07 December, let us pause to remember these young men and women from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
07 Dec 1964: PX/47750 Field Cornet (Lieutenant) Izak Cornelius Potgieter from 42 Army Air Reconnaissance Squadron (later 42 Squadron) was killed when his Cessna 185A, Serial No. 728 crashed near Coligny during a routine low level cross-country reconnaissance flight. He was 23.
07 Dec 1975: 67437996PE Sergeant Frederick Gerhardus Wannenberg HCS (P) from 1 Reconnaissance Regiment Died of Wounds in the Battle for Bridge 14 in Central Angola during Operation Savannah. During Op Quipico, a forerunner to the battle at Bridge 14, he was part of a 10 man Reconnaissance team that was inserted deep into enemy territory by helicopter. Their patrol was ambushed by a numerically superior enemy force and Sergeant Wannenburg was unable to return fire from his position. With total disregard for his own life, he broke cover and moved forward, firing continuously and engaged the enemy force at close range. Caught in a cross-fire, he was hit by machine-gun fire and fell mortally wounded. Warrant Officer Johannes Conradie took over command immediately, regrouped the men and sent out a party that engaged the enemy from the flank. Although under heavy enemy fire at close range, this action forced the enemy force to withdraw. By the time a casevac helicopter arrived to evacuate the patrol, Sergeant Wannenburg had succumbed to his wounds. Both he and Conradie were awarded the Honoris Crux for their gallantry and devotion to duty in a situation of mortal danger. He was 24.
07 Dec 1976: 65616658PE Sergeant Jan Gerrit Bantjies from 1 SAI organised himself a live Alouette Gunship 20 x 82mm High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) cannon cartridge to keep as a souvenir while he was serving in the Operational Area. While attempting to make the device safe, the High Explosive projectile exploded, killing him instantly. He was 28.
7 Dec 1979: 78578614BG Rifleman Patrick Benjamin Bikkers from 5 SAI died in 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria from injuries received in a hit and run accident on the Pietersburg Highway. He was 19.
07 Dec 1979: 76279454BA Rifleman Johannes Gabriel Albertus Mostert from 11 Commando Regiment was Killed in Action while on patrol in the Etale area. The patrol discovered a concealed SWAPO/PLAN weapons cache and while inspecting the contents of the cache, Mostert inadvertently detonated a booby trap device that killed him instantly. He was 19.
07 Dec 1987: 81553224PE Lieutenant (Mrs) Daphne Margaret Therissa Bacher from the South West Africa Medical Command SWATF died in the Windhoek State Hospital after contracting pneumonia. She was 43.
07 Dec 1988: 85470243BG Lance Corporal Johannes Christiaan Du Plessis from 2 Special Service Battalion was killed at the Rooisloot Training Area when his armoured car overturned, crushing him underneath. He was 19.
07 Dec 1988: 72000078PE Colonel Leonard Julius Eicholz from the South African Medical Services Headquarters was critically injured in a military vehicle accident at Pietersburg. He was evacuated by air to 1 Military hospital in Pretoria where he sadly succumbed to his injuries later in the day. He was 51.
Their names and sacrifice have not been forgotten.