle was involved in a head on collision with another motor vehicle near Kroonstad while traveling home on a weekend pass. He was 19.
25 Oct 1975: Two members from 5 SAI were killed when their private motor vehicle was involved in a head on collision with another civilian motor vehicle near Kroonstad while traveling home on a weekend pass. The casualties were:
73412413BA Rifleman Cornelius Albertus Van Niekerk. He was 18.
72467657BA Rifleman Jacobus Lukas Marthinus Venter. He was 19.
25 Oct 1976: 73406480BA Rifleman Jan Hendrik Malan from 11 Commando Regiment Died of Wounds sustained when his patrol was ambushed by a group of SWAPO/PLAN Insurgents at Onhunda in Northern Owamboland. He was 19
25 Oct 1980: 76900497SP Rifleman Paulo Almeido from 32 Battalion died from injuries sustained in a military vehicle accident when the Samil 20 he was traveling in overturned at Buffalo Base. He was 23.
25 Oct 1980: 76237734BG Corporal Christopher Bruce Catto from 5 SAI was accidentally shot dead when he and his Section set up an ambush near Etale Base. One of the soldiers heard something during the night and opened fire but unfortunately shot down the line of the ambushing soldiers. Corporal Catto was struck by a bullet that killed him instantly while another soldier had his thumb shot off in the same incident. He was 20.
25 Oct 1982: 79236014BG Private Daniel Stephanus Briedenhann from 61 Base Workshop was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head using his R1 Rifle while he was on a weekend pass. It is believed that he was suffering serious depression at the time of the incident. He was 19.
25 Oct 1983: 81300436BG Airman Wernich Haupt from 250 Air Defence Artillery Group suffered critical head injuries when he accidentally fell off the back of a moving Land Rover in the camp area. He died from his injuries in 1 Military Hospital later the same day. He was 18.
25 Oct 1994: 02002781BE Lance Corporal Reginald Rapita from the Bophuthatswana Defence Force died in 1 Military Hospital after being admitted in critical condition after apparently taking some type of traditional medicine. He was 29.
25 Oct 1998: 92660265 Lance Corporal M.I. Moruti from the South African Army died of disease in 3 Military Hospital. He was 25.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.