‘The Jollers’: Lance (on the bike), the author (right) and Darryl (front)— old high-school mates enjoying a rare weekend off at the same time. Lance was an infantry lieutenant and Darryl a medic.
Kurt Barnes feeding one of the base’s feral cats.
John ‘The Fox’ Glover fools around on a patrol in Owamboland.
Back from an operation, the author jams on his guitar with his mates. Section leader Dan Pienaar is on the left while John ‘The Fox’ Glover and Louwtjie Nel look on glassily.
The author poses with a UNITA soldier prior to a raid on a SWAPO base in Angola.
D Company troops on the South West African–Angolan border, returning from a month-long search-and-destroy operation in Angola. D Company was involved in several running battles with FAPLA and SWAPO.
The canteen and pool area at the Ondangwa para base. This is where Baba drowned, having made it unscathed through numerous ops and fire fights, two weeks before the end of his national service.
Centre and right: The Angolan town of Ongiva burns after a day of fighting during Op Protea, August 1981.
Operation Protea
Captured Soviet-built FAPLA Tanks
vehicles
artillery and anti-aircraft pieces—a massive haul. FAPLA became the SADF’s supplier of preference.
Mirage 1,000lb bombs soften up Ongiva’s defences during the opening of Operation Protea.
Operation Protea. Captured Soviet BTRs and tanks.
A captured Soviet Gaz truck inside the FAPLA military base of Ongiva.
D Company was later returned to Ongiva to occupy the deserted town. In the initial operation the infantry had taken the town and the paras the air and military bases. Ongiva was to remain in South African hands until near the end of the war in 1989.
Colour Plate Section
Vlak 4 takes five.
Training jump over the Caprivi.
The author with Paul Greef (left) prior to a training jump in Bloemfontein.
Dispatchers check paras prior to a training jump in the Caprivi Strip. The author is on the left with the MAG machine gun plus 500 rounds of ammunition.
Paras emplane for a training jump.
Paras en route to the training jump DZ.
Paras jumping into the Caprivi at M’pacha.
MAG gunner, Aaron ‘Doogy’ Green, takes a break during a patrol.
Valk 4 refill their water bottles from a muddy waterhole in Angola.
The author poses at the Angolan border fence. He is wearing a SWAPO cap and pin-on badge, a FAPLA sweat shirt, blue civvy sneakers and carries a SWAPO bag.
Valk 4 practise-fire their mortars in Owamboland.
A civilian truck becomes yet another SWAPO landmine victim in Owamboland. Most casualties were local black civilians.
A SWAPO-sympathetic kraal in Owamboland is torched by SADF troops.
The big grin from John Delaney signifies the end of an operation in Angola. The author is centre, looking out, with Aaron ‘Doogy’ Green on the right.
The author poses outside his tent at Ondangwa para base.
A captured anti-aircraft gun at Ongiva. The FAPLA gunners put up a brave and stubborn resistance, firstly against the Mirage aerial bombardment before lowering their barrels against the advancing paras.
Operation Protea. This Soviet-built tank didn’t even get the chance to leave its moorings inside the FAPLA military base of Ongiva. Paras can be seen inspecting the tank from above.
Paratroopers leaving Ongiva on their way to attack the big FAPLA base at Xangongo. A captured T-34 tank is on the right; sundry captured red lorries and buses can also be seen.
A T-34 tank burns at Ongiva. The brave, or foolish, tank commander had decided to attack the paras single-handedly when an SADF ‘Noddy’ car (Eland armoured car) brazenly careened through the scattered Parabat lines and took out the tank with one well-aimed shot.
A Buffel armoured troop-carrier destroyed by a SWAPO ‘cheese mine’. Fortunately for the paras, casualties were minor.
A 44 Brigade Q-Kar, or Sabre, well camouflaged during Operation Protea. At the time 44 Brigade was comprised mainly of Rhodesians and Americans.
The author en route to R&R, showing clear signs of strain.
D Company returning to base in Angola after a combined assault with UNITA troops on a SWAPO camp.
Valk 4 troops watch as an SADF Buffel troop carrier burns during Operation Daisy. The troops were loading captured ammo onto the Buffel when a booby-trapped case of SWAPO ammo exploded. A quick-thinking major jumped into the Buffel and drove it off to a safe distance. He was awarded the Honoris Crux for his action. Half an hour later a lieutenant was killed by a booby trap when he entered a SWAPO bunker.
Stan and Granger Korff take five.
Blackened up!
Chopper dropping off troops in Angola.
The author knocking out an opponent in the fourth round.
The author fighting in Los Angeles. This particular opponent had just come off a split-decision loss to James ‘The Heat’ Kitchener, a world-renowned ‘bad ass’.