04 March, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
04 Mar 1968: 05518972PE Leading Air Mechanic James Ross Brummer from Air Operations School Langebaanweg was accidentally killed while mounting a radio antenna on the roof of a hangar at the Base. Unfortunately, the asbestos roofing on which he was standing gave way and he fell to his death. He was 24.
04 Mar 1973: W52421F Constable Lukas Hermanus Steenkamp from the South African Police was serving in Rhodesia when he was accidentally killed in a shooting incident. He was 25.
04 Mar 1975: 65949687E Lieutenant Commander (Surgeon) Stephanus Ferreira from SAS Protea was killed instantly when he accidentally walked into the moving tail rotor of the Ships Westland Wasp Helicopter while supporting a team of mountaineers attempting to climb Mont Ross, a peak on Kerguelen Island. He was 35.
04 Mar 1978: 76625581PC Private George Stone from 2 Military Base Management was accidentally killed while mounting an antenna on the roof of the single quarters at Grootfontein when he slipped and fell off the roof, breaking his neck. He was 21.
04 Mar 1979: 76244904PE Airman Herman Raath from the School of Technical Training was killed in a shooting incident at his parent’s home. He was 18.
04 Mar 1981: 75342147BT Rifleman Frans Karel Petrus Burger from the Cape Town Highlanders was Reported Missing during a river crossing while on foot patrol near Ruacana. He disappeared under the water and despite an intensive search, his body was never located. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. He was 22.
04 Mar 1981: 81511792SP Rifleman Fernando Domingos from 32 Battalion died after suffering a fatal heart attack while being transported by air to 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria. He was suffering from Jaundice. He was 25.
04 Mar 1981: 79101275PC Seaman Julian Ferdinand Martin from Naval Base Simonstown suffered critical head injuries sustained in a private motor vehicle accident in the New Orleans suburb of Paarl. He was admitted to the Tygerberg Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries not long after admission. He was 36.
04 Mar 1981: 79875365SC Rifleman Eric Wilson from 911 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 19.
04 Mar 1982: Two members of 201 Battalion SWATF were Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near the Cut-line. They were:
76915222SP Rifleman Mahorison Rodriques. He was 21.
77531093BG Rifleman Llewellyn Verwey. He was 20.
04 Mar 1983: Two members from 32 Battalion were Killed in Action during a contact with enemy forces in Southern Angola during Operation Snoek. They were:
78910650SP Sergeant Augusto Mande. He was 30.
80830664SP Rifleman Joao Daniel Kativa. He was 26.
04 Mar 1984: 78930476SP Rifleman Patrick Kudumo from 912 Battalion SWATF was accidentally shot dead by a fellow soldier while he was on duty in Northern Owamboland. He was 25.
04 Mar 1986: 84074103BW Private Petrus Dolf from the Army Catering Corps was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident, at Oshakati. He was 24.
04 Mar 1986: 83884510SW Rifleman Benjamin Tjenda from 201 Battalion SWATF was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned in Northern Owamboland. He was 19.
04 Mar 1988: 80591654CK Private Raymond Murray from the South African Cape Corps Maintenance Unit was killed in a private motor vehicle Accident near Grootfontein while on his way home from border duty. He was 25.
04 Mar 1988: 87714986SP Rifleman M K Lingando from 32 Battalion died in the Operational Area from causes unknown. He was 27.
04 Mar 1988: 94663494 Able Seaman T D Ramalahka from the South African Navy died from burn wounds accidentally sustained while at Simonstown Naval Base. He was 22.
04 Mar 1996: 77398360PE Warrant Officer Class II Jan Huisman from 4 Vehicle Reserve Park was critically injured in an accident that occurred on 15 February 1996 while he was assisting to load a Canon onto a train at Petronella Station. He was admitted to 1 Military Hospital in a critical condition where he sadly succumbed to his injuries on 04 March 1996. He was 34.
04 Mar 2022: Staff Sergeant Hendrik van Niekerk from 102 Field Workshop, Technical Service Corps was killed in a motor vehicle accident while on official duty when his vehicle was involved in a head-on collision on the R54 between Vereeniging and Potchefstroom. A vehicle approaching from the other direction ignored the solid white line and overtook a truck on a blind bend and collided head-on with his vehicle, killing him instantly. He was 40.
04 Mar 1998: 94663494 Able Seaman T D Ramalahka from Naval Base Simonstown died as a result of burns accidentally sustained while on the Base. He was 24.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.