04 May, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
04 May 1978: Four members from 2 and 3 Parachute Battalion were Killed in Action in the Airborne assault on Cassinga in Southern Angola during Operation Reindeer. The casualties were:
71384234BT Rifleman Edward James Backhouse from 3 Parachute Battalion. He was 22.
68546134BT Rifleman Martin Kaplan from 2 Parachute Battalion. He was 25.
70510813BT Rifleman Jacob Conrad De Waal from 2 Parachute Battalion. He was 23.
65383390BT Rifleman Andries Petrus Human from 3 Parachute Battalion. Reported Missing in Action after jumping from the aircraft at Cassinga. After exiting the aircraft, he was never seen or heard from again and remains unaccounted for. For administrative purposes, he was officially declared dead on 22 January 1980. He was 29.
04 May 1978: 74411950BG Corporal Terence Michael Bridgeman, an Eland 90 Armoured Car Crew Commander from 2 Special Service Battalion “D” Squadron, 2 SAI Battalion Group from Walvis Bay, was Killed in Action when his Eland 90 armoured car was knocked out by a Soviet 82mm B10 Recoilless Gun BK-881 Anti-Tank Rocket during a heavy engagement with enemy forces in Southern Angola during Ops Reindeer. He was 19.
04 May 1978: 74560475BG Corporal Herbert Charles Truebody, an Eland 90 Armoured Car Crew Commander 2 Special Service Battalion “D” Squadron, 2 SAI Battalion Group from Walvis Bay, was Killed in Action when his Eland 90 armoured car was hit by a Soviet 82mm B10 Recoilless Gun BK-881 Anti-Tank Rocket while going through a ditch. The projectile entered the turret from the top exactly where the front crew commanders periscope is mounted, killing him instantly. The driver and gunner of the vehicle escaped with minor injuries. He was 19.
04 May 1981: 76285188BG Signaler Ronald Christo van Hamersveld from 2 Signal Regiment was killed in Military motor Vehicle Accident in Pretoria. He was 21.
04 May 1981 Sergeant Gysbert Johannes Smit from 32 Battalion was shot dead by a fellow soldier during an argument while he was stationed at Nkongo. He was 27.
04 May 1981: 79101894PC Able Seaman Stephanus Hendricks from SAS President Pretorius was killed at sea while acting as part of a refueling crew while the Ship, together with the SAS President Kruger and SAS Tafelberg were sailing South of Island of Reunion, en-route to rendezvous with ships of a Taiwanese Naval Squadron that were on a goodwill visit to South Africa. Shortly before the rendezvous, the SAS President Pretorius required refuelling at sea (RAS) and due to the prevailing sea state, the “astern” method was selected and the SAS President Pretorius duly moved into position astern of the SAS Tafelberg with the SAS President Kruger taking up the “Lifeguard” Station astern of both ships. The prevailing weather started to deteriorate and the refuelling crew that included the Ships Executive Officer who was in charge of the refuelling party, were standing on the forecastle and attempting to haul in the messenger and fuel pipe. After a few attempts, they successfully hooked the messenger and were bringing it aboard when a massive freak wave hit the SAS President Pretorius and the ship’s bow disappeared completely under a huge mass of water. Five members of the refuelling party including the Executive Officer, were washed overboard while another 14 crew members were injured, one seriously when the wave slammed them up against the ships breakwater. The SAS President Kruger immediately manoeuvred into a rescue position and put two rescue divers into the water to assist with the rescue. All five crewmen, including the lifeless body of Able Seaman Hendricks were successfully recovered. It appeared that AB Hendricks was killed when he was slammed against the breakwater by the initial wave and his body was then washed overboard as the water receded. He was 20.
NOTE: The two Rescue Divers, Able Seaman Richard Berry and Able Seaman Stephen Warren were both awarded the Honoris Crux Decoration for their Gallant conduct in saving lives while in conditions of extreme danger. They were the first two members of the Navy to receive this Decoration.
04 May 1981: 80870165SN Rifleman Lionel Thomas from 911 Battalion SWATF was critically injured after being shot in the hip when he failed to identify himself to a guard at around midnight when he was challenged. He sadly succumbed to his wounds in the Opuwa Hospital as a result of blood loss. He was 21.
04 May 1982: Special Sergeant N. Tamunila from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. He was 32.
04 May 1983: 77518975BG Lance Corporal Gerhardus Daniel Blignaut from 6 SAI was Killed in Action after suffering fatal gunshot wounds when his patrol walked into a SWAPO/PLAN ambush during the early hours of the morning near Rundu. He was 21.
04 May 1987: 77561413PE Sergeant Johannes Hendrik Christiaan Maree from the Northern Air Defence Sector Fire Section at Devon was killed instantly when his private motor vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a truck while he was travelling between Potchefstroom and Johannesburg. He was 27.
04 May 1988: Four members from 101 Battalion SWATF and one Assault Pioneer from Oscar Company 7 SAI attached to 51 Battalion, were Killed in Action and one member from 101 Battalion SWATF was Reported Missing during a contact with a numerically superior enemy force when their Casspir Vehicles were knocked out by Soviet RPG-7 Anti-Tank Rockets and Yugoslavian M60 Anti-Tank Rifle Grenades at Donguena, North of Calueque in Southern Angola. This is the same action where Private Johan Papenfus from the Technical Service Corps was seriously wounded and captured by Cuban Forces and subsequently transferred to Cuba for medical treatment. Rifleman Papenfus (26) was eventually released at Ruacana in exchange for 3 Cuban and 12 FAPLA Prisoners of War on 31 Mar 1989. The casualties in this desperate action were:
83611715BG Lance Corporal Hendrik Jacobus Venter (7 SAI). He was 20.
Lance Corporal F. Petrus. He was 22.
Rifleman L. Haifiku. He was 24.
Rifleman H. Haimbodi. He was 22.
Rifleman W. Robert. He was 23
Rifleman J. Petrus was sitting in the back of the Casspir and was hit either by a RPG-7 Anti-Tank Rocket or Yugoslavian M60 Anti-Tank Rifle Grenade that killed him instantly. At some point during the recovery process while the vehicle was under tow, the rear doors of the Casspir inadvertently came open and his body fell out of the vehicle and was never found. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. He was 20.
04 May 1998: Four members from the South African Artillery were killed when the Mini-Bus Taxi in which they were traveling as passengers, was involved in an accident in Potchefstroom. The casualties were:
97273981 Gunner G M Gwangwa. He was 19
97277099 Gunner M G Ramanyimi. He was 20
97274559 Gunner K J Shilajwe. He was 19
97274567 Gunner K J Tsebe. He was 20
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.