05 November, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
05 Nov 1971: 67012484E Corporal Nicolaas Frederick van Rensburg from 22 Flight (later 22 Squadron) was killed in a private vehicle accident in Cape Town. He was 20.
05 Nov 1978: 75504928BG Private Michael Kidd from Air Force Base Hoedspruit was accidentally killed in a shooting incident at Pilgrims Rest involving his Guard Duty partner at the Base. He was 19.
05 Nov 1981: 75568253BG Candidate Officer Stephanus Francois Stephan Coetzee from 25 Field Squadron was Killed in Action in a landmine explosion in Southern Angola during Ops Daisy while attached to 61 Mechanised Battalion Group. He was 22.
05 Nov 1981: 80588858CK Private Louis Brian Schoeman from the S.A. Cape Corps Maintenance Unit was accidentally killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned near Rundu. He was 17.
05 Nov 1985: 71407803PE Sergeant Leonardus Johannes Coetzee from Air Force Headquarters was killed in a military vehicle accident at Kamieskroon. He was 30.
05 Nov 1985: 81267130BG Rifleman Nicolaas William Smuts from 1 Parachute Battalion was Killed in Action while acting as the MAG Light Machine Gunner when his patrol was ambushed near Alpha Tower by SWAPO/PLAN insurgents who were in the process of kidnapping local Owambo children from their villages. During the fierce fire-fight that followed, all the insurgents were killed but he was found dead behind his machine gun. He was 20.
05 Nov 1988: 87090551CK Rifleman John Norman Botha from the 2nd Battalion Cape Corps was shot and killed by another soldier during an argument at 97 Ammunition Depot at De Aar. He was 19.
05 Nov 1988: 78913282SP Sergeant B. Calipe from 32 Battalion died after suffering renal failure while stationed at Buffalo. He was 34.
Their names and Sacrifice have not been forgotten.