Ayton , John Hal Brown (J H B)

Niel was part of Papatroop an Eland90 troop during Operation Savannah. What happened to young Niel was that, on the morning of November 23rd 1975 (referred to by the survivors as ?Bloody Sunday,?) his armoured car was hit as it came down a slope towards a bridge over the Massaba River, some 70 kilometers north of Cela. Niel (who was the driver,) was killed instantly, but the car continued its forward motion until it hit the side of the bridge and toppled over onto its side into the middle of the river. They troop commander and the gunner managed to escape some eleven hours after the car was hit after being terrorized by the enemy infantry trying to pries the hatches of the car open with their bayonets and later a crowbar. Niel's body has never been recovered and he was buried by the local population. The grave has been traced in the mean time (2006), about 1,5 km from the graves of 3 more South African fallen http://papatroop.tripod.com/1st_trip_1974.htm Leon

In January 1975 we met for the first time Cpl Nevel Becheey introduce you to me and it a long story why this happen but you then taught me to play chess and although i never was able to beat you at chess I came close but it taught me to relax and to think ever move before you make the move and the both of us went to the Border in April 1975 to June 1975 and we saw our first action and war and then we went to Bloemfontein and home for 14 days and then back to camp and we then went to Angola we were togo home that week end but instead we went to war and you never came back and today you are still in Angola and I heard today that the SA Goverment have had talks with the Angola Goverment about bringing you back home after 35 years and I ask my self do you want to leave were you are? and go home as that has been your home for so long do we as the living who donot know death and been dead and we know we all have to go there as we growe older and we who are at home can chose were we are buried when we die But you never had that and in fact you were buried by your enemy and hopfully they gave you a pray may not we donot know all we know you lay in a grave for 35 years while I marched on in to my life and I have never for gotten that first chess game that you said check mate I salute you TRP LOMBAARD Coenie Bekker

We are stil trying to get you back to your home country and after 35 years I wonder if you want to leave your rest place please send me a message Coenie Bekker