07 January, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
07 Jan 1969: 66566647E Lieutenant Johannes Hendrik van Heerden from 42 Squadron was killed when his Cessna 185-D Serial No. 734, crashed after he tried to execute an unauthorised low-level barrel roll shortly after take-off from the airfield at Kutanga Bombing Range, East of Qwe Qwe in Rhodesia. He was 25. The passenger, 879 Flight Lieutenant Donald Annandale from the Rhodesian Air Force, although grievously burned, survived the initial crash but succumbed to his injuries in hospital on 09 January 1969.
NOTE: Van Heerden’s Grave Headstone in the Carnarvon Cemetery incorrectly indicates his date on death as 07 February 1969.
07 Jan 1973: PR89425 Rifleman Jacobus Johannes Potgieter, a South African National serving with the 2nd Battalion Rhodesia Regiment died as a result of a sports injury sustained during training at Nyamandhlovu in Rhodesia. He was 20.
07 Jan 1982: 79386769PE Candidate Officer Derek William Evans from Central Flying School Dunnottar was killed when his Harvard AT-6. Serial No 7651 crashed between Endicott and Delmas while on a solo general flying training flight. He was 18.
07 Jan 1983: 70256961KT Rifleman Gerald Pereiro Da Silva from the Sandriver Commando attached to Group 34 Died of Wounds in 1 Military Hospital after being critically wounded in a landmine explosion near the Okangwati Military Base on 06 January 1983. He was 28.
07 Jan 1984: C7223CB Rifleman Josephat Johannes Levi from 301 Battalion SWATF was killed in a shooting incident at Tsintsabis. He was 20.
07 Jan 1986: Special Constable Abiud Kenahama 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 28.
07 Jan 1994: 90397605PK Rifleman Dario David Marco Verwey from Natal Command was killed when he accidentally fell off the back of a moving Buffel Troop Carrier in Durban. He was 19.
07 Jan 1997: 94995651PV Rifleman Joseph Mabuti Nthene from the Kruger National Park Commando was accidentally killed after he was trampled to death by a herd of elephants at the Nkongoma Military Base. He was 24.
07 Jan 1998: 95063434 Private Mbuso Douglas Xaba from the Natal Command Provost Unit, South African Corps of Military Police died of pneumonia in Grey's Hospital. He was 32.
07 Jan 1998: 96678693 Rifleman B S Zondi from 121 Battalion was shot dead in Stanger by persons unknown. He was 23.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.