Stories

Lieutenant A Gingles, 5 RR - Killed In Action, 15 October 1981 DEDICATION In honoured memory of Alan Gingles, late the Royal Irish Rangers and Selous Scouts, killed in action whilst fighting terrorism. Faugh a Ballagh!…

On 29 January 1981, 1 and 6 Reconnaissance Regiments provided the strike force for Operation Beanbag, a strike against MK - Umkhonto We Sizwe ( ANC ) command centres in Matola, Mozambique. Alpha Group, provided by 6 Rec…

On 29 January 1981, 1 and 6 Reconnaissance Regiments provided the strike force for Operation Beanbag, a strike against MK - Umkhonto We Sizwe ( ANC ) command centres in Matola, Mozambique. Alpha Group, provided by 6 Rec…

Rob Hutchinson was, but he was convinced that he must have been killed. A further quick search was made for the missing soldier, but when this proved fruitless Captain Mackenzie decided to return to Tac HQ as they had a…

Sergeant Robert Hutchinson was missing. Captain Mackenzie decided that to regain the initiative they would have to forgo attempts to capture the terrorists, and the two of them fixed explosive charges to the house, dest…

Jim Park who was in a similar state, but despite multiple fractures of both legs and serious shrapnel wounds and extensive white phosphorus burns to his head and body, he made his way back to his HQ group without any as…

Sgt Suttill instantly. Next to appear was Corporal Ross Smith seriously wounded with multiple shrapnel wounds and white phosphorus burns. He was followed by Corporal

Suttill and with no thought for their own safety tried to strip off his webbing, unfortunately they were too late and a HE grenade next to the burning white phosphorus grenade exploded, killing

Ian Suttill came staggering around the corner of the house, heading towards Richard Stannard's group while trying desperately to dislodge a white phosphorus grenade that was burning furiously in his webbing. Stannard an…

James Park , moved to the rear of the house. All of these men were experienced soldiers, who had seen extensive action during the Rhodesian war, before joining the SADF . As the attack started some ANC terrorists bolted…

Ian Suttill , and Corporals Ross Smith and

Sergeants Robert Hutchinson and <a href="

On 29 January 1981, 1 and 6 Reconnaissance Regiments provided the strike force for Operation Beanbag, a strike against MK - Umkhonto We Sizwe ( ANC ) command centres in Matola, Mozambique. Alpha Group, provided by 6 Rec…

In order to honour Terry's memory I have tried to capture some of the pertinent information that I remember. Please note that almost 30 years have passed and I may have some details wrong. Terry was a Rifleman in Platoo…

This is about the death of AT Ackerman. This is the exact details, it is needed to write the story and the facts around his death. He died inside Nkongo base, on the side of the base facing the go kart area. He died dur…

I was at Concor Dam (Google maps -17.430943, 14.636801 Address: <img style="display: none;" class="dir-wheelchair-icon" title="Station is accessible" alt="Station is accessible" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150312…

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…

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind:" Ghandi On November 25 1975 a light unarmed Cessna 180D aircraft of the South African Air Force took off from an airstrip near a Catholic missionary station by the name of…

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…

My naam is Jaap Lourens, radio operateur vir Pel.3 D- Komp, 6 SAI, soos in 1981 - 83. Weideman en ek het saam in 1980 aan die Hoerskool Florida gematrikuleer, en daarna saam opgeroep in 1981 vir diensplig te 8 SAI, Upin…

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…

This story is about Karl Paul Viljoen and Johan Le Roux on that fateful day of the 10/8/1978 at Nkongo. What happened was that we B company 5SAI had spent 7 months at Eenhana and Nkongo.Our last patrols had come out the…

Hi Karel, Those pics took me back. We were based at Etale base in Owamboland, and there apparently was intelligence that St. Mary?s Mission was supporting SWAPO. I believe that they had info that a group of SWAPO was co…

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…

Lt Nigel Osborne with flight engineer <a href="

Paul Velleman was the pilot of a Puma seconded to the Rhodesian Air Force, co-piloted by

Hi Riana, My name is Craig Dunbar, at the time of your dad's contact I was a driver in one of the follow up groups, based out of Tsintsibis, where some of us had been suconded from 61 Mech. Myself and a handful of Artil…

Hello Riana, First of all, allow me to say how terribly sorry I am for your loss. I knew all the men who died in the Ratel that fateful day. I got to know your dad, Lt van der Westhuizen and brother-in-law, Sktr J.H. Po…

SKTR J.L Van Der Merwe was saam met SKTR B.J. Du Toit, SKTR F.M. Griessel, SKTR J.H.Diedericks en SKTR P.Uzzel op daai nootlotige dag toe hulle die landmyn met hulle voertuig afgetrap het, hulle het al vyf omgekom en hu…

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 "…

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…

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 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…

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…

Rifleman P. Uzzel was a member Goudveld Commando. On 6 January 1983 he and a number of others from this unit were on patrol when their vehicle tripped a landmine, killing five of them and injuring the rest. Two of the l…

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 "…

As sequel to the above, placed on the board by Leon, I, Rowley Medlin, who has been responsible for the search of the missing plane and the remains of Niel Lombard would like to add: After extensive searching, looking f…

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind:" Ghandi On November 25 1975 a light unarmed Cessna 180D aircraft of the South African Air Force took off from an airstrip near a Catholic missionary station by the name of…

"An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind:" Ghandi On November 25 1975 a light unarmed Cessna 180D aircraft of the South African Air Force took off from an airstrip near a Catholic missionary station by the name o…