During the late 1950's and the early 1960's the Colonial
Powers started a massive decolonialization of Africa. Under pressure from leftist
arm-chair critics, not wanting to fight communist- and socialist-inspired so-called
independence movements, Britain, France, Belgium and Italy suddenly abrogated their
responsibilities towards the developing people of Africa and left Africa almost overnight.
"Uhuru!" ("freedom" in Swahili) was the short-lived chant on African
lips. Everyone and everything was and is blamed for the new black leaders' rampant
corruption, brutality, incompetence and greed thereafter. Eurocentrists blame the
Africans, Afrocentrists blame the Europeans. Whatever the truth, African leaders
were suddenly free from the "colonial yoke", ... and also from any restraints.
Aid, in the form of money to fill their private coffers, military hardware to kill off
their opponents, and advisers to tell them how to impress the outside world, was in short
supply. In many African states, the gap left by the colonial powers was filled by
the Communist Block. It suited Red China and the Soviet Union down to the last AK 47.
They grabbed the opportunity with both hands and a wave of Communism and quasi-Communism
swept over much of Africa from north to south. The atrocities of the Congo recall vivid
images of barbarism and communism brewed up to a primitive, but deadly concoction.
Non-communist countries came under threat and started to barricade their borders. Around
1964 this communist wave came to an abrupt halt at the Zambezi. Rhodesia, Portugal
and South Africa were not going to give in to the communist invasion. The first 'border
war' had started. From the tropical forests of Angola and Mocambique to the steaming
Zambezi valley, the Portuguese Soldado, the Rhodesian Troopie and the South African Boer
stood shoulder to shoulder, determined to defend civilization against barbarism.
Click on thumbnails for larger version
[pic of wall of remembrance]
A Boer and Farmer doing his stint at the
border.The typical 'camper', faithfully serving his time, and more, during his regular
stints up at the border. Their role was more important than they themselves may have
A soldier relaxes after a day's convoy driving. The drivers were in a class of their own. Slogging away hour after hour on some of the worst roads in Africa, even bundu-bashing through virgin bush, these drivers literally kept the wheels of the army running. Fortunately, their fellow-soldiers and many commanders acknowledged this and the mutual respect served to make life easier for all concerned.
The air force's luxuries... Wherever the air force went, a certain amount of 'civilization' soon followed. The boys in blue knew how to turn a primitive base into something more appropiate for officers and gentlemen, - and the 'brown jobs' rarely begrudged them their legendary lifestyle, for two reasons : Firstly, they knew very well that it was the Alo gunship and the Puma troop carrier, who got you out when you were screaming and begging for help somewhere in the middle of Angola. Secondly, it was the air force, who flew in the goodies from 'Ondang's', and if you stayed on their right side they could bring something in for you, too.
Soldiers of 32 Battalion. This famous unit consisted of black Angolan 'Portuguese', who originally followed the founder of the unit, Colonel Jan Breytenbach, out of Angola to the old South West Africa, and white SA officers and NCO's. From the Western Caprivi, where they settled down with their families in a beautiful base called Buffalo on the banks of the Kavango, they sallied forth to do battle against their old enemies, the Mpla of Angola and Swapo of Namibia, - side by side with the South African and South West African soldiers. 32 Bn gained its reputation through old-fashioned discipline, toughness, successes on the battlefield, sheer hard graft, spending week after week, month after month in the bush, and the fact that it was 32 Bn's men, black and white, more than any other unit, who grace the roll of honour on our monuments. The black soldiers followed their white officers and NCO's because they might not have been the most exemplary text-book soldiers, but they knew how to die for their country and their unit's honour.