07 May, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
07 May 1982: 77522571BG Corporal Hercules Petrus Bester from 5 SAI was Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents near Tsumeb. He was 20.
07 May 1982: 76514728BG Private Barry Andre van Tonder from the Technical Service Corps was accidentally electrocuted at Lohatla and could not be revived. He was 22.
07 May 1982: 72327901BG Lieutenant (Doctor) Patrick Alan Gaylard from the South African Medical Corps was killed in a private motor vehicle accident at Ashburton near Pietermaritzburg. He was 26.
07 May 1983: Two members from the South West Africa Police Counter-Insurgency Wing: Ops-K Division (Koevoet) were Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents in Northern Owamboland. They were:
Special Warrant Officer Lebeus Vilho. He was 36.
Constable Nico Johannes Swiegers. He was 22.
07 May 1983: 79012951PE Sergeant Sarel Leon Venter from the South African Intelligence Corps was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Oshakati. He was 34.
07 May 1984: Special Sergeant Filupus Matheus 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 May 1985: 76339076BG Gunner Conrad Heathcote from 10 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment collapsed and died after suffering a fatal heart attack while attending a Junior Leaders Course at Youngsfield. He was 24.
07 May 1985: 84905439SW Rifleman Adolf Hitler Abrosuis from 101 Battalion SWATF was killed when the Buffel Troop Carrier in which he was a passenger, overturned in Northern Owamboland.. He was 20.
07 May 1987: 84399422BG Rifleman Christopher George Docherty from 7 SAI was accidentally killed when his Buffel Troop Carrier overturned at Barberton. He was 23.
07 May 1993: 87759825HG Rifleman Thabiso Simon Banda from 121 Battalion died of malaria in the St. Appolonahis Hospital in Natal while he was on official vacation leave. He was 33.
07 May 1998: 86214384PE Staff Sergeant Marius Jacobus Meyer from 4 Vehicle Reserve Park was accidentally killed at Hammanskraal when he fell off a Mamba vehicle which then drove over him. He was 38.
07 May 1998: 93655785 Private N I Mthethwa from the South African Army died of disease at Empangeni. He was 27.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.