Mr Knight - You got your Troops mixed - 513Tp was Oshakati, and we were not under command of 511Tp - Rundu guys were a sub-unit of 511, and not 512Tp; 512Tp was based at Mpacha
My radio callsign was Papa Foxtrot (PF) at Oskakati, and I was the same intake as you - and I did change to PF later on! Out now of course!!

Your abbreviation BRUSH did not only refer to 511 Tp, But also to any other 5 Sig member deployed here during the War. I added some of the places I found, eg 511 Tp base, 513Tp base.

noticed a mistake on the placing of Etale Base - the actual base is where the ratel position is marked - the BRUSH post from 513 Tp was in the north eastern corner - its almost as if that part has a definite line between it and the rest of the base (clear markings still exist)

You can add to th 5SAI base our old live round training ground of Boshoek. Brings back bad memories for us that had to survive the likes of Rooibaard et al


lat 28� 13'26.07"S
long 30�02'48.43"E

92 Ammo Depot Witbank (estimate) Its a small place using a diused mine shaft
lat 25� 52'13.20"S
long 28�56'57.60"E

Okankolo
A small base for a platoon Spent 3 months there in 1985
lat 17�57'43.28"S
long 16�25'04.95"E


Half way between the Oshivelo / Ondangwa tar road and the base at Okankolo was a Koevoet base.

Nepara (17�46'4.43"S / 18�27'9.80"E)


I read the docs you have posted about Ops Askari. Geez when you are involved as a troopie you don't realize what is going on around you. I was with 5SAI and we had just finished 2nd phase training. In fact we had not done the proper training because we my platoon was the top platoon in Basics so we got to do the Parade at Natal command so we pent the whole of second phase marching around the parde ground practicing our �slow march�

We were suddenly told that we were skipping third phase and we were on our way to the border to join a massive operation that was under way � Ops Askari. That was just before Christmas.

We arrived at Oshiterrible (Oshivelo) just before New Year and did our orientation training. This place had bad memories not only because of the hard training but it was where I was nearly killed during our next tour of duty.

The Cape Coloured Corp was on a nearby range and they had put their LMG at right angles to their lane and pointing directly at the place where I was busy setting up a claymore mine.

After Oshivelo we did one patrol in SWA around Ogongo (I think). The first night on patrol a headman's house was attacked near us but because the Parabats and some other units were nearby we were all told to sit tight. The powers that be did not want us to walk into one another - Wise move because own kills were the order of the day!

Two days later we were loaded into buffels and sent accross into Angola to join in in Ops Askari. The only problem was the leader of our convoy go it wrong. Instead of turning right at Ongiva he went straight on so at about 9 that night the whole convoy stopped and we slept at the side of the road. I think he was heading towards the Xangongo base

The next day we returned to Ongiva and headed uptowards Mupa. Before we got to Mupa (Somewhere between Evale and Mupa) we were again stopped and we ended up patroling on foot for a day or two.

As a troopie you are not aware of the big picture but I would estimate this was about the 10th of Jan and the battle for Cuvelai was now over. I can only assume they had now decided to use us as a stopper group south of the main action

While we were having a lunch break two very fit young men walked along the path and before they knew anything we had grabbed them. They tried to act dumb but they made the mistake of saying they supported MPLA. Our UNITA guide went ballistic, He grabbed his rifle grenade and used it as a club. After that our prisoners decided keeping their mouths shut was their best option. They were then collected and taken away in a buffel. I presume they ended up in th hands of an intelligence officer somewhere.

After two days we were told that intelligence had picked up that there was a small base operating about 50km west of us and they wanted us there the next morning. We were joined by two other platoons and we started walking at about three in the afternoon. Note it was done on BL>>>>>DY foot. (Our prisoners had been driven out!!!) Sometime in the middle of the night I started to get the runs, what fun! AWA Africa Wins Again!

At about 2am we saw a flare to the east of us, it was the warning signal and so by the time we got to the base SWAPO had disappeared, they had headed out to the North. It looked like a small operation probably a maximum of ten people.

Around the 20th Jan we were then moved back to SWA to Ruacana. I am under the impression that a cease fire between us and the Angolans, not with SWAPO. Again the problem with just being a troep! You don�t know what is happening around you

We were at Ruacana for about five days and then we were told we were going back into Angola! Recently read old Gen Geldenhuys book were he made the point that we had already left Angola but because disengagement talks were happening in Zambia it was decided to send us back in so that they would have something to talk about.

They started to do chopper drills with us. We were then told to pack for patrol because we were being deployed. We sat on the runway and these choppers landed � some official looking people got out and got in a large plane � it was a lot bigger than he flossie. Our Luitenant said it was the cease fire observer mission. Straight after they left in their plane we got into the same choppers that they had landed in and we were flown to Chitado. lat 17� 18'52.81"S long 13�54'54.66"E

That night our Signaler picked up PW Botha saying something to the effect � I can assure you that there are no troops in Angola� - You can never trust a politician.

I will never forget Chitado � it was shot to pieces. In the Police station garage was an old Land Rover that was damaged beyond repair. The worst however was at sunset. As the sun went down you heard this drone. At first we did not know what it was but then we saw this black cloud of Mosquitoes emerged out of the grass in front of us. They almost carried us away � sleep was impossible.

At one point while we were working to the west of Chitado one of our guys had a bad asma attack and had to get choppered out. We only met up with him about a Month later. The afternoon that he was evacuated we found a deserted SWAPO temporary base. It was well hidden in a rocky crevasse. There were signs of them having been there recently but we had no trackers etc available we could not be sure. I suspect they had seen the helicopter evacuating our fellow troopie and had decided to make themselves very scarce!

