04 September, let us pause for a minute to remember the following young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
04 Sep 1980: 76909241SP Rifleman A.F. Chipa from 32 Battalion accidentally drowned near Buffalo. He was 27.
04 Sep 1980 75409565PE Private Frederick Jacobus Janse van Vuuren from the Air Force School of Technical Training was killed in a Private Motor Vehicle Accident, at Nelspoort. He was 21.
04 Sep 1981: Four members from 1 Special Service Battalion were killed when their Eland armoured car overturned during a training exercise at Ottosdal. The casualties were:
78201084BG 2/Lieutenant Derek Charl De Villiers. He was 20.
77225092BG Trooper Mark Rodney Harty . He was 20.
78483856BG Trooper Willem Frederick Raubenheimer. He was 19.
79314357BG Trooper Johannes Martin Schoeman. He was 18.
04 Sep 1982: 80246093BG Private Johannes Albertus O’Neill from 5 Maintenance Unit was grievously burned at Ondangwa on 30 August 1982 when he lit a cigarette while standing near petrol drums and the petrol fumes ignited causing an explosion. He succumbed to his injuries in 1 Military Hospital on 04 September 1982. He was 18.
04 Sep 1984: 81061301BG Private Auguste Jansen from the Natal Command Workshop, Technical Service Corps was admitted to Addington Hospital on 01 September 1984 suffering from severe head injuries after being assaulted by persons unknown. He succumbed to his injuries on 04 September 1984. He was 19.
04 Sep 1990: 84281468BG Rifleman Anton Malan from Infantry School was accidentally killed when a 40mm multiple grenade launcher barrel exploded during a firing training exercise at Oudtshoorn. He was 22.
04 Sep 1995: 92098524PY Corporal Geoffrey David Du Plessis from Medical Command Headquarters was killed in a Military Vehicle Accident in Pretoria. He was 21.
Their names and sacrifice have not been forgotten.