03 January, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
03 Jan 1975: W60327R Constable Johannes Francois Petzer from the South African Police, was Killed in Action in a landmine explosion while serving in Rhodesia. He was 24.
03 Jan 1976: 72416571BC 2/Lieutenant Daryl Quinton Brandon from 5 SAI Died of Wounds during Ops Savannah while leading a patrol in a contact against a numerically superior enemy force in Central Angola approximately 30km North of Cela. On 2 January 1976 during the SADF's mop up and withdrawal from Angola, he was in command of a 5 SAI platoon approaching Cela from the north. He was advised that Cuban troops occupied the hillocks ahead of them so he led his patrol on foot in the direction of these hillocks, camping overnight in rainy weather. Early the following morning on 3 January 1976, he led a section on a reconnaissance patrol leaving Corporal Vincent Rawlings and the remainder of the platoon in their temporary base at the foot of the hill. After leading his section up a footpath to the crest of the hill, he went forward to observe the enemy positions but was immediately shot and severely wounded by enemy machine gun fire when the patrol was ambushed. At great personal risk, Corporal Rawlings moved forward and retrieved the severely wounded Officer under heavy enemy machine-gun fire, an act that earned him the Honoris Crux Silver. Unfortunately this brave young officer succumbed to his wounds and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Forward Army Surgical Hospital at Cela. He was 19.
03 Jan 1984: 76901420SP Corporal Adelino Aurelio from 32 Battalion was Killed in Action during Ops Askari while attempting to break into the FAPLA Brigade Headquarters Bunker. Two grenades had already been thrown into the bunker and as Corporal Aurelio moved forward to lob his grenade through a gun port, he was mortally wounded and died a short while later. His body was recovered by Cpl Helmut Labitzke and a “bunker bomb” was subsequently prepared by an Engineer and thrown into the bunker, neutralising the threat. He was 29.
03 Jan 1989: 80892664HD Lance Corporal Khazamula Obed Mathebula from 907 Special Services Company stationed at Arton Villa, Messina (Soutpanberg Military Area) was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned during an armed patrol between Masisi and Mabelikwe just outside the Western border of the Kruger National Park. He was 28.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.