Army Talk

Magazine

Issue #1, March, 2008

The Smell of Diesel Smoke in the morning

Editorial Team

Contents

Editor:

Editorial

John Dovey john@justdone.co.za

Gareths Photos

Published by:

Cassinga Debate

Just Done Productions

P.O. Box 23
Gillitts
3603
South Africa
http://www.justdone.co.za/

Some thoughts

13

Electronic Version

The Young British Soldier

19

Distributed online via email and the website

http://www.justdone.co.za

Photo Gallery

20

OVSAC #1: Boer Artillery

Trophies in Australia and New
Zealand
15

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version which is available only for reading on
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Print Version
The Print version is available
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from

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Contributions &
correspondence
armytalk@justdone.co.za

Editorial Board
Adm Chris Bennett
Col Clive Willsworth
Col Dudley Wall
Col Pat Acutt
Lt-Col Kevin Mulligan
Lt-Col Steve Camp
Maj Willem Steenkamp
Dave Kenny

Resources

Army Talk Email List: http://groups.google.co.za/group/ArmyTalk

Officers List: isajohan@esnet.co.za
Warrant Officers List: medlin@mweb.co.za
Saffer Wiki: http://saffer.pbwiki.com (password Callup)
Airborne Soldier http://www.airbornesoldier.com
SA Military: http://www.sa-military.co.za
Roll of Honour: http://www.justdone.co.za/ROH/
SA Transport: http://www.sa-transport.co.za/military/

Cover:
Map of Angola
Inset: New style SANDF Tents and CTH Training
from 2003

2

Army Talk Magazine

his is the first issue of

the ArmyTalk Magazine.
As you will have seen,
the subtitle on the cover
page is The Smell of Diesel in the
Morning which is pretty descriptive
of the purpose and direction that
I would like to follow with this
magazine.
My idea is that this magazine should
be a place for old soldiers and
others interested in the Southern
African military situation/history. It
should be a collection of resources,
websites, anecdotes, images and
other information that relates to
the military in the Southern African
context.
There has been a sudden proliferation
of websites, Facebook groups,
newsletters, books and various other
things that relate to this topic in the
last while, and it can be really difficult
to keep up with what is available and
where it is. There are also a lot of
people who are interested in the topic
and they are often not aware of the
large number of resources that have
become available over the last while.
This magazine is not intended to
replace any of the online resources,
but rather to act as a place for
highlighting them and informing
people about them.
It is also my hope that this magazine
can become a place where past and
present meet, so while it will focus on
the historical, I hope that it will also
be a place where thoughts/debates

Editorial
serving in those places.

Your Editors Soap-Box

The South African Army especially

is constantly being castigated in
the media, and often by journalists
who have very little background
in military topics or who have a
particular bias. It is hoped that we
can address some of that by having
good/balanced articles or debate here
in AT Magazine which can be used
to help to inform those journalists.

There have also been a number of

debates recently on various issues
which have played out as letters to
the editor in various newspapers, as
well as email messages sent to various
discussion groups and newsletters.
The two current examples are on the
Battle of Cuito Carnavale and the
Airborne Raid on Cassinga. These
debates have not been captured in
their entireity anyway, and it this
sort of thing that this magazine
and articles can be published that deal with could address.
the current Southern African Military. Not With all that said, we hope to serve
least is the idea that lessons learnt over the as a repository of information for
last 50 years could be shared with the current history, debate and photos of our
crop of soldiers who face the daunting task military experience.
of acting as African Peace-Keepers in the face
of lack of equipment, low budgets, restrictive Lets have fun while we do it.
ROE and various other difficulties.
ATMAG
It is also my intent to solicit reports back
from the members of the SANDF who are
currently deployed, so that we can share what
information is available.
The world is increasingly global so we will
also include information/stories etc from
Saffers deployed in all kinds of strange places
around the world, as well as friends who are

FAIR USE NOTICE: This magazine may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not
been pre-authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance
understanding of political, economic, scientific, social, art, media, and cultural issues. The fair use
of any such copyrighted material that may exist on this site is provided for under U.S. Copyright
Law. In accordance with U.S. Code Title 17, Section 107, material on this site is distributed without
profit to persons interested in such information for research and educational purposes. If you
want to use any copyrighted material that may exist on this site for purposes that go beyond
fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Issue 01 - March 2008

Gareths Photos
A selection of Photos

About Gareth
Gareth spent a number of years in the
Permanent Force and during that time he
was an instructor at Infantry
School.
These photos are a few of his
collection.

Going over the Obstacle

R4 in hand, this soldier jumps

from the top of an obstacle

Visitors Day

Gareth explains how soldiers

undergoing training have to
stand inspection every morning to a crowd of interested
friends and family.

4

Army Talk Magazine

Wissel

A drill known and hated by everyone

who has done Platoon Weapons.
Here the LMG Number 1 rolls away,
while the Number 2 goes over the top
to take his place at the LMG.

