Jordaan , Andre (A)

A. Jordaan 3SAI 82-83 Charlie company - Potch 81 mm mortar Comment: Served in 82-83: 3 SAI, with the 81mm mortar platoon C Company with Sgt Donald and other great mates He did his bit for South Africa in the town of Xangogo, Ondjiva, and Alfa Tower etc. This is for our all the friend that lost the battle and died for South Africa Infantry. Today my feet are slipping inside my boots with sweat, blisters are forming but I can't feel them yet My backpack is heavy, my legs feel like lead. Must keep my eyes open or I could end up dead The water I drink is black or dirty grey but I'm so damned thirsty it tastes like lion lager today The smoke break is over I'm back on the move this is a far cry from civvy street groove My eyes keep dropping to the ground beneath my boots I remember the days when we were "rower" recruits What am I doing in this foreign land? Why am I walking on ground like sea sand? I'm protecting my family, my friends and my country I'm walking patrol and I console myself with the knowledge, I've got and extra rat pack porridge I'm Proud to be a soldier in the S.A Infantry I've done my share, my proof is the suntan and scare I possess and wear with pride I know no chef or "clerkie" could handle this ride so don't look at us with pity look at us with fear To all of you terrorists from SWAPO BEWARE m.panayides

Ek was die dag in die seinkamer op Ogongo toe die casevac verslag inkom. Het dit deurgestuur Oshakati toe en gevra vir chopper. Na helse oor en weer kommunikasie vir inligting het die chopper toe opgestyg, maar toe dit inkom by die toneel het Jordaantjie gesterf. Sy Buffel het n landmyn regs agter getref dieselfde oomblik toe dit links draai en die bakwerk regs oorleun met die gevolg dat die gedeelte wat die ontploffing moet deflekteer byna horisontaal met die grond was. n Gedeelte van die wielstasie is regdeur die bak geskiet en hom in die buik getref. Van die manne op die toneel het vertel dat toe die chopper inkom het hy na sy ma geroep en toe gesterf. Altus (Billy) Lotter

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 from behind the drivers cab; Jordaan was in the seat which was immediately over the left back wheel. The incident happened on Friday 29th July, 1983 at about 11:30am. We were working close to the YATI, but on the SWA side, about 1.5km away from the actual border. We had just visited at a little kraal of the local people and we helped out with fixing some of the fencing. We were the lead Buffel in our patrol and we were driving slowly through a bushy area towards some trees, so that we could rest in the shade with our ration packs for lunch. Thus it seems as if the mine was something which had been dumped because we were not on the road itself. It was apparently a huge mine because the Buffel also hopped forward a good few metres. We were all flung out in various directions and there were a lot of knee and shoulder injuries done to the others on the vehicle. I sustained many injuries, the most lasting which a very serious thumping klap to my left heel, which has left me with a grievous disability ever since. After thirty years of having to deal with permanent injury, restricted ankle movement a great deal of agony, pain and disability to my left heel bone and ankle joint, I am at the stage where I am realising I have come to the end of the life expectancy of the ankle and the joint. I have some very serious decisions to make because after thirty years of living with it, I am now faced with the possibility of a lower limb amputation. The doctors warned me about this in 2Mil Hospital after many operations and attempts at corrective surgery and physio at the time of the incident. I was a 1982-1984 intake, but virtually the whole year of 1983 was taken up with hospitalisation. I have very little recollection of the actual incident itself. I recall our Corporal speaking to me, informing me that we had hit a mine. I asked if I was all in one piece and he said yes, but your left foot is entirely hashed up. I recall hearing the helicopters coming in and I recall that they had informed me that Jordaan had passed on just as they arrived. His body was strapped into the