07 November, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
07 Nov 1956: Commandant Matthys Johannes Viljoen from the Graaff-Reinet Commando died as a result of a brain tumour. He was 47.
07 Nov 1958: P1/43753 2/Lieutenant Brian Dickinson from 5 Squadron was killed when his Harvard 7068 flew into rising ground during a clear-weather night cross-country training exercise and crashed near Karridene, He was 19.
07 Nov 1978: Two members of 101 Battalion SWATF were Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents. They were:
Rifleman J. Frans. He was 22.
Rifleman N. Mandingi. He was 23.
07 Nov 1978: Two members from 41 Battalion (Later 911 Battalion SWATF) were Killed in Action during a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents while on patrol in Northern Owamboland. The casualties were:
78952280SB Rifleman Abraham Roman was killed by machine gun fire. He was 36.
78951076SB Corporal Willem Petrus Swartbooi was hit by a Soviet RPG-7 Anti-Tank Rocket and killed instantly. He was 28.
07 Nov 1982: 77454387PE Corporal Andries Johannes Strauss from 201 Battalion SWATF was Reported Missing after being dropped off approximately 32km from Omega Base at 13h00 and told to walk back to the Base as a punishment exercise. He was equipped with his rifle, ammunition and sufficient food and water but he failed to arrive at Omega Base. Despite an intensive search of the area over a number of days, no trace of him or his equipment was ever found. There was a lot of controversy over his disappearance and at one point, even foul play was suspected by his parents and this aspect was investigated in depth by the local Police. The investigation went even further and an intensive search was conducted throughout the RSA to ensure that he had not perhaps gone absent without leave (AWOL). The outcome however remained inconclusive. The possibility that he was a victim of a wild animal attack was also never ruled out. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. He was 20. He was officially declared dead by the Supreme Court on 07 November 1982.
07 Nov 1986: 81086787BG Private Gerhardus Johannes Coetzee from 1 Maintenance Unit was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Kimberley. He was 21.
07 Nov 1986: 75286831PE Sergeant Willem Jacobus Miller from 61 Base Workshop was killed in a private motor vehicle accident between Rosslyn and Pretoria North. He was 26.
07 Nov 1991: 86107232HG Rifleman Desmond Mzamo Mthembu from 121 Battalion died at Pongola as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head using his R4 rifle while standing guard duty. He was 26.
07 Nov 1998: 95074365 Rifleman B Ntombela from 121 Battalion was shot dead in Kwa Mashu by persons unknown while Absent Without Leave (AWOL) from his Unit. He was 23.
Their names and sacrifices will not be forgotten.