29 September, let us pause for a minute to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
29 Sep 1977: Four members from 4 SAI were killed in a friendly fire incident near Okalongo when a soldier who formed part of an ambush position, opened fire. The casualties in this unfortunate incident were:
69206464PE Sergeant Jan Pieter Albertus Furstenburg. He was 24.
74413659BB Corporal Leslie Muller. He was 19.
74281734BG Rifleman Jan Joachim Jacobus de Vos. He was 18.
74382862BG Rifleman Cornelius Johannes Lourens. He was 19.
29 Sep 1981: Two helicopter crewmen from 19 Squadron and four members of the SADF including a Medical Doctor were Killed in Action when Aerospatiale SA330L Puma, Serial No.174 crashed at Oshakati after the Puma Helicopter tail rotor got caught up in a stay cable of the Sector 10 Headquarters radio mast while bringing in casualties at night. It is suspected that the Pilot got disorientated in a brown-out situation causing the helicopter tail rotor to connect with the cable. The sole survivor of this incident was the Pilot, Major Johannes Jacobus Vogel. As far as it is known, he never flew again.
HELICOPTER CREW:
76450212PE Lieutenant Desmond O’Connor (Co-Pilot). He was 21.
70331103PE Sergeant Daniel Francis Lamprecht (Flight Engineer). He was 27.
PASSENGERS:
70265772BG Lieutenant (Dr) Cecil George Bartie from 3 Military Hospital. He was 27.
76397959BG Candidate Officer James van Zyl (Hygiene Officer) from the South African Medical Corps att 201 Battalion SWATF. He was 21.
78452075BG Private Hendrik Jacobus Badenhorst (Ops Medic) from the South African Medical Corps. He was 19.
79574554BG Rifleman Richard Anthony Herbst (Casualty) from 3 SAI. He was 20.
29 Sep 1990: 83319236BG Rifleman Barry Hart from 6 SAI was killed in a military vehicle accident on Beitbridge Road while traveling towards Vhembe Base. He was 23.
Their names and sacrifice have not been forgotten.