09 October, let us pause to remember these young men from our Generation who answered the Sunset call.
09 Oct 1978: 70306568N Sub-Lieutenant Christo Bosman serving aboard the South African Navy Minesweeper SAS Walvisbaai was Reported Missing approximately 7 nautical miles West of Walvis Bay while carrying out minesweeping operations off the West Coast. It appears that his foot accidentally became entangled in a cable that was holding a marker buoy and he was dragged overboard. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. He was 24.
09 Oct 1978: 74804113BG Gunner Andre Johan van der Berg from 14 Field Regiment died in the Katima Mulilo Sickbay after contracting pneumonia. He was 20.
09 Oct 1979: 78202561BG Private Christopher George Samuel Cracknell from the Technical Service Corps was killed when he was knocked down by a civilian private motor vehicle in Heidelberg while on a weekend Pass. He was 17.
09 Oct 1982: Gunner Petrus Jacobus Germishuys from 14 Artillery Regiment was killed in a private motor vehicle accident while on a weekend pass. He was 20.
09 Oct 1982: 69328243PE Warrant Officer Class II Johannes Hermanus Grobler from Regiment Christiaan Beyers was killed in a private motor vehicle accident in Pietersburg. He was 29.
09 Oct 1987: Two members of 53 Battalion were killed when their Buffel Troop Carrier overturned North of Ogongo. The casualties were:
84403450BG Rifleman John Ferreira. He was 19.
85379626BG Rifleman Johannes Andries Le Roux. He was 18.
09 Oct 1987: 81903031BT Private Barend Johannes Schoenveldt from 16 Maintenance Unit was critically injured while trying to jump start another vehicle using a Samil 50. It appears that the Samil 50 hand brake was not properly applied and the vehicle rolled back and crushed him between the two vehicles. He succumbed to his injuries in the Messina Hospital later in the day. He was 22.
09 Oct 1993: 90716846HG Rifleman Zimoneo Joseph Mthembu from 121 Battalion was found murdered in Kwathema. He had been shot in the head by persons unknown apparently because he was a member of the SADF. He was 25.
09 Oct 1993: 88951017PK Rifleman Gerhard Patrick Walters from 6 SAI sustained critical head injuries in a military motor vehicle accident approximately 10 km from Indwe while en-route to Barkley East. He apparently fell asleep at the wheel and drove off a bridge. He was taken to the Indwe Hospital but died shortly after admission. He was 21.
09 Oct 1996: 93725091PV Corporal Motlalepula Paulus Ratutubala from 1 Parachute Battalion was killed when his parachute failed during a practice jump at Tempe in Bloemfontein and he was unable to timeously deploy his reserve chute. He was 27.
09 Oct 1998: 89714133 Lance Corporal S Hlahang from the Lenz Military Base died of disease in the Lenz Sickbay. He was 41.
09 Oct 1998: 4799880 Chief Petty Officer D C Moodley from Naval Base Durban was killed in a private motor vehicle accident on Edwin Swales V.C. Drive in Durban. He was 29.
09 Oct 1998: 89715288 Corporal D M Msibi from the South African Army was found hanged at Ennerdale. No foul play was suspected. He was 27.
09 Oct 1998: 14075868 Able Seaman N P Ngwenya from Navy Headquarters died of multiple organ failure in 1 Military Hospital. He was 21.
Their names and sacrifices have not been forgotten.