SA Border War Archive

Spot the Rooivalk

A G6 Howitzer not a Ratel

When the bush starts speaking Ratel - a floppy's worst nightmare

Holding a captured 7,62 x 39mm Czechoslovakian Vz.58V Assault Rifle with Folding Stock, picked up after a contact with SWAPO/PLAN insurgents

Rhodesian Light Infantry Troopies from 1 Commando - and a friend.

7 June 1980 Operation Sceptic: Capt IC Du Plessis landed his badly damaged Mirage F1AZ at Ruacana. The aircraft was damaged by shrapnel from an SAM fired at the aircraft during the bombing of a target. He barely made it to Ruacana. For saving the irreplaceable aircraft, rather than ejecting from it, Capt Du Plessis was awarded an Honoris Crux decoration for bravery.

SADF troops assemble to be picked up by the waiting SAAF Puma helicopter, close to the Eenhana Road also known to the SADF troops as 'Oom Willies se pad' (translation Uncle Willies' road)

Buffel surfing

An English Electric Canberra B(I).12 Rhodesian B.2 Canberras together with South African B(I).12 Canberras carried out attacks on insurgents in Mozambique (usually armed with Alpha cluster bombs), several raids on Zambia, and attacks upon multiple insurgent bases in Angola.

South African paratroopers from 1 Parachute Battalion (known locally as Parabats) serving in Rhodesia in the late 1970’s