Download or read book Saaf s Border War written by Peter Baxter and published by Helion. This book was released on 2020-01-19 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the SAAF was South Africa's first line of defence against Soviet expansionism in southern Africa. In this account, Peter Baxter examines and brings to life the squadrons and aviators that fought in both counter-insurgency and conventional warfare.

Download or read book SAAF s Border War written by Peter Baxter and published by Africa@War. This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the SAAF was South Africa's first line of defence against Soviet expansionism in southern Africa. In this account, Peter Baxter examines and brings to life the squadrons and aviators that fought in both counter-insurgency and conventional warfare.

Download or read book SAAF s Border War written by Peter Baxter and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: South African Mirages and Cuban MiG-21s dogfighting over Cuito Cuanavale, the largest tank battle on African soil since El Alamein; Puma troopships shot out of the skies by Strela missiles and RPG-7 rockets; Alouette III gunships hovering menacingly above Koevoet tracker-combat teams as they close in for the kill; Hercules and Transall transports disgorging their loads of Parabats over Cassinga; suicidal helicopter hot extractions of Recce operators deep in enemy territory; and a lone Alouette pilot who disobeyed orders and under intense ground fire evacuated a critically wounded soldier such is the story of the South African Air Force, the SAAF, over the 23-year period 1966-1989, the period of conflict that became known as the 'Border War'. Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the SAAF was effectively South Africa's first line of defense against Soviet expansionism in southern Africa. That the Soviets, through their surrogates-the Cuban military, Angola's FAPLA and Namibia's SWAPO-sought a communist regime in South Africa is indisputable, as too was the SAAF's skill, quality, determination and capability to defeat the best Soviet air defenses of the time. This account covers all the major operations that the SAAF was involved in, from Operation Blouwildebees, the opening salvo of the conflict at Omgulumbashe, South West Africa in 1966 to the final curtain, Operation Merlyn, the so-called April Fool's Day 'war' of 1989 when the SAAF and Koevoet, almost alone, frustrated SWAPO's last throw of the dice with its illegal invasion of South West Africa. In this account, highlighting such operations as Reindeer, Bootlace/Uric, Sceptic, Protea, Daisy, Askari, Moduler, Hooper and Packer, among many, as well as the ongoing methodological operations like Lunar, Maanskyn, Donkermaan and Butterfly, Baxter examines and brings to life the squadrons and aviators that fought in both counterinsurgency and conventional warfare roles. Besides an extensive selection of rare photographs, the book features a comprehensive section on camouflage and markings and 6 pages of color aircraft profiles and insignia by noted SAAF authority William Marshall, making this title especially useful for modelers.Peter Baxter is an author, amateur historian and African field, mountain and heritage travel guide. Born in Kenya and educated in Zimbabwe, he has lived and travelled over much of southern and central Africa. He has guided in all the major mountain ranges south of the equator, helping develop the concept of sustainable travel, and the touring of battlefield and heritage sites in East Africa. Peter lives in Oregon, USA, working on the marketing of African heritage travel as well as a variety of book projects. His interests include British Imperial history in Africa and the East Africa campaign of the First World War in particular. His first book was Rhodesia: Last Outpost of the British Empire; he has written several books in the Africa@War series, including France in Centrafrique, Selous Scouts, Mau Mau and SAAF's Border War. REVIEWS Each of the books in this series is a well-documented and researched synopsis of the events that they are focused upon. They layouts and presentation are logical and of a very high quality ... As an introduction to this field of operation, this series is outstanding. A definite asset for those wishing to improve their knowledge and understanding of the development of successful, multi-faceted doctrine in the fight against insurgent/assymetric war.Major Chris Buckham, Royal Canadian Air Force Journal"I thoroughly enjoyed this terrific tome. It's wonderfully researched. It's abundantly illustrated. And it's a superb supplement to any library of Cold War history and African insurgencies. Rabidly recommended David L. Veres, Cybermodeler website"This title will appeal to historians and modellers alike, particularly as there has been little written about these operations, and indeed about the activities of the SAAF in general,

