Thanks for recording this guys; this is a part of history that is being rewritten; and your in person testimony is authentic and invaluable to the historical record. Thank you for your service and for bearing the wounds that never heal. I am one of the millions that benefitted from your courage and sacrifice. At 3:25:30.. word wakker troep! :-) :-) 🙂 Oh yes and I dig the T-shirt. Praat Afrikaans of hou jou bek. Respek, patriot.
I was also in Askari part of 61 MECH and 82 Mech which comprise of Burgermag troops. I was a NSM trained as a 81mm mortar. Our target was Cuvelai we attacked on 31 st of Desember but we had to withdrew and attacked again on the 4th of December . 61 Mech came down to do a combined attach which was successfull.
A note to the very young: the battle in the past, the struggle, was to avoid a totalitarian atheist communist takeover. We didn't fight skin colour. From a purely military perspective, the bulk of the war was fought by 32 Batallion (three-two), 61 (six-one) Mechanised Brigade. Accountants, lawyers, doctors, farmers, welders, advocates, professional people, who left their regular jobs when conscripted, and diligently did the work expected from them. Neither were they politically motivated, nor were they an instrument of any oppressive political system. I had the privilege to know some personally, from the Dirty Dozen Minus One, to Lt Col Christie van Zyl of the Armoured Corps, and especially WO1 Koos Moorcroft, a legend in his day. One typically only ever salutes a commissioned officer, but a salute to each and every one of these bold men certainly deserve my salute and yours. I also served with some Recces, SA's only SPECOPS, and their level of professionalism always did impress. Thank you to all Recces, 32Bn and 61 Bn warriors, for your sacrifice for South Africa 🇿🇦. Once again, a salute from a pure heart. Yes, I also had to bury some of my very best friends. Oom B, one of the Hunter Group, filled me in on some history. I once told a Colonel that I respected his gardener as much as I respected him. But the Colonel got the salute; he wore the rank. I think 32 operated on a basis of respect more than military authority. I hope I got that right. 😊
SADLY, SADLY you were conned. There never was going to be a 'totalitarion, atheist communist takeover' - it was all Nationalist Party & right wing propoganda!
Seeing the tears of a hardened soldier, especially 32's recce unit, makes me a mere soldier of the old SADF feel like such a woos. These guys did the dirty work no one else dared to attempt. In a way, I owe my existence to to guys like this, They fought the battles we never knew about at the time. I know it is a cliché, but the words Brothers in Arms best describes these unique individuals that made such a big difference in so many lives outside their own circle of brotherhood. I thank you sir's, today I have a family thanks to your efforts.
I did Ops Askari with 201 BN…. Bushmen, ops driver with Romeo Mike. Had our B52 radio shot out in the back of thec Buffel hanging on the roll bar. I short circuited the Buffel batteries and soldered the wires back on the hand piece. A week later we had the Moggel engine shot out by an RPG7 while bogged in a Shona. We got a replacement engine delivered by a Puma and 1 Tiffie to help us. Being a diesel mech myself, we changed the engine in 6 hours and got going towards Mupa for supplies. What a blessing Mupa was, lovely river, fresh water, washing and re supply before heading off to the East of Cuvelai. LT De Jager and Cpl Ottogalli from 201 BN can confirm this, no BS
Ek is spyt dat 32 ontbind het. Wou graag Spes Magte toe gegaan het. As ek die kans kon kry sou ek liewer by 32 wou aangesluit het.Was 84/85 in die Weermag gewees. Wou vra...hoe het julle gevoel toe julle swart kollegas besluit het om 32 te los en net julle oor gebly het?
We were just too young ... I was 17 when I started my service .. they should have made the minimum age 21 . We would have been more mature with more life experience and more brains
I'd bet there are many people very disappointed that the guy who got the sambok was white. Now they have nothing to virtue signal and be outraged about.
There was a Franky (real name Francois) on one of the Legacy Conversations. Not sure if same person. I also don't remember if they talked about him or to him.
You lashed a National Service Member? Where did you get the mandate to lash any member of the SA Defence Force. Very entitled of you do do so. Sies man.
slaat hom half dood, stuur hom huistoe! terminste sal hy nie vrek as hy weg hardloop in n geveg nie...of ons makkers in die steek laat sy radio weggooi en hardloop nie! jy is sekerlik nie weermag magtig nie!
Thanks for recording this guys; this is a part of history that is being rewritten; and your in person testimony is authentic and invaluable to the historical record. Thank you for your service and for bearing the wounds that never heal. I am one of the millions that benefitted from your courage and sacrifice.
At 3:25:30.. word wakker troep! :-) :-) 🙂
Oh yes and I dig the T-shirt. Praat Afrikaans of hou jou bek. Respek, patriot.
I was also in Askari part of 61 MECH and 82 Mech which comprise of Burgermag troops. I was a NSM trained as a 81mm mortar. Our target was Cuvelai we attacked on 31 st of Desember but we had to withdrew and attacked again on the 4th of December . 61 Mech came down to do a combined attach which was successfull.
Many thanks for the story from inside 32. It will always be remembered. SAAF 07/01/1974 - 31/01/2013.
