Lest We Forget... 27 June

On 27 June, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.

27 Jun 1961: Pupil Pilot Leonard George Gulian from Central Flying School Dunnottar was killed when his Harvard 7172 failed to recover after entering a flat spin while engaged in a general flying training sortie and crashed near Springs. He was 19.

27 Jun 1977: Private Hendrik Johannes Naude from 42 Squadron was killed in a private motor vehicle accident. He was 18.

27 June 1980: 762115493BG Rifleman Nicolaas Johannes Kruger from 25 Field Squadron was Killed in Action when he stepped on and detonated a boosted anti-personnel mine near Okatope in Northern Owamboland. He was killed instantly in the explosion. He was 20.

27 Jun 1981: 80870223SC Rifleman L A Kupido from 911 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 20.

27 Jun 1981: 76548957BG Private Carl Stefanus Swart from Army Headquarters was killed in a private motor vehicle accident at Brits. He was 20.

27 June 1985: Rifleman J. Fillemon from 101 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 23.

27 June 1986: 83065169CK Rifleman Frikkie Carolus from the 1st Battalion Cape Corps died from a gunshot wound sustained as a result of an accidental discharge of a fellow soldiers rifle while stationed at De Aar. He was 26.

27 June 1988: 85445708BG 2/Lieutenant Muller Meiring of 61 Mechanised Battalion was Killed in Action North East of Calueque when his Ratel received a direct hit by a Soviet RPG-7 Anti-Tank Rocket on the Commanders position, killing him instantly. He was 19. He parents later moved to Australia and his lonely grave in the Verkeerdevlei Cemetery was all but forgotten. The Grey College, Bloemfontein Class of 1986 decided it was time to “bring their Officer home”. Permission was sought and granted to have his remains exhumed and cremated. On Thursday 19 June 2014 at 16h00, a moving ceremony, attended by 80 people was held at Grey College Bloemfontein where his ashes were re-interred in a niche at the School’s Garden of Remembrance. Three of the original four members of his Ratel crew were in attendance. They had successfully brought their Officer and Crew Commander “back home” to rest.

27 June 1988: Eleven members of the SADF were Killed in Action during a retaliatory air strike by Angolan Air Force MiG-23 aircraft on SADF positions near the Calueque Dam after SADF Artillery had accurately bombarded Cuban and FAPLA positions in the town of Techipa on 26 and 27 June 1988 causing heavy FAPA and Cuban casualties. A SADF Buffel Troop Carrier from 8 SAI together with an Eland 90 Armoured Car from 10 Armoured Car Squadron were completely wrecked when a Soviet 460kg (1 000 lb) aircraft bomb landed between them, killing all aboard. The casualties in the Buffel Troop Carrier were:

80468341BG Lieutenant Noah Tucker of 8 SAI. He was 23. (Lieutenant Tucker was born in Israel and moved together with his father to South Africa in 1968. His father, Norman Tucker was a Veteran of the Six Day War Egypt and Israel. Prior to joining the SADF, Noah had obtained a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of the Witwatersrand).

84247501BG Corporal Ewert Phillipus Koorts of 8 SAI. He was 19.

84481994BG Lance Corporal Johannes Reinhard Gerhardus Holder 8 SAI Ops Medic. He was 19.

84241694BG Rifleman Johannes Mattheus Strauss Venter of 8 SAI. He was 19.

8448141BG Rifleman Thomas Benjamin Rudman of 8 SAI. He was 20.

84458074BG Rifleman Phillipus Rudolph Marx of 8 SAI. He was 19.

85434181BG Rifleman Andries Stephanus Johannes Els of 8 SAI. He was 19.

84382407BG Trooper Michael John van Heerden of 8 SAI. He was 19.

The casualties in the Eland 90 Armoured Car were:

84450683BG Lance Corporal Wynand Albert van Wyk of 1 SSB Attached 10 Armoured Car Squadron. He was 19.

84246024BG Trooper Gregory Scott of 2 SSB Attached 10 Armoured Car Squadron. He was 19.

84432756BG Trooper Emile Erasmus of 10 Armoured Car Squadron. He was 20.

27 Jun 1988: 84450683BG Lance Corporal Wynand Albert van Wyk from 10 Armoured Car Squadron was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 19.

27 June 1990: 76914373HI Lance Corporal C Chimongaia from 31 Battalion Died from Natural Causes in the Omega Sick Bay. He was 27.

27 Jun 1998: 94089588PV Rifleman Mvula Emmanuel Mashinini from 3 SAI was killed in a military vehicle accident when his Samag was involved in a head-on collision with a civilian vehicle at Upington. He was 23.

27 Jun 1998: 88717970 Corporal S G Mbokazi from 21 Battalion died of disease in the Utrecht Hospital. He was 34.

Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.