Download or read book From Fledgling to Eagle written by Dick Lord and published by 30 Degrees South Pub Pty Limited. This book was released on 2008 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The crucible of combat over 23 years forged the fledgling South African Air Force into a formidable strike weapon, capable of defeating the best Soviet air defenses of the time. From Fledgling to Eagle chronicles the evolution of the SAAF in the 'Border War' that raged in Angola and South West Africa (Namibia) from 1966 to 1989, covering all the major South African Defence Force (SADF) operations from Ongulumbashe to the 'April Fools' Day war' in 1989. Dick Lord, who writes in a 'from the cockpit' style, has drawn on his own firsthand operational reports and diaries, incorporating anecdotes from dozens of aviators from a wide variety of squadrons--Buccaneers, Canberras, Mirages, Impalas, Bosboks, C-160s and -130s, Dakotas and helicopters. He also expands on the close relationship the SAAF had with the ground troops in a variety of operations--such units as the Parabats, Recces and Koevoet. However, Lord studies the broader ramifications of the conflict in that it was not a simple black-white war. Angola was really just a sideshow for the Soviets who wanted to bleed the SAAF in a war of attrition before attempting total domination of South Africa--their ultimate goal. He is unafraid to admit SADF mistakes--of Operations Hooper and Packer he says: "Lines of communications were too long to ably support the battle, which is why we did not clear them off the east bank of the Cuito River and why they captured the three Oliphant tanks which was their only propaganda victory." Although he gives credit to the enemy when they put up a stiff fight, he clearly outlines the overwhelming South African successes and dispels, in accurate detail, all enemy claims by giving an accurate account of each battle. He said: "I agree with General Geldenhuys that we thrashed them severely on the Lomba in '85 and '87 ... much recent publicity has also been given to the so-called victory of the Forces of Liberation [SWAPO, MPLA, and 50,000 Cubans and Soviets] over the SADF at Cuito Cuanavale in 1988. Nothing could be further from the truth--it is blatant propaganda."

Download or read book SAAF s Border War written by Peter Baxter and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation. Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the SAAF was South Africa's first line of defence against Soviet expansionism in southern Africa. In this account, Peter Baxter examines and brings to life the squadrons and aviators that fought in both counter-insurgency and conventional warfare.

Download or read book Ops Medic written by Steven Webb and published by Galago Pub.. This book was released on 2008 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a recent British immigrant the author was exempt from the compulsory two-year call-up for National Service that all white South African males faced when they turned 18. Despite this he volunteered for National Service in July 1984 and then volunteered to serve in the South African Medical Service. Following basic training he was posted to SAMS' Combat Medical Operation Company (Ops Company) for six months of advanced specialist training. In the lecture room and later in civilian hospitals he learned the arts of stabilising patients, stopping bleeding, maintaining airways, suturing wounds, administering drips and performing minor lifesaving medical procedures. On 1 March 1985 he was sent to SWA/Namibia, where he saw service in Angola until the SADF withdrew its troops a month later. From there he was posted to 53-Battalion's company base at Etale. It was garrisoned by Owambo troops of the SWATF's 101-Battalion and white National Servicemen. He writes about border patrols conducted on foot and in Buffel mine protected fighting vehicles, seeking out SWAPO's armed guerrillas who had infiltrated from Angola and the constant anticipation of ambush by an elusive foe.He tells of the stabilisation and casevac of casualties by helicopter.In truth white National Service units achieved little success in the border war against an underrated enemy. As one senior officer put it: 'In my view SWAPO, despite inferior weaponry, was ahead of us in most respects. We took a boy who had just matriculated, gave him a gun, two or three months of basic training - and threw him into the middle of a country that he didn't know, people he didn't understand and an enemy he had never seen. No wonder he didn't do very well. Nevertheless, the young conscripts bore a terrible load, for which they received little gratitude.' So this is not the story of elite and glamorous fighting units like the Reconnaissance Commandos, Koevoet, 32-Battalion, or the Parachute Battalions and the successes they achieved, but of young, white, conscripted National Serviceman, often straight from school, who were thrown headfirst into a guerrilla war in a country outside of South Africa and far from home. Many National Servicemen, including 37 Ops Medics, died fighting in the Border War. Fifteen were awarded the Honoris Crux (two of the silver grade) for bravery - four posthumously.

