GEORGE NEWS - "We are an awesome group of like-minded people and we would like members of the forces in the Border War to share their stories with fellow Moth members," says Rag Bill Pieter Viljoen.
Viljoen gives the lowdown on the Border War and how those interested can become members of the Moths.
The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes referred to as the Anglo Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia and Angola from 1966 to 1989.
It was fought between the South African Defence Force (SADF) and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), an armed wing of the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO). The South African Border War resulted in some of the largest battles on the African continent since World War II and was closely intertwined with the Anglo Civil War.
South West Africa received formal independence as the Republic of Namibia a year later, in March 1989.
Despite being largely fought in neighboring states, the South African Border War had a phenomenal cultural and political impact on South African society. The country's government devoted considerable effort towards presenting the war as part of a containment programme against regional Soviet expansionism and used it to stoke public anti-communist sentiment.
Various names have been applied to the undeclared conflict waged by South Africa in Angola and Namibia in this period.
The so-called "border war" was not actually a war at all by classic standards. At the same time it eludes exact definitions. The core of it was a protracted insurgency in South West Africa, later South West Africa/Namibia and still later Namibia.
At the same time it was characterized by the periodical involvement of the SADF in a long civil war taking place in neighbouring Angola, because the two conflicts could not be separated from one another.
1. The SA Bush War lasted for 23 years, from 1966 until 1989, making it one of Africa's longest conflicts.
2. Contrary to popular belief, most SADF soldiers fighting the Bush War, were non-white volunteers, with as much as an estimated 60% by the closing year. In these two decades the SADF became racially integrated at all levels.
3. The success can largely be ascribed to the excellent tracking skills of the Owambo trackers deployed to find and follow the spoor (tracks) of insurgents, and by using the Casspir mine-protected vehicles capable to bundu-bash through most obstacles and keep its occupants safe even during a double anti-tank mine blast. Coin-ops tactics included running on the spoor (track) while flanked by the Casspirs, and leapfrogging a few kilometres ahead to find the spoor, thereby accelerating the pursuit.
4. Other special coin-ops units included 31 Bn (Bushmen Battalion) consisting of Khoi-San (Bushmen), a cavalry unit on horseback, and a motorcycle unit on off-road scrambler motorbikes.
The SADF took a decision in the late 1970s to opt for wheeled vehicles instead of tracked vehicles. African conditions of vast distances, thick bush, loose sand, are more suitable to wheeled vehicles.
Take up membership of the Moth
If you were there or in a supportive role, you are invited to join in membership at the Outeniqua Moth Shellhole.
- Visit www.moth.org.za.
Memorabilia will be welcomed from prospective members and the public in the Shellhole exhibition.
- Membership categories are for Moths and Friends of the Moth. Inquire at adj.outeniquashellhole@gmail.com.
- Shellhole Address: 6 Rijk Tulbach Street, Loerie Park, George
- Correspondence: adj.outeniquashellhole@gmail.com
- Meetings: Every second Thursday of the month at 19:00
- Scheduled Social "tavern" events: Tuesdays and Fridays at 17:00 ('On the Bench' interviews with former uniform legends)
Activities include shooting range, venue hire, functions, parades, monthly meals, Santa flight, Moth Motor Cycle Association, Cancer Associations, and many more interactive events, including at the 'Tavern On the Bench' interviews with former uniform legends.
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