A note to the very young: the battle in the past, the struggle, was to avoid a totalitarian atheist communist takeover. We didn't fight skin colour. From a purely military perspective, the bulk of the war was fought by 32 Batallion (three-two), 61 (six-one) Mechanised Brigade. Accountants, lawyers, doctors, farmers, welders, advocates, professional people, who left their regular jobs when conscripted, and diligently did the work expected from them. Neither were they politically motivated, nor were they an instrument of any oppressive political system.
I had the privilege to know some personally, from the Dirty Dozen Minus One, to Lt Col Christie van Zyl of the Armoured Corps, and especially WO1 Koos Moorcroft, a legend in his day. One typically only ever salutes a commissioned officer, but a salute to each and every one of these bold men certainly deserve my salute and yours.
I also served with some Recces, SA's only SPECOPS, and their level of professionalism always did impress.
Thank you to all Recces, 32Bn and 61 Bn warriors, for your sacrifice for South Africa 🇿🇦. Once again, a salute from a pure heart. Yes, I also had to bury some of my very best friends. Oom B, one of the Hunter Group, filled me in on some history.
I once told a Colonel that I respected his gardener as much as I respected him. But the Colonel got the salute; he wore the rank. I think 32 operated on a basis of respect more than military authority. I hope I got that right. 😊
south africa had a war?
SADLY, SADLY you were conned. There never was going to be a 'totalitarion, atheist communist takeover' - it was all Nationalist Party & right wing propoganda!
Correct
More factually speaking, you fought to preserve an authoritarian, inhumane and racialist regime.
Seeing the tears of a hardened soldier, especially 32's recce unit, makes me a mere soldier of the old SADF feel like such a woos. These guys did the dirty work no one else dared to attempt. In a way, I owe my existence to to guys like this, They fought the battles we never knew about at the time. I know it is a cliché, but the words Brothers in Arms best describes these unique individuals that made such a big difference in so many lives outside their own circle of brotherhood. I thank you sir's, today I have a family thanks to your efforts.
I did Ops Askari with 201 BN…. Bushmen, ops driver with Romeo Mike. Had our B52 radio shot out in the back of thec Buffel hanging on the roll bar. I short circuited the Buffel batteries and soldered the wires back on the hand piece. A week later we had the Moggel engine shot out by an RPG7 while bogged in a Shona. We got a replacement engine delivered by a Puma and 1 Tiffie to help us. Being a diesel mech myself, we changed the engine in 6 hours and got going towards Mupa for supplies. What a blessing Mupa was, lovely river, fresh water, washing and re supply before heading off to the East of Cuvelai. LT De Jager and Cpl Ottogalli from 201 BN can confirm this, no BS
Huge respect to these chaps !!
Hi Noel and Peter, enjoyed hearing your recollections. Best regards, Richard Henry ( Mil Museum) now living in Sweden
Salute and Respect Brothers, R.I.P. RSM Koos.
Koos, rest in peace. He passed away recently.
Julle moet onthou van Kol Kallie Ihlenfeldt van 32Bn wat onder Falcon se bevel groot sukses met met Adkari gehad het!!
RIP Danie Vrey......... my partner
O ja,wou ook vra...as iets met Pieter sou gebeur het tydes julle patrollie,wie sou dan oorgeneem het?
Salute / Saluut.
Respect.
One never thought it is possible for you to die, only the enemy could die.
Did any of you know (know of) "Spikkels" Terreblanche. He was ex 32 and was my Sgt. at School of Armor and 61 Mech in 85/6
Ek is spyt dat 32 ontbind het. Wou graag Spes Magte toe gegaan het. As ek die kans kon kry sou ek liewer by 32 wou aangesluit het.Was 84/85 in die Weermag gewees. Wou vra...hoe het julle gevoel toe julle swart kollegas besluit het om 32 te los en net julle oor gebly het?
We were just too young ... I was 17 when I started my service .. they should have made the minimum age 21 . We would have been more mature with more life experience and more brains
I was 16, had to fill in special permission forms before I could go to Angola. Tough but great times...
I'd bet there are many people very disappointed that the guy who got the sambok was white. Now they have nothing to virtue signal and be outraged about.
War is a Racket - General Smedley Butler
Baie dankie ouens, julle is ysters, salueer ouens. Ek mis my dae by 4 Recce as Logistieke Troep.99
Anyone know a francie ?
There was a Franky (real name Francois) on one of the Legacy Conversations. Not sure if same person. I also don't remember if they talked about him or to him.
Hi Henrik Hein hier
Respect my brothers.
You lashed a National Service Member? Where did you get the mandate to lash any member of the SA Defence Force. Very entitled of you do do so. Sies man.
slaat hom half dood, stuur hom huistoe! terminste sal hy nie vrek as hy weg hardloop in n geveg nie...of ons makkers in die steek laat sy radio weggooi en hardloop nie! jy is sekerlik nie weermag magtig nie!
Yes, bad form indeed.
Typical Dutchman to cut off the majority of the world to what he had to say. Voetsak
Aparth death squads should not be openly glorified under our new, democratic dispensation!
Have some sense of decency!
i know at as blackes???
Salute 🫡 guys , thanks so much for these recollections you shared !! .... how does one make contact with you ?