Download or read book At The Front written by Jannie Geldenhuys and published by Jonathan Ball Publishers. This book was released on 2012-03-19 with total page 634 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: General Jannie Geldenhuys is widely regarded as one of the leading military commanders South Africa has produced. As Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1985 to 1990, he brought his experience to bear on the Border War in Namibia, and was part of the negotiating team that brought an end to the conflict in 1989. In this completely revised and updated edition, Geldenhuys reflects on a military career spanning more than four decades. At the Front covers the years before and during the protracted Border War, and consists of Geldenhuys' personal experiences and insights. He sheds light on the final years of the conflict and the negotiated settlement, and also writes of his early years, as he evolved from a rugby-mad young officer to a deep-thinking, reflective man with ever-sharpening insights into war, peace, politics and, most of all, himself.

Download or read book North of the Red Line Recollections of the Border War by Members of the Sadf and Swatf 1966 1989 written by Hanlie Snyman Wroth and published by 30 Degrees South Publishers. This book was released on 2016-03-31 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the years, much has been written about individuals and the forces and their operations in what became commonly known as South Africa s Border War, or Grens Oorlog, but never before has the human spirit of this 23-year-old conflict been so graphically and unashamedly captured and chronicled as in this book. Equally unique, was the exclusive use of social media to invite and encourage individuals to tell their personal stories, without apology or recrimination, and so provide an indelible oral history of the war. Over a period of three years, 21,000 of them spoke: national service troopies, permanent force officers, aviators, aircrew, medics, submariners and padres. Erstwhile antagonists also stepped up to the plate, placing their own personal first-hand experiences amongst those of their enemies of yesterday: Russians, Cubans, Angolans and SWAPO. The story is further enriched by the inclusion of a rich plethora of hitherto unseen unofficial photographs of stolen memories, in a war situation where the taking of any such photographs was strictly prohibited. Veterans unabashedly wear their hearts on their sleeves, speaking of the psychological impact of untold tragedy and grief; of bravery and unmitigated fear; of shenanigans and mischievous escapades to relieve the pressures of war; of miracles and fate; and of camaraderie."

Download or read book South Africa s Border War 1966 89 written by Willem Steenkamp and published by Helion. This book was released on 2019-11-19 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the books about South Africa's 21-year 'Border War' - fought on both sides of Angola's frontier with present-day Namibia - South Africa's Border War has always been rated as among the best. This version is the first re-issue of the original, written by Willem Steenkamp. Almost all the photos were taken by Al J. Venter who covered that confli

Download or read book The SADF in the Border War written by Leopold Scholtz and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Angola Clausewitz and the American Way of War written by John S. McCain (IV.) and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-04-11 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over twenty years, the South African Border War was fought to counter the influence of Marxism-Leninism and to maintain control of Namibia. The South African people relied on cultural tools and adaptive strategies to protect their own interests. John S. McCain IV isn't interested in taking sides on this issue; instead, he analyzes the military's tactics, operational effectiveness, and strategy. Angola, Clausewitz, and the American Way of War explores the concept of strategy making in war within the context of the South African Border War. It describes the danger of leaning on middle-range theories over general theories and of starting the decision-making process in the middle rather than at the top. Wars should not be forced into a type as one thing or another-and then assumed to be all the same, based on that type. Each individual war should be seen for what it is, unique, and those in charge should be prepared to make changes and reevaluate every step of the way to account for all the moving pieces and the realities on the ground. In the same vein as The Direction of War by Hew Strachan, McCain recognizes that US wars since 9/11 have been poorly strategized. This heavily researched volume challenges traditional approaches to conflict and suggests ways they could be improved.

