SA Border War Archive

A SADF convoy entering Namibia, 1988.

We only take a knee to pray and to slot floppies

This 'lavatree' was located deep inside the Caprivi Strip. It was a hollowed out baobab tree with a functional toilet near the Zambezi River.

The SADF used weather balloons to trick Cuban air defences in Tchipa (Angola) into action. The Cubans fell for the ruse, launching 6 SA-6 SAMs to blow the harmless balloons out of the sky. The South African observers promptly used the firing data to plot the location of Cuban SAM sites and subjected them to a four-hour-long, 200+ shell, long-range "artillery" bombardment. The much-feared SA-6, the teeth of Communist air defences in Tchipa, were knocked out.

Rhodesian Police Special Forces tracking terrorist footprints, 1973

Rhodesian troops would sometimes have to jump up to four times a day into contact/tracking and at extremely low altitudes (500-300ft). They set numerous records for most jumps and lowest jumps (217ft). One troopie in particular, Des Archer of the RLI, did 73 operational jumps. The RSF did over 14 000 jumps in their short time on the battlefield.

The Grey Scouts were a mounted infantry unit, which patrolled, reconned, and attacked guerrilla fighters during the Rhodesian Bush War. They were able to cross large distances in a day, delivering supplies to stationed troops while crossing through dangerous terrain unsuited for vehicles.