06 January, let us pause to remember these young men and women from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
06 Jan 1969: 66261231 Air Mechanic Anthony John Carreira from the School of Technical Training died from Guillain-Barre Syndrome in 1 Military Hospital. He was 20.
06 January 1973: 05570593E Captain Rudolf Albert Hamann from Air Force Headquarters died from cancer in 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria. He was 26.
06 Jan 1977: 4042 Squadron Leader Peter Arthur Barnett DMM, a South African National and ex South African Air Force Pilot was killed instantly on 06 January 1977 together with his Rhodesian Air Force Co-Pilot 4382 Flight Lieutenant David Edwin Mallet and Air Despatcher PR64232 Corporal Anthony Bradley while serving with 3 Squadron Rhodesian Air Force. His C-47 Dakota R7034 was returning to Base at low level after completing an air-supply drop to a Selous Scouts Unit on the Moçambique border and while flying up the middle of the Lundi River where the crew were game viewing, the aircraft struck an un-charted steel conveyer cable that was used by a farmer to ferry his grain across the River.
The Pilot, Co-Pilot and Air Dispatcher who was standing in the cockpit between the seats were instantly decapitated and aircraft immediately started to climb. The injured Navigator however managed to enter the cockpit and push the controls forward after which the aircraft stalled and subsequently crashed. The injured Navigator together with the three remaining Air Dispatchers one of whom was also seriously injured, survived the crash. Squadron Leader Barnett DMM was 52.
06 Jan 1979: 76439637BG Rifleman Johannes Botha from 6 SAI was found murdered alongside Golden Highway near the Welgevonden turnoff. He had been stabbed to death and robbed by persons unknown while hitch-hiking home on a 7-day pass. He was 18.
06 Jan 1980: 77313844BG Rifleman Jan Pieter Uys from 1 Parachute Battalion was killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned in Northern Owamboland and he was crushed under the vehicle. He was 18.
06 Jan 1981: 79014437PE Corporal (Mrs) Johanna Maria Magdelena Pentz, an Administrative Clerk serving at Air Force Headquarters died from cancer in the HF Verwoerd Hospital in Pretoria. She was 46.
06 Jan 1983: Eight men from Group 34 were Killed in Action or later Died of Wounds when their Buffel Troop Carrier R64949 detonated a double boosted anti-tank mine near the Okangwati Military Base while on their way to Sodeliet base. One of the mines used was an old British Mk 7 Anti-Tank Mine and the metal plug on top of this mine, penetrated the bottom of the Buffel exactly on the welded seam of the Buffel’s V-Shaped Hull, igniting the diesel tank and spraying the occupants with burning diesel. The casualties were:
71375679KT Corporal Richard Alexander Ede (Brakpan Commando attached to Group 34). He was 27.
76524644KT Rifleman Abraham Aboud (Virginia Commando attached to Group 34). He was 22.
74420910KT Rifleman Johannes Hermanus Diedericks (Goudveld Commando attached to Group 34). He was 24.
72477734KT Rifleman Barthlomeus Jacobus Du Toit (Goudveld Commando attached to Group 34). He was 26.
72459506KT Rifleman Floris Marthinus Griesel (Goudveld Commando attached to Group 34). He was 27.
71291868KT Rifleman Johannes Lodewikus van der Merwe (Goudveld Commando attached to Group 34). He was 26.
70256961KT Rifleman Gerald Pereira Da Silva (Sandriver Commando attached to Group 34) was critically wounded and was evacuated to the RSA but unfortunately, succumbed to his wounds at 1 Military Hospital on 07 January 1983. He was 28.
72241417KT Rifleman Peter Uzzel (Goudveld Commando attached to Group 34) was critically wounded and evacuated to the RSA but unfortunately, succumbed to his wounds at 1 Military Hospital on 08 January 1983. He was 26.
(Note: As a result of this incident, all the Buffel Troop Carrier “V” Shape hulls were modified to make the metal at the bottom of the Hull overlap and the seam was then welded higher up).
06 Jan 1984: 80469539BG Rifleman Raymond Frederick Hildebrandt from Special Forces Headquarters was killed instantly while on guard duty at the Headquarters when he was struck by a bullet resulting from an accidental discharge from an R4 assault rifle that a fellow soldier was in the process of making safe. He was 19.
06 Jan 1985: Candidate Officer (Miss) Shirley Louise Mansfield from Air Force Base Pietersburg was accidentally killed in a civilian sky-diving incident in Pietersburg when her parachute failed to open during a Sunday practice jump. She was 19.
06 Jan 1985: 82911835SWHK Rifleman Valentinus Sikerete from 202 Battalion SWATF was killed in a military vehicle accident in Sector 20. He was 22.
06 Jan 1986: Special Constable Simon Fillipus 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 34.
06 Jan 1993: 89769970HD Rifleman Tinyiko Tyron Chauke from Kruger National Park Commando died of disease at Giyani. He was 30.
06 Jan 1993: 86744091HF Rifleman Fire Johan Nyoni from 111 Battalion died of malaria in 1 Military Hospital. He was 25.
06 Jan 1994: 69305027PE Warrant Officer Class II Jan George Fourie from Orange Free State Command Headquarters suffered a fatal heart attack at his home in Bloemfontein. He was 40.
06 Jan 1995: Private Mornay van Deventer from the South African Corps of Military Police died in 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria after being admitted in a coma as a result of multiple injuries received due to apparent mistreatment by staff members while being detained in the Detention Barracks in Boksburg. He was 24.
06 Jan 1998: 95242897 Lieutenant A Balani from Group 8 died in the Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth as a result of knife wounds inflicted by persons unknown. He was 31.
06 Jan 1999: 90086190KV Rifleman John Frank Visagie from the Gordonia Commando was killed in a military motor vehicle accident near Bloemfontein. The military vehicle trip had not been authorised. He was 27.
06 Jan 1999: 94994837PV Rifleman William M. Seripe from 21 Battalion was killed in a military motor vehicle accident. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.