29 May, let us pause to remember the following young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
29 May 1981: 77386993PE Lieutenant Jeremy John van der Wath from 42 Squadron was killed instantly while flying an AM3C Bosbok, Serial No. 958 on low level ration drops over a shona near Eenhana. During one of these drops, the aircraft clipped some trees while pulling up causing the pilot to lose control of the aircraft and crash. He was 20. The passenger, 2/Lt C.P. Taylor from 1 Parachute Battalion was critically injured and although evacuated to Pretoria, he succumbed to his injuries in 1 Military Hospital on 02 June 1981.
29 May 1981: 71367569PE Lieutenant Immo Klaus Kruger from 32 Battalion was killed after suffering multiple shrapnel wounds in an accidental hand grenade explosion at the 32 Battalion Base after he flung himself onto a hand grenade to protect those around him from injury. He was 25.
29 May 1982: 79542783BG Lance Corporal Adam Cecil Lennox from 5 Reconnaissance Regiment died at Phalaborwa as a result of a gunshot wound to the head accidentally self-inflicted while he playing with a privately owned revolver. He was 18.
29 May 1982: 76928985SP Rifleman N. Baptista from 32 Battalion was found murdered at Buffalo Base. He had been stabbed to death. He was 34.
29 May 1983: 81952020HV Rifleman Noreneus Philipus from 101 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Cut-Line. He was 23.
29 May 1984: 52199635PE Warrant Officer Class 1 Willem de Ruyter Genis from Northern Logistics Command was killed in a military vehicle accident at Grootfontein. He was 48.
29 May 1990: 86542636BG Private Charl de Villiers from the Technical Service Corps was accidentally killed in Pretoria when his Ratel overturned on the road in front of Special Forces Headquarters. He was 19.
Their names and sacrifice have not been forgotten.