29 March, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
29 Mar 1969: Lieutenant David Johannes Philippus Scholtz from 4 Squadron was killed when his Harvard 7291 entered a high speed stall and crashed near Thabazimbi while carrying out authorised low level tactical exercises. He was 29.
29 Mar 1973: 70525456N Private Johan Marthinus Kruger from 2 Mobilisation Centre was killed in a military vehicle accident at Petrusburg. He was 18.
29 Mar 1977: 54167291PE Staff Sergeant Gert Jacobus Voges from 29 Field Workshops died from injuries sustained in a military vehicle accident at the Otavi-Tsumeb crossroads near Grootfontein while he was traveling as a passenger to the airport. He was 39.
29 Mar 1978: 74559436BG Rifleman Jan Hendrik Coetzee Maritz from 4 SAI died from endocarditis while doing his National Service Basic Training. He was admitted to 1 Military Hospital after he took ill one evening at dinner and sadly died not long after admission. He was 19.
29 Mar 1979: 75444760BG Rifleman Emmil Karl Erhardt Burger from 8 SAI attached to 52 Battalion died from injuries accidentally sustained when he fell out of a tree near Okolongo while on patrol. He was 20.
29 Mar 1979: 78012994PR Corporal Frans Phillipus de Villiers from the Orange Free State Command Headquarters died from lung cancer in 3 Military Hospital in Bloemfontein. He was 57.
29 Mar 1981: 80012073PE Rifleman Diedré Olivier from 6 SAI was killed in a private motor vehicle accident at Humansdorp while on vacation leave. He was 19.
29 Mar 1985: Brigadier Willem Otto SM, MMM Director of the SADF Military Information Bureau, died after suffering a fatal heart attack. He was 49.
29 Mar 1988: 85549053BG Seaman Mark Anthony Greenwood, a Dog Handler at SAS Unitie was accidentally killed in a military motor vehicle accident when he fell off the Dyna truck they were travelling in whilst coming back from taking their dogs for a run on the beach. He was 19.
29 Mar 1988: 80575046BT Gunner Hans Jurgens van der Westhuizen from Regiment Potchefstroom University was killed after suffering a gunshot wound, accidentally self-inflicted in Southern Angola during operations against FAPLA Forces 40 km East of Luengue. While on the way to fetch water, he bent down and his webbing caught on the trigger of his R4 which discharged 3 rounds that struck him in the chest, killing him instantly. He was 32.
29 Mar 1993: 84856483HL Rifleman Remaketse Ephraim Chaka from 21 Battalion was involved in Military Vehicle Accident and later left the accident scene to return to Base to receive medical treatment but failed to arrive. He was officially Reported Missing and after an intensive search, his body was eventually found at Zuurbekom. It appeared that he had been murdered as he had been shot three times before being off a moving train. He was 31.
29 Mar 1993: 92061506PK 2/Lieutenant Hendrik Passen from 3 SAI was accidentally killed at Mehlonyama in Natal after suffering fatal head injuries when he was crushed between two vehicles. He was 20.
29 Mar 1998: 90744152 Rifleman S Mavuso from 121 Battalion died of disease in the Ermelo Hospital. He was 34.
29 Mar 1998: 89761605 Lance Corporal B C Zulu from 3 SAI was shot dead at Huhudi near Vryburg by persons unknown. He was 36.
29 Mar 1999 97283907PV Gunner Thabo Nimrod Leeuw from 4 Artillery Regiment died in 1 Military Hospital from a gunshot wound, accidentally self-inflicted while he was standing guard at the Regiment on 19 March 1999. He was 23.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.