26 March, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
26 Mar 1957: Two members from Central Flying School Dunnottar were killed when their Harvard 7644 flew into rising ground near Trichardt during a night cross country flight. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and burnt out. The casualties were:
P1/42929 Lieutenant Andre Dewald de Klerk. He was 25.
P18121 2/Lieutenant Neil Rhodes Edward Kennaugh. He survived the initial crash but was critically injured when thrown clear of the aircraft on impact. He succumbed to his injuries before he could be taken to a hospital. He was 20.
26 Mar 1965: 60065356 Rifleman Andrew Mark Newton-Thompson from 1 SAI collapsed from heat exhaustion while on a cross country run and died in the Groote Schuur Hospital. He was 21.
26 Mar 1965: 63239040 Rifleman Johannes Rudolf Fourie from 5 SAI died from a gunshot wound resulting from an accidental discharge of a fellow soldier’s rifle during a training exercise at Ladysmith. He was 18.
26 Mar 1976: 69470425BT Rifleman Hermanus Stephanus Lombard Moss from the Kaffrarian Rifles was Killed in Action when his Unimog detonated a landmine just north of Ondangwa in Northern Owamboland. He was 23.
26 Mar 1977: 76902477SP Rifleman Joao Antonio from 32 Battalion was killed in a military vehicle accident at Buffalo while delivering supplies to the Base. He was 27.
26 Mar 1978: 69237519KT Corporal Nicolaas Johannes Koekemoer from the Johannesburg Regiment was Killed in Action during a contact with enemy forces in Rhodesia. The possibility exists that he may have been accidentally killed in the cross fire between the insurgents and Rhodesian and South African Security Forces during this action. He was 24.
26 Mar 1980: Rifleman John Stephen Botha from 32 Battalion was found dead at Bagani Base with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was 19.
26 Mar 1984: 76342104BG Lieutenant Hendrik Hans Jacob Maree from the South African Medical Corps attached to 202 Battalion SWATF was killed in a motor vehicle accident at Rundu. He was 23.
26 Mar 1995: 94724481PE Rifleman Mishumo Lazarus Sadiki from Group 2 was Reported Missing on 26 March 1995 after he disappeared while trying to cross the Limpopo River. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. He was 24.
26 Mar 1998: Two members from the SAAF Forward Air Command Post in Port Elizabeth were Killed in a Military Vehicle Accident at Mbashee. The casualties were:
89705073PP Sergeant Anthony Frank Joseph. He was 32.
93737682PE Sergeant Denzil Rupert John Phillips. He was 26.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.