On 06 July, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
06 Jul 1959: P1/11274 Major Cyril Harris Schumann MBE from Army Headquarters suffered a fatal heart attack while stationed in South West Africa. He was 43.
06 Jul 1977: Rifleman A G Correia from 32 Battalion suffered a fatal heart attack at Buffalo Base. He was 34.
06 Jul 1977: 75291319BG Corporal Anthony Jones from 202 Battalion SWATF was Killed in Action when his Buffel Troop Carrier detonated a landmine in the Kavangoland. He was 20.
06 Jul-1979: 74426362BG Lance Corporal Etienne Louis Bell from 1 Parachute Battalion was Killed in Action during Ops Safraan. Delta Company received instructions to attack an enemy target located in the Njinji Forest in Zambia. During the attack, some of the enemy force managed to escape and formed splinter groups and later that evening, Delta Company retreated in a typical "U" formation with the purpose of forming a TB (Temporary Base) for the night. At exactly 18h35 as twilight was falling, one of the enemy splinter groups that was conducting its own reconnaissance, ambushed the patrol and L/Cpl Bell who was the MAG Light Machine Gun group leader on the left flank was struck in the head by a bullet that killed him instantly. He was 21.
06 Jul 1980: 77881126SP Rifleman Raul Samba from 32 Battalion was murdered after being poisoned by persons unknown while he was stationed at Buffalo Base. He was 33.
06 Jul 1980: 77890879HO Rifleman Francis Mukweli from 33 Battalion SWATF was killed in a Military Vehicle accident in the Caprivi Strip. He was 37
06 Jul 1982: Four members from the 31 Battalion Reconnaissance Wing (later 201 Battalion SWATF) and one member of 203 Battalion SWATF were Killed when their Buffel Troop Carrier overturned on the White Road between Bagani and Rundu, just east of Mashari. They were:
76910751SP Corporal Frans Andonio. He was 31
76909449SP Rifleman Kafuru Bango. He was 29.
76914613SP Rifleman Pedro Kademba. He was 30
Rifleman Petrus Kapango (203 Battalion). He was 28.
80821028SP Rifleman Oscar Nando. He was 23.
06 Jul 1983: 81891350SWH Rifleman B. Ngarukua from 102 Battalion SWATF was Killed in an accidental Hand Grenade Explosion in Northern Owamboland. He was 22.
06 Jul 1993: Two Members of the Transkei Defence Force Air Wing (TDFAW) were killed when their CASA 212 Aviocar, Serial No. TDF-01 crashed at Umtata shortly after take-off for a routine training flight. The casualties were:
70514542PM Major Gary Denis Hamilton. (SAAF Attached TDFAW). He was 39
Captain H. Elefu from the TDFAW. He was 28.
06 Jul 1997: 95722021PV Rifleman Zibele Mqulo from 14 SAI was Killed in Action while on foot patrol in Libode, Umtata when he was hit by a civilian motor vehicle. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten