Lelong , Steven Eric (S E)

Steven was a section-leader in a special combat-engineering element of 1Para Bn. He died in a fire-fight in the South-West of Angola. He was an excellent soldier and a man of strong faith. It was an honour to have served under him. Only the good die young!!!! I will always remember and cherish his memory. Unknown Unknown

We shared the best of times during basic training. I salute you buddy.

22 February 1988: 84506179BG Sapper ( Acting Section leader) Steven Eric Lelong from 1 Parachute Battalion Combat Engineering Unit was accidently shot dead (mortar shrapnel) when a team of Combat Engineers were mistakenly ambushed by a 102 Battalion Reaction Force Unit in Southern Angola. He was 19 Wynand H Fourie

Wel laat ek die Storie begin: My Para Sappers en ek was afgedeel na 25 Veld Eskadron vir die3 mde ontplooiing vanaf 1 Valsk Bn. Mynjag Operasies was toe deel van my en my Manne se take.
Ek was toe n Kapt gewees. Kmdt Braam Rossouw het my getaak om een vd Detachments v Swapo ( al die Detachments mos name gehad) as ek reg kan onthou Special Forces was hul sogenaamde naam.
Ons was getaak om vanaf Chitado in die Weste die pad te vee, asook om dié Detachment uit te lok om ons aan te val en agv my troepe se hoër aggressie vlakke, teenoor die van diegewone Sappeurs.
Ek het die Bn Bev ( dink 51 Bn) op Ruacana voorgelig tov ons taking in hul gebied. Die Operasie het begin, en die vlge dag het ek aan my 2IB gesê dat ek nie gaan uitbeweeg alvorens ons nie Comms gemaak het met 25 Veld in Oshakati nie
My opdrag was om die vrte in rondom verdediging te plaas( Oop Laer) en die seksies hul Skootsvakke aangedui. My 2IB het na n lang gesukkel comms gemaak en my geroep om my Sitrap deur te gee. Terwyl ek gebukkend oor radio gekniel het en gesels het ek Mortier, RPG, en kleingeweer vuur gehoor, n 60mm mortier het n paar tree van my af geland, nie gedet nie( het dit later vernietig) My Kpl (Troep Sers) was opdrag gegee om mortier vuur agter die aanvallende mag te gooi en dit dan “in te bring” sodat hul nie kan terug beweeg nie. Ek het my voorste linie hoor skree in Engels en Afrikaans Don’t Shoot we are SAW”, met my vorentoe beweeg het ek toe ek wou vuur op die “vyand” gesien hul is geklee in “Browns” my Troepe het nie gevuur nie, waargeneem dit is SAW lede... Ek het aan my Troep Sers opdrag gegee” Staak Vuur” en gehoor dat daar geskree word Vanaf die” vyand kant” staak vuur - skiet n Groen Flare, wat toe gebeur het. Van my troepe het ligte skrapnel wonde opgedoen.
My Tolk Johnny Het my genader en gemeld” Kapt iemand is dood” vir my na n vraag geklink, het hom beantw en gesê niemand is dood nie, hy my meegedeel “ Lelong is dood”. My gehaas waar Stephen en sy seksie ontplooi het.... hom daar gevind.... met klein skrapnel wond onder sy ken, ( lyk soos jy jou raak geskeer het) en een deur sy sakboekie blykbaar in sy hart...
Naskrif: Ons was gekamoefleer, (dus swart gesigte). Ek het O Kpl Lelong en sy seksie elk 50 push ups laat doen omdat hul lawaai het, en daarna vir hul gesê: “Remember, Death is Forever!” 5-10 min later is Stephen oorlede, en as ek reg kan onthou 3 ander lede, agv die 60mm Mortier wat detoneer het, en nie soos in my geval n dowwerd was nie.....
Elke jaar om en by 22-24 Feb, is ek nie op my stukke nie, dink terug....
Vertrou jy sal mooi maak Johan, daardie klompie manne was my seuns, en ja hul het my Dad genoem... agter my Rug!!! 30 jaar is verby... en nou net herhinneringe! En ja soveel goeie stories
Veilig Wees

I have translated the post from Gus Maartens into English:

My Para Sappers and I was attached to 25 Field Squadron for a 3-month deployment from 1 Parachute Battalion. Mine-detection operations was one of our tasks. I was a captain at that stage and Comdt Braam Rossouw had tasked us to sweep the area to the west from Chitado while trying draw out the SWAPO Special Forces Detachment in the area and entice them to attack. They were chosen for this special task because of the troops' higher aggression levels over that of normal sappers.
I had informed the battalion commander (I think it was 51 Bn) at Ruacana about our special tasking in their area and the next day told my 2iC that we would not move out before we had established communications with 25 Field Engineers at Oshakati.
I had been instructed to place my vehicles in an all-round-defence position (open laager) and had allocated arcs of fire to each section. After a long time of struggling to establish communications, my 2iC called me to transit the SITRAP (Situation Report). While I was kneeling over the radio, transmitting the report, I suddenly became aware of mortar, RPG, and small calibre fire. A 60mm mortar landed a few metres away from me, but fortunately did not detonate (we destroyed it later). My corporal, who was the troop sergeant, was ordered to direct mortar fire to the rear of the attacking forces and then to "bring it in" so that the enemy could fall back. As I moved forward to respond to the enemy fire in kind, I heard my own front line troops yelling in Afrikaans and English, "Don't shoot! We are SADF!" I saw the "enemy" and that they were indeed dressed in "Browns". My troops did not fire because they had seen the SADF troops in time... I ordered my troop sergeant to cease fire and also heard the "cease fire" shouted from the "enemy" side, upon which a green flare was fired into the air. Some of my troops had suffered light shrapnel wounds.
My interpreter, Johnny, then approached me and told me "Captain, someone is dead!". It had sounded almost like a question, and I responded by telling him that no one was killed. Then he told me "Lelong is dead". I rushed off to where Stephen and his section were deployed... and found him there... with a small shrapnel wound under his chin (like when you had cut yourself shaving) and another struck had him in the heart right through the notebook in his pocket.
PS: We were camouflaged (therefore with black faces). I had previously made L/Cpl Lelong and his section each do 50 pushups because they had not been quiet, and told them afterwards, "Remember, Death is forever!" 5-10 minutes later Stephen was killed, and if I remember correctly, three others as well, caused by 60mm mortars that had detonated and not like the one in my case, which had been a dud...
Every year between 22 and 24 Feb I remember, not feeling my best...
Those young men were like my sons, and yes, they did call me "Dad", behind my back!!! 30 years have gone past, and we now only have the memories! And so many more stories...
Be safe!

He was the best of us!!!

Steven, you will always live on in my memories Gavin H Allwright