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  1. #1
    User Paul's Avatar
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    Default 25 years ago yesterday...

    in the Lomba River Valley something quite extraordinary took place. An armoured car mounted with an experimental and unproven anti-tank missile system engaged a squadron of Soviet Main Battle Tanks...

    http://www.facebook.com/video/video....d=103819570796
    "Always remember to pillage before you burn"
    Unknown Barbarian

  2. #2
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    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Thank you for the link Paul, absolutely awesome stuff!

    Found this SA Army College Video as well (Series of 3): a bit corny, but quite worth a look:


  3. #3
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    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Nice - thanks for posting!

    (But stick it in the SA history section...;o)
    [b]Be ready for anything, and if his head is not at least two meters away from the body, do not 'assume' he is dead and out of the fight.[/b] [I]- Ikor[/I]

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    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    You've proabably already read this one:

    http://www.namibweb.com/chap20.htm

  5. #5

    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Thanks Paul,

    I actually went through yesterday without recognizing the significance of the date.

    I was there on the 10th, it was my first contact, and i was transferred to a combat Casspir (from my Rinkhals ambulance).
    The previous day (9 September 1987) we shot out a BTR armoured vehicle on the Lomba oshona. I think it was with a 90 mm cannon, mounted on a Ratel of course. The BTR was right next to the mobile bridge, also shot out, shown in some of the first pictures in the video.
    This did not count as a contact, as there were no infantry on our side of the river at that stage.
    The infantry crossed during the night to try and establish a bridgehead for their vehicles.

    We (101 batallion section of fighting group Bravo) sorted out the infantry on our side first. Then the 61 Mech ratels (also integrated into fighting group Bravo) moved into position on the bush edge of the oshona, and engaged the advancing tanks.

    At the moment the missiles were being fired, I was on the sand a few metres away putting up a drip for a wounded soldier. He had sustained a "friendly bullet" from an R4 through his thigh. Shattered his femur. Another guy I had to cassevac had a piece of mortar shrapnel inside his eyeball.

    While attending these patients, there was explosions all around me. Some enemy mortars falling among us, and some of our artillery sending stuff off their way. I could not hear the difference between the "coming" and "going" artillery. So to me it was twice as frightening as to the experienced guys.

    Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Paul.

    Willie Barnard

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    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie Barnard View Post
    At the moment the missiles were being fired, I was on the sand a few metres away putting up a drip for a wounded soldier.
    wow.... just wow.
    now that's some memories :)

  7. #7
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    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie Barnard View Post
    Thanks Paul,

    I actually went through yesterday without recognizing the significance of the date.

    I was there on the 10th, it was my first contact, and i was transferred to a combat Casspir (from my Rinkhals ambulance).
    The previous day (9 September 1987) we shot out a BTR armoured vehicle on the Lomba oshona. I think it was with a 90 mm cannon, mounted on a Ratel of course. The BTR was right next to the mobile bridge, also shot out, shown in some of the first pictures in the video.
    This did not count as a contact, as there were no infantry on our side of the river at that stage.
    The infantry crossed during the night to try and establish a bridgehead for their vehicles.

    We (101 batallion section of fighting group Bravo) sorted out the infantry on our side first. Then the 61 Mech ratels (also integrated into fighting group Bravo) moved into position on the bush edge of the oshona, and engaged the advancing tanks.

    At the moment the missiles were being fired, I was on the sand a few metres away putting up a drip for a wounded soldier. He had sustained a "friendly bullet" from an R4 through his thigh. Shattered his femur. Another guy I had to cassevac had a piece of mortar shrapnel inside his eyeball.

    While attending these patients, there was explosions all around me. Some enemy mortars falling among us, and some of our artillery sending stuff off their way. I could not hear the difference between the "coming" and "going" artillery. So to me it was twice as frightening as to the experienced guys.

    Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Paul.

    Willie Barnard
    And history calls it "The Cold War"
    Recent studies show that 1 out of every 3 liberals are just as dumb as the other 2

  8. #8

    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Quote Originally Posted by camouflage762 View Post
    And history calls it "The Cold War"
    Of course it was cold. (If you were far from the fire!)

    WB

  9. #9
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    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie Barnard View Post
    101 batallion section of fighting group Bravo
    Were you with De Waal or Suis Prinsloo? Suis earned his HC that day.
    "Always remember to pillage before you burn"
    Unknown Barbarian

  10. #10

    Default Re: 25 years ago yesterday...

    Yes Paul, with Sierra Pappa and KM (Koos Maritz) and Lt D'Assonville at the start.

    Their units were called 902 and 903 IIRC. (Sorry, I dont know what such a unit was called, but it consisted of 10 fighting Casspirs, a command Casspir, 2 logistic vehicles,(Kwêvoël), a recovery vehicle (tow-in truck HEAVY duty called a Withings), and during Ops Modular a Rinkhals ambulance for both 902 and 903. Each of the fighting Casspirs, was commanded by a Lieutenant or Corporal, and had ten soldiers and a driver. The kwêvoëls carried ammo, ration packs, oil, spares including rear and front axles for the Casspirs. The tiffies on the Withings could replace a Casspir's axle in about 2 hours after it had detonated a mine, and have it running again.)

    With them we also participated in the "battle of Chisseque" on the 13th of September, west of our 10 Sept contact.This was a more serious contact than the one on the 10th, and we lost 7 men, when their Ratel got stuck in the mud and was shot out.Our soldiers claimed to have shot about 300 infantry in that battle, and we also shot out 3 tanks. (One of them as revenge for almost hitting my Rinkhals ambulance!)(See Hellmut-Romer Heitman's book.)

    After this battle our Owambo soldiers were having a serious problem. They have been away from home for a long time, and were worrying about their families not having received money for a while. No EFT in those times and places. They had to go back to the base in Ondangwa to receive their pay and distribute it to their families.This problem was solved by flying in the personell of 901 and 904, with only their personal kit and weapons. 902 and 903 was flown out,and the new guys used the vehicles and weapons left behind.

    This was when I met, De Waal, Dames, Van Rooyen and Bester.From there we followed the retreating enemy brigades towards Cuito Cuanavale, up to the Chambinga Bridge.

    WB
    Last edited by Willie Barnard; 11-09-2012 at 21:07. Reason: Paragraphs

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