Firing the LMG MAG

Above: The No 1 fires the LMG while the

No 2 feeds the ammunition belt.
Right: Firing from a Fire Support Base
(FSB). The many empty cases (doppies)
and links can be seen strewn around.

Issue 01 - March 2008

Cassinga Debate

he debate on Cassinga rages on. The debate was revived recently when it seems that various people became
aware of the Masters Thesis of Gen McGill Alexander available from UNISA. The first salvo in the debate
was fired by Tommi Lamprecht in response to the thesis, with a number of other people jumping onto the
bandwagon.

After a while, Gen Alexander replied to them in a comprehensive response.

The debate by no means ends here.. Subsequent to this, there have been numberous letters to the editor etc which we will
include in a future edition of the magazine.
ATMAG

Response to Tommie Lamprecht

and Others

28 June 2007
Dear Tommie,

in debate. However, I do take exception farm in 2002. Regarding discipline,

to personal attacks and I will not take Lew Gerber himself, in the document
he wrote after the raid, described
s you have chosen to them lying down.
the extraction as every man for
make this issue public,
Command
and
Control
himself.
I will copy my response
to your comments on Thank you for your comments in this In the dissertation I pointed out that
my dissertation The Cassinga Raid, regard. I stated categorically in my there were varying levels of fitness
together with my response to the dissertation that Jan Breytenbach was amongst the paratroopers. You and
resultant, less measured outbursts the battalion commander. There is no I, Tommie, served as young Citizen
of others directly to the editor of controversy about this, despite Gen Force lieutenants together in 2
the Nuusbrief vir Militre Veterane. du Plessiss insistence to the contrary. Parachute Battalion back in the early
Hopefully, it will receive the same Where disagreements exist is concerning seventies. We both know that when
level of distribution as did your the brigade HQ and the role of the then we attended camps there were some
initial letter.
Brigadier du Plessis. I spelled out the guys who had maintained a good level
As I told you when I first received claims of the various people as well as of fitness, but there were others who
your comments, I have been in the what I was able to trace from available reported absolutely unfit for the job
midst of moving back to PE after documentation. However, the matter of a paratrooper. Come on, Tommie,
my retirement from the Regular was never clearly documented and will lets not kid ourselves! Because you
Army. In fact, I am still surrounded therefore always be open to conjecture. regularly ran the Comrades does not
by unpacked boxes, but feel that the This is therefore how I had to leave it in mean that every CF paratrooper did
so.
comments by some people in the the dissertation.
Nuusbrief require a reaction on my
You comment that it is easy for
Discipline and Fitness
part, as to leave what they have said
people who have not personally
unchallenged could grace their words Regarding the breakdown of discipline experienced the absolute exhaustive
with unmerited credibility.
and the unfitness of the troops during nature of a fire fight to make such a
I will forward a copy of the Debriefing the final extraction (the one where you wide sweeping statement. I take it
Reports for D Company to you once were not present), you neglected to you are referring to me, as the author
I have completed my unpacking mention that the description I gave was of the dissertation, as having made
and have located all the relevant based on interviews with people who, a sweeping statement. If so, I take
documents. I would be pleased to unlike yourself, were there. One of these extreme exception to what you imply.
obtain a copy of your original Orders was a helicopter pilot into whose aircraft You have not the vaguest idea what
for the raid whenever it is convenient the paratroopers were scrambling, course my military career followed
several others were officers amongst the after I joined the Permanent Force,
for you to send it to me.
paratroopers, one an NCO and then and you have no right to pass such a
But first, let me deal with your there was General Viljoen himself.
snide remark.
comments. I have already thanked
In
fact,
it
was
Viljoen
who
pointed
out
I served in the paratroops through
you for your openness in sharing
your views with me and have told that the fitness of the troops was not up most of the war years and I
you that I welcome such comment. I to standard both during a debriefing participated in many operations
dont expect everyone to concur with conference after the raid and in an and came under fire many times. I
my views and I am happy to engage interview that I had with him on his commanded both Citizen Force and

6

Army Talk Magazine

National Servicemen paratroopers

in operations. I have led men in an
airborne assault and I have lost men
in action. I know what it is to have a
man shot next to me while assaulting
an enemy position. That horror
is not your exclusive experience. I
have undergone the physical drain
that a fire fight causes and I have
felt the cold fear and the angry
heat of battle. I dont need you or
anyone else to question my combat
experience. Over a period of many
years I spent numerous periods of
up to six months at a time away
from home and I participated in
operations where I was campaigning
inside Angola for long weeks of
constant tension broken only by
contact with the enemy. It may be
difficult to accept, but you and the
others who were at Cassinga are not
the only paratroopers who fought
against SWAPO.
But let me leave your apparent
personal attack aside for the moment
and get onto what you consider to
be the biggest problem that you have
with my dissertation, namely whether
Cassinga was a legitimate military
target and the