Download or read book Striking Inside Angola with 32 Battalion written by Marius Scheepers and published by Helion. This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Join 'The Terrible Ones' on clandestine operations and in conventional warfare during the harsh bush war that raged through southern Angola in the 1980s. The conflict ended with the last major battle of the Cold War, one of the largest land battles of the latter part of the 20th century. This book presents an eyewitness account by a South African Defense Force (SADF) Signals Officer, Marius Scheepers, who served in arguably the most formidable battle unit that ever existed in the history of the South African Defense Force: 32 Battalion. It describes how members lived and fought in the bush during 1983 under the most difficult conditions. Being the Signals Officer of 32 Battalion, Scheepers was privy to all major command decisions of the time. Although he focuses primarily on operations during the year 1983, including Operations Snoek and Dolfyn, he includes concise descriptions of all other major operations that took place inside Angola between 1966 and 1988, including Operation Askari (1983/84) and the decisive battle at Cuito Cuanavale in 1987/88. Extensive appendices include 32 Battalion sitreps, radio-code cards, SADF radio equipment used by 32 Battalion and details on SADF, SAAF and SWAPO.

Download or read book Vlamgat written by Dick Lord and published by Covos Day. This book was released on 2000 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The little known story of the South African Air Force's Mirage jet fighter pilots and the aerial war they waged against Russian MIGs in the skies over Angola and Namibia. Brigadier Dick Lord served in the British Fleet Air Arm and spent several years as an instructor in the U.S. Air Force's prestigious Top Gun fighter pilot program. VLAMGAT is his authoritative and gripping tale of Cold War dog fights over central Africa. It is destined to become a classic in the history of military aviation in Africa.

Download or read book A Whisper in the Reeds written by Justin Taylor and published by Jsw Taylor. This book was released on 2013-03 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 2nd Edition - Published by the author. A gripping, personal account of one man's journey through a border war that contributed to transforming a country from being the pariah of the world to a shining example of reconciliation, peace and hope. From an idyllic childhood growing up on a sugar farm in Zululand, the story takes you through the realities of life during the Apartheid days in South Africa and the resultant call up for National Military Service during the 1970's and '80's. On completing his training, Justin Taylor graduated as a Signals Officer and volunteered for Border Duty in the operational area of the Angolan - Namibian border. There he volunteered again, joining the ranks of the then secretive and little known 32 Battalion ... the Portuguese speaking soldiers of whom were so feared by their enemies they were known as "Os Terriveis"..."The Terrible Ones". Drawn from the remnants of an Angolan rebel movement, 32 Battalion conducted secretive, clandestine operations into Angola at a time when South Africa was officially not at war with Angola. Taylor takes you through his 'baptism of fire' on arrival where he was thrust into offensive operations as an inexperienced junior officer responsible for the battalions communications. Nearly thrown out of the unit due to a communications failure, he put himself through a 'retraining course' with the units reconnaissance wing. This gave him the tools required for his subsequent deployment on combat operations. In pursuit of elusive guerrilla fighters, he details life as an anti-guerilla fighter on missions in the harsh and unforgiving conditions of the African bush and the intricacies of ground-to-air & ground-to-ground radio communications. Most notable is his account of the Battle of Savate where, heavily outnumbered, the battalion attacked an enemy brigade deep in enemy territory with the odds stacked against them. Told from the perspective of his role as a junior officer in the HQ, he vividly recounts the horrors of battle with the turmoil of the killing and the loss of close friends and comrades, intertwined with the challenges of maintaining communications with the command and control difficulties of an HQ caught up in the heat of battle. His following deployments into the bush were as a seasoned Signals Officer, culminating with his training of the replacement troops at the end of his service, arming them with the skills they would need to meet the standards required of a 32 Battalion Signaller. On completing his military service, he found it difficult adjusting to civilian life back in South Africa. With the racial segregation of Apartheid still well entrenched at the time, he found it all the more difficult having returned from a unique army battalion that knew no colour ... "When the shooting starts, it's not about the colour of a man's skin next to you that counts, it's what he is capable of".And then the disbanding of the battalion with South Africa's transformation to a democratic society in 1994, and with it the promise of a Rainbow Nation ... it was as if the batten of racial integration had been passed from the unit to the country as a whole."First and foremost a soldier's story, it is told without self-aggrandisement and with a balance of sensitivity together with the harsh realities of war. While the factual and detailed insights into the legendary 32 battalion are both intriguing and historically significant, it is in essence a human story. The anguish and emotions experienced by the author are honestly portrayed ... and coupled with his wry sense of humour, it is a story easy to read and easy to identify with."32 Battalion embraced racial and cultural diversity combined within a culture of mutual trust and respect. This empowered the unit to overcome insurmountable odds on the battlefield and resulted in the battalion being rated as the South African Army's best combat unit since World War II.

Download or read book The Battle of Cuito Cuanavale written by Leopold Scholtz and published by Africa@War. This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The battle for the town of Cuito Cuanavale is a myth. The conduct of Operations Modular, Hooper, Packer and Displace by South African and UNITA forces in the 6th Military Region of southeastern Angola initially prevented FAPLA and its allies from occupying the UNITA town of Mavinga. The success achieved in this endeavor then led to the conduct of offensive military operations to force FAPLA and its allies to relinquish their bridgehead over the Cuito River and to redeploy to the western bank at Cuito Cuanavale. The FAPLA deployment and occupation of Cuito Cuanavale, on the western bank of the Cuito River, was never contested militarily by opposing forces during 1987 and 1988.

Download or read book Mobility Conquers written by Willem Steenkamp and published by . This book was released on 2019-04 with total page 1152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than two years in the writing, this book is the warts-and-all story of the birth, career and death of the South African Defence Force's 61 Mechanised Battalion Group (1979-2005) - generally acknowledged as the best fighting unit in Africa in its time. '61 Mech' was structured as a combined-arms unit with integral infantry, armoured and artillery components - the first in Africa - and arduously trained in a fast-moving mobile warfare doctrine which was not based on adapted European tactics, but was specifically designed for fighting modern bush wars in the forbiddingly difficult African battle-space. It was mounted in various versions of the Ratel armoured fighting vehicle, which was locally designed for African campaigning in frequently indescribable terrain conditions, and whose cross-country mobility and heavy firepower provided the means for applying the new doctrine. Backing it up were heavy weapons of local design, such as the world-class G-5 155mm artillery piece - then the longest-ranged medium gun in the world - and its huge self-propelled wheeled version: the G-6. Led by some of the brightest officers in the army, '61 Mech' played a major role in the often hard-fought incursions into Angola between 1978 and 1988 and won all its battles - even though the South Africans were always vastly outnumbered by the armed forces of Angola, with their abundant Soviet weaponry and Russian and Cuban advisors (and usually with an unfavourable air situation). Written in an easy-to-read narrative style by two veteran military authors, the book includes many personal accounts by officers and men of '61 Mech' - some of them in harrowing detail - and describes the preparations for the various operations and the ongoing evolution of both the doctrine and the weaponry and equipment; but it also covers the broader context, including revealing glimpses into the hitherto almost unknown Angolan/Soviet/Cuban side of the conflict. Among other things, it explains how and why the SADF became involved in the struggle against the South West African People's Organisation; pin-points for the first time the moment when the counter-insurgency campaign in SWA/Namibia became entangled with the Angolan Civil War; and objectively analyses the much-debated question of whether there was ever a 'Battle for Cuito Cuanavale'. It is also salted with short snippets of information which help to make it an entertaining read for people from anywhere in the world. Backing up the narrative are many specially-drawn maps and a large number of photographs - of which most are not generic, but directly related to the events in the narrative. For anyone needing a single blueprint on how to fight a successful conventional war in Africa, this is the book to read.

Download or read book A Military History of South Africa written by Timothy J. Stapleton and published by Praeger. This book was released on 2010-04-09 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Warfare and frontier (c.1650-1830) -- Wars of colonial conquest (1830-69) -- Diamond wars (1869-85) -- Gold wars (1886-1910) -- World wars (1910-48) -- Apartheid wars (1948-94) -- Conclusion: The post-apartheid military.