04 April, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
04 April 1939: Lieutenant Leslie Thomas Kinsey from the South African Air Force was killed when his Westland Wapiti, Serial Number 613 was involved in a mid-air collision with Gypsy Moth ZS-ACW over the sea near Durban. He was 24.
04 April 1939: 2/Lieutenant Carl Johannes Enslin from Zwartkop Air Station was killed when his Avro 621 Tutor, Serial 739 crashed near Roberts Heights (Voortrekkerhoogte) during a training flight. He was 19.
04 Apr 1965: Private Lawrence Duncan Sheedy from 1 Air Depot died of cardiac failure at 1 Military Hospital in Voortrekkerhoogte. He was 55.
04 April 1979: 75357095BG Rifleman Dirk Johannes Storm from 3 SAI was accidentally killed when his Unimog on which he was traveling as a passenger, overturned near Mpungu Vlei while travelling to Rundu. He was crushed when the vehicle rolled over him. He was 19.
04 Apr 1983: 77880300SP Rifleman I. Uevala from 32 Battalion died from multiple organ failure in the Sickbay at Buffalo Base. He was 34.
04 April 1986: 77880847SP Corporal Alfonso Alberto from 32 Battalion died from causes unknown. He was 27.
04 April 1989: 85212843PE Corporal Hermann Carstens from 1 Reconnaissance Regiment was attached to the Okatope Security Police Team at Okankolo during Ops Merlyn and was appointed as the vehicle Commander of Casspir, Callsign 21C. As the Commander, he was also responsible for manning the twin Browning Machine Guns in the vehicle turret. He was Killed in Action near Eenhana when his Casspir that was ahead of the Tracking Team, ran into an ambush and was hit by a Yugoslavian M60 HEAT STRIM (High Explosive Anti-Tank) Rifle Grenade that struck the vehicle between the first 2 side windows on the left-hand side. Corporal Carstens was hit behind the ear by a piece of shrapnel that killed him instantly. Twelve SWAPO/PLAN insurgents were killed in this contact and once the contact had died down, another Koevoet Combat Team continued to track the insurgents who had made good their escape. Contact was made later that afternoon and another seven members of the insurgent group were killed. Corporal Carstens was the last member of Special Forces and last member of the SADF to die during the Bush War. He was 20.
04 April 1989: Three members from 101 Battalion Romeo Mike, SWATF were Killed in Action in fierce fighting in Northern Owamboland during Ops Merlyn as 101 Battalion Romeo Mike and Koevoet Combat Teams continued to intercept and engage large groups of very heavily armed SWAPO/PLAN insurgents crossing into Owamboland from Southern Angola. The casualties in this contact were:
Rifleman E. Anunyela. He was 26.
Rifleman J. Mandume. He was 24.
Rifleman N. Kapentse. He was 23.
04 Apr 1995: 94763034PE Staff Sergeant Moses Mnusi Lebotse from 1 SAI died from tuberculosis in the Bophelong Community Hospital. He was 35.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.