Day  9  - Border Tour 2009 - To 'Nam and back - A nostalgic tour of the South West African ('Nam) / Angolan War Zone of the 70's and '80's :

 

 

                                           Sector 20 area - Kavango to Rundu

From Etali base we'll start to travel more to the east, starting at Eenhana base …. this base has been revved so many times… three SWAPO attacks took place in February 1979, August 1985 and March 1988 ... Eenhana (17°25'12"S 16°19'12"E).... airport if you're stationed at this base, you are guaranteed being mortared at one or other stage…. followed by a quick stop and coffee at Elundu… next stop will be Mpunguvlei …. now we're in Kavango …. we're in Sector 20 (Two-Zero) area...we'll accompany a bushman section on a short patrol in the area close to the Owambo/Kavango/Angola border, but first we'll stop at the base at Mpunguvlei, again on a hill, just opposite a mission station… Mpunguvlei is a temporary base, only tents and the kitchen is a wooden structure... being manned by Citizen Force Units, the base has a more relaxed feeling to it than the other bases, but still the job's done .... clearly shows that experienced soldiers are disciplined and know what to do when the situation requires action...at Mpunguvlei, let’s visit the local Cucashop and have a few bowls of mahango beer…. quite an amazing Cucashop... one side is the shopping area.... with anything from tinned fish to sugar  and in the other area is a "pub" , with a counter , crates as chairs, no refrigerator and a "barlady"  who only speaks the local language, but can swear fluently in Afrikaans when serving her customers....  

 

                            Mpunguvlei Base ('79)                                                    Inside a Cucashop - Mpunguvlei ('79)

     

                    TB close to Usivi ('79)                            Patrol Leader L/Cpl. Alfredo, his son Andonio and Vasco Sernau ('79)

Mahango is brewed from a local type of sorghum.... looks like a thick, white paste and is basically tasteless, has a very low alcohol content, smells bad but quenches the thirst. Please stay away from the local Makalani liquor…. it kicks like a mule, has a very high alcohol content and leaves one with a massive hangover…. not a very good idea in this heat. The patrol leader will take us on a routine foot patrol…. we'll follow them to a few kraals in the area and visit a local Bushman community, close to the Angolan border…. just after Operation Savannah, Bushmen and their families started moving south to escape being persecuted and killed by the Angolan resistance movements, as well as being killed by SWAPO members…. this was one of the crossing points where they were picked up and taken to Camp Alpha, then under the command of Delville Linford, the first Commanding officer of 31 Battalion… we will just have a look to see whether any new arrivals would like to be taken to Omega, the present 31 Battalion head quarters, just opposite Camp Alpha in the Caprivi… we"ll visited Omega later on the tour .... this is an unique chance to see and experience the exceptional field craft skills of the Bushmen soldiers…. he is fluent in Afrikaans, can speak Portuguese and even Fanigalo, so communication should be no problem.... after that it’s back to Mpunguvlei for a braai and a bit of a booze-up… we've reached the halfway stop of the tour and that justifies a party… no guard duty tonight, and the quota goes up to four beers per person tonight … enjoy… relax… tomorrow we leave for Rundu and start our journey into the Caprivi….. why not pay a quick visit to the Cucashop again… heard they managed to source a few bottles of Red Heart rum and having no electricity the Cokes will be warm, but who cares ……. just a word of warning... this area is known for two things .... snakes and elephants... before getting into your sleeping bag tonight, please check for our reptile friends... do the same with your boots tomorrow morning....when walking back from the Cucashop tonight ... the elephants are those big animals with big ears, tusks and move slowly ... if not sure after a few Milo's at the Cucashop.. rather ask a buddy to identify when you see a strange big animal slowly walking towards you ... good luck

   

             Kentucky chicken al a Kavango ('79)                                            Listening to the WP - N/Tvl Game ('79)

Being far from home the B25 radio was often used as a "civilian" radio.... if one had the required frequencies for the South African radio stations, it was easy to listen to news, music and sport, given that the wire antenna was long enough and faced in the right direction. In the picture above the soldiers were listening to the WP - N/Tvl Currie Cup match.... listening was a soldier from the WP.... one from TVL... an OFS supporter.... a surfer from Natal and a Rhodesian.... the match had to be translated as the Rhodie understood only a few words in Afrikaans, most of them were the worst swearing words not found in the dictionary....  who won?.... have no idea ... to long ago to remember .... often signallers gave patrols the correct civilian radio frequencies with the code cards before the patrols left base... the same radio was often used to make a "bosmaatjie vir 'n praatjie" call to the folks back home ... even when deep in Angola........ was not allowed, but the trick was not to be caught in the act..... must just mention that these two photographs above were taken in a "safe" area.... it being a rest day ... the chicken a la Kavango was chicken marinated with Minute Maid orange juice .... "vingerlek lekker"

 

                   Bushman hut north of Usivi ('79)                                 Usivi Bushman and 31/201 Bn soldiers ('79)

Just a bit of info on Sector 20 - Sector 20 HQ is situated in the village of Rundu. As a regional HQ it has a number of units under command and also receives other composite elements of units from the infantry battalions in South Africa to man the battalions in the Sector. The structure on the ground consists of the headquarters elements of 53 Battalion based at Napara, 32 Battalion based at Buffalo in the Western-Caprivi, 201 Battalion (old 31 Battalion) based at Omega in the Western-Caprivi, 202 Battalion (old 34 Battalion - Kavangoland) based in Rundu, 203 Battalion (old 36 Battalion – Boesmanland) based in the Mangeti as well as 16 Maintenance Unit in Rundu as well as Special Forces at Fort Doppies, Bagani and Fort Foot at Rundu AFB

  

       Maj. van Coppenhagen's grave - closest to camera                           Maj. J.W. van Coppenhagen

[Maj. J.W. van Coppenhagen – Maj. Willie van Coppenhagen was killed on 19 March 1988 when he crashed in a Mirage F1AZ whilst returning to Rundu from a night strike on Baixa Longa in Angola - he is buried in the Hero's Acre of the Goede Hoop Cemetery - Strand]

 

While at the Hero's Acre of the Goede Hoop Cemetery in the Strand, close to Cape Town.... not Border related, but a bit of a bother....  L/Cpl. Olaf Johan de Villiers Lagesen , 86492857BG, born on 12 March 1970 and attached to 5 South African Infantry Battalion was killed on 11 March 1990 when a Samil 20 rolled 11 kilometers north of Komatipoort..... buried in the Hero's Acre and so many years later (photo taken in 2006) still no headstone, only a wooden cross ... something is wrong if we treat our fallen soldiers like this... if out of line here, apologies

 

 

Moth Danie van der Berg of Blaauwberg Cuca Shellhole brought this issue to my attention early in 2009 and Marshal Smuts Shellhole decided to make this issue a Shellhole project, seing that Goede Hoop cemetery lies within Marshal Smuts' area of operations.
After making contact with the Direcorate Military Veterans Affairs, SANDF and receiving confirmation that John Lagesens' Passing did, indeed, conform to the SANDF's requirements for the allowance of a proper military grave-stone, the Shellhole went ahead with plans to have said stone erected and consecrated.  
The Shellhole was able to make contact with his family, as well as all the families of those SADF members buried at Hero's Acre, Goede Hoop, and they were all invited to a special Sunset Service to be held at Hero's Acre on Wednesday 11th November 2009 - all with the full blessing of the DMVA.
The weather on the day was foul, to say the least and, at the last moment, the service was moved to the Shellhole itself.  But not before due respect, brevity and solemnity was paid to L/Cpl Lagesen during a small unveiling ceremony - attended by representatives of DMVA, SANDF Reserve Force Office, Western Cape and Moths from Marshal Smuts and Blaauwberg Cuca (with Moth Danie taking photo's, attached).
The service in the Shellhole's hall was a truly memorable one, indeed, as was the Unveiling.
Truly - Sound Memory and True Comradeship at work.
On the following Sunday morning, all the fresh-flower wreaths were taken from the Shellhole to Hero's acre and, during a short Remembrance service, were laid at the graves of all the Heroes buried there.
(photo # 7 shows the grave of Major van Coppenhagen, SAAF, in the foreground).