Stories

DEATH OF CAPTAIN J.A.A. HOWITSON Captain John Howitson was killed late in 1979 on a Junior Leadership training camp (OSC) at the Letaba training camp, which I think was where the Letaba Ranch Game Reserve is today ? nor…

An ex-colleague of mine told me a few years ago that he was on that train. I called him earlier today and without referring to the accident, asked him where he was on 25 March 1977. Het asked me "what time" and I said "…

"Willem" Jans was killed on an external Angolan operation in the early hours of the morning of June 9th, 1979 while serving with Johannesburg Regiment on what I believe was called Ops Twaksak at the time but was later r…

On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…

This was Foxtrot Company, 6SAI and we were working in 52Battalion, although Jordaan had joined us from 3SAI. I was involved in this same incident and I was on the same Buffel as Jordaan. I was in seated two seats away f…

On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…

On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…

I only found out about what happened in 1993 when I went to visit some of the guys that joined on for short Service in 1992. Cpl Mike Land told me that

L/Cpl Kladis had died in a car accident along with

In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…

Operasie Kropduif (die aanval op Eheke) op 28 Oktober 1977, sou die donkerste dag in die geskiedenis van die Suid Afrikaanse Spesiale Magte se bestaan wees. Nadat die Suid Afrikaners aan Angola onttrek het in 1976, sou…

13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…

On May 13 1985, a South African Navy strike craft carrying the Recce team as well as a back-up team left Saldanha Bay and traveled to a spot 160 kms off the Angolan coast near its border with Zaire. The mission was to c…

On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…

In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…

13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…

13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…

Operasie Kropduif (die aanval op Eheke) op 28 Oktober 1977, sou die donkerste dag in die geskiedenis van die Suid Afrikaanse Spesiale Magte se bestaan wees. Nadat die Suid Afrikaners aan Angola onttrek het in 1976, sou…

Lt Mc Guinness was accompanied by <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150312095936/http://www.justdone.co.za/roh/main.php?page=

In the early hours of Thursday 18 February 1982, SAS President Kruger , oldest of the three Type 12 Frigates of the South African Navy, collided with the replenishment vessel, SAS Tafelberg . Both ships were severely da…

On 11 February 1985, a patrol from 32 Battalion's Charlie Company were in the vicinity of the Bale River, when their over-eager company commander took a short cut, against earlier advice from headquarters, and blundered…

Joseph Wayne Muller was born on 31 Janaury 1963 in Cradock to Muis and Lorraine Muller, the third child of six children. He was always the black sheep in the family and if something could go wrong it would happen to him…

Rfn Nel was a member of 4 SAI Bn, attached to 53 Bn (Alpha Coy). He was stationed at Etale, 18 km from the Angolan border. In early 1982, Nel was assigned to an escort detail that was to protect a Water Works JCB that h…

I only found out about what happened in 1993 when I went to visit some of the guys that joined on for short Service in 1992. Cpl Mike Land told me that

13 Sep 1970: Six members from 5 SAI and one member from 3 SAI were killed while being transported in a Gladiator Troop Carrier back to Ladysmith Army Camp. Their vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a Newspa…

Lt Nigel Osborne was shot down on 6 September 1979 in Mozambique whilst co-piloting a Puma seconded to the Rhodesian Air Force. The pilot,

Lt Paul Velleman and flight-engineer <a href="main.php?page=

Search for Puma Lost at Mapai April 11, 2009 - April 14, 2009 Under the cover of darkness, on the night of the 6th September 1979, I was flown out of the forward admin area of Op Uric, situated deep in the Mozambique bu…

In November 1975 Battle Group Foxbat had routed an MPLA force, which retreated across Bridge 14 at the Nhia River and then blew it up. The advance of the South African forces along the only tarred road to Quibala was br…

I read this with great interest as I was in the armoured cars in question at the recce incident towards the bridge, and in fact was in the Charlie car of the Pappa troop who was the first to cross Bridge 14 when the eve…

I only found out about what happened in 1993 when I went to visit some of the guys that joined on for short Service in 1992. Cpl Mike Land told me that

A LETTER FROM DES BURMAN, ONE OF THE COMMANDERS OF 32 BN, TO HIS CHILDREN "Hi guys I wrote this letter to my kids to try to explain the issue of materialism and that money is not everything in the world. You might want…

Sgt Dirk (or Dick) Retief was the Flight Engineer on a puma that was shot down on the 6 September 1979, whil seconded to the Rhodesian Airforce. The pilot,

Lt Paul Velleman and Co-Pilot, <a href="

Search for Puma Lost at Mapai April 11, 2009 - April 14, 2009 Under the cover of darkness, on the night of the 6th September 1979, I was flown out of the forward admin area of Op Uric, situated deep in the Mozambique bu…

Please see the story posted for <a href="main.php?page=

L/cpl Reyneke was a member of 4 SAI Bn, attached to 53 Bn (Alpha Coy). He was stationed at Etale, 18 km from the Angolan border. In early 1982, Reyneke was assigned to an escort detail that was to protect a Water Works…

Barry Craig Rieder. I cry as I write this for you. I address this to all who knew Barry. I am now 58 and served 6 months on the border in 1976 I recall it was Operation Savanna. That I shall leave for another day. I was…

Hi John, As you can see I have attached the newspaper articles for you. The story does vary a bit ... typical journalism, so I shall write it out for you. This is from my experience of what happened and also thanks to L…

Gnr C. Retief no is <a class="tooltip" title="Gnr C. Retief" href="main.php?page=