After about a week in that area we were ordered back to Chitado. There we met up with a whole lot of platoons from different companies and units. A convoy of buffels came and fetched us. I estimate about 50-60 buffels in total.

As luck would have it we were the very back platoon and my section was the last buffel � and I was 2-IC so sat in the back right hand corner of the vehicle.

As we were crossing the river out of Chitado Section One�s buffel�s stearing rack disintergrated and we had to wait for the recovery vehicle. The rest of the convey left us there.

The recovery vehicle arrived and we had all remounted our vehicles and were about to leave when I heard vehicles approaching from the rear. We were in the dead ground of the river and over the the rise about 50m behind me came a Russian APC and a truck with about 20 FAPLA aboard. They had obviously thought we had lt with the rest of the convey and so were not expecting to encounter us.

We were below them in the open and we were in deep trouble! Fortunatly there was a �cease fire� in place and they observed it and did not open fire.

Our Luit and there officer approached one another and talked and after about half an hour we left. They followed us right to to about 2km from the border and then they turned back. They had initially asked if they could cross over an then re enter Angola lower down the river at another crossing � needless to say that was given the thumbs down.

We crossed back to Ruacana � collected out kit bags, dropped them at Oshikati and went straight on patrol around Okankolo.

Because we had been rushed up early for Askari we were now an extra company so they did not have a permanent base for us. We therefor spent the rest of the tour doing patrols all around SWA.

At one stage when we had been on patrol for about 75 days without even seeing our balsaks someone somewhere took pity on us and flew a braai to us. Those �karroo Oochse� t-bones were fantastic � beat the rat packs hands down. We also received a couple of beers each.

At the time we were escorting a Kw�vo�l with a bladder full of aviation fuel. The staff sergeant who was with us for a couple of days got drunk and decided to use the Kw�vo�l to bundu bash.

The problem was leaves fell through the grid that was supposed to be the bonnet. These fell into the engine compartment and then caught fire. We had a massive problem. The bladder on the back was full of aviation fuel and none of the fire extinguishers worked. That was the one time I was glad for the sandy soil. We managed to get the fire out � but not before a number of hydraulic lines were burnt.

A few weeks later we got back Oshikati and picked up our balsaks. Drove down to Grootfontein and then upto Rundu and then to Nepara (17�46'4.43"S / 18�27'9.80"E) . A long trip of about 800km on the back of buffels and cattle trucks.

When you look at google earth you realize that from the area we were patrolling (East of Okankolo) to Nepara is only about 200km. Military intelligence is a contradiction of terms!

We spent time patrolling around Nepara. 905 Batallion was based there so again we left our kit there and spent the time out in the bush.

Here we did �Kak soek patrolies�. We would build fires in the Temporary base to attract attention.

We would sent one buffel out with one guy on it. The rest would have left earlier and we would meet up on the river. From there we would follow the bait vehicle hoping it would be seen as a soft target and we would be 2 minutes behind it.

How we agreed to such madness I do not know!

We were then moved to Rundu and we did a few patrols on the Caprivi side of Rundu. After three weeks we were called back to Rundu. They had a post parade and all our post that we had not received for months finally caught up with us. No wonder I got back and my girl friend had decided to seek greener pastures!

The next day we watched as two Flossies landed. We got on and were on our way home!
It was an anti climax but it was good to end that tour.

All I can say is that we were untrained � they had rushed us up for Askari before we had even started Coin phase
We were ill prepared for Askari � we were not sure of what our role was.
We were not informed about what was happening at Cuvelai and so did o realize why we were driven in and suddenly stopped near Evale and given different orders.
After Askari we were superfluous, so they kept us on patrol
� it was soul destroying not to have a change of browns for so lon
� to be living on ratpacks for so long that when you got scratched the sore would go septic.
� Our morale got lower and lower. That�s probably why we bought into doing kaksoek patrolies.
We were being lied to - after all PW told us that we weren�t in Angola. I lost some good friends in the border war and I mst admit I am not sure it was worth it!

We encountered you guys in rather a loud way. We had arrived from Ops Askari after dark and some clown off loaded us next to an embankment and told us to sleep there. We were tired an disorientated.

Nobody told us that on the other side of that embankment (A sand berm) was a bunch of guys who were "compensating" by playing with big guns. That night you guys shot off a fire plan to wake up the neighbours - we nearly lost contol of our bowels and bladders when you guys opened up. I think we were probably the laughing stock of the base

dags� vriend

great man, jy doen puik werk! ja, 101 Batt lyk lankal nie meer na 'n basis nie! ver-afrikaan

net 'n vragie, hoe kon jy my doodsakker uitlos. dis nou osona basis waar SWAGM opgelei is.

ruitverwysing google is: 22*05' 43.08"5 16"57.47.06"E
groete

I previously mentioned the BBC Documentary about the Cuban involvement in Angola, here is a link to the makers of the documentary.

http://www.itvs.org/shows/ataglance.php?showID=7634

I see there is at least one copy floating about on the torrent sites, it is worth a look.

The police post between Grooties ands Rundu was called Marurani Gate by BRUSH - unsure what actual police function it fullfilled, but it was a DF position (Radio Direction Finding for the uninformed) for BRUSH.

Hello, my first post here so I just wanted to thank you for researching all the links that you have put up. So many memories, both good and bad.

Haggis(ex-2SAI)