30 April, let us pause to remember these young men from our generation who answered the Sunset call.
30 April 1979: 75515833BG Private Marinus Johannes Schroeder from the Technical Service Corps was critically injured in a private motor vehicle accident between Vrede and Standerton on 09 March 1979. He succumbed to his injuries in 1 Military Hospital on 30 April 1979. He was 19.
30 April 1982: 78310109BG Rifleman Eddie James Barnard from 4 SAI was critically wounded by a fellow soldier while on duty in Northern Owamboland. A soldier was in the process of making his R4 rifle safe while standing next to a Buffel Troop carrier and Eddie Barnard, who was in the rear of the Buffel, was leaning over the side watching him when the shot went off, critically wounding him in the head. Although evacuated by helicopter, he succumbed to his wounds later in the day in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital at AFB Ondangwa. He was 19.
30 April 1983: 78930369HK Sergeant B. Mukosho from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. He was 27.
30 April 1985: Sergeant Robert Bigham from the South African Air Force was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Pretoria. He was 24.
30 April 1987: Three members from 5 Maintenance Unit were killed in a military vehicle accident at Ondangwa. The casualties were:
85074250BW Private Booi Julies. He was 21.
85957013CK Private Nicolaas Koopman. He was 18.
85075992BW Private Esau Oosthuizen. He was 19.
30 April 1988: 76900067SP Sergeant K.B.A. Manual from 32 Battalion died at Buffalo Base from causes unknown. He was 36.
30 April 1994: Sergeant Lükhoff Hellmuth from 86 Multi-Engine Flying School, Air Force Base Bloemspruit was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Bloemfontein. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifice have not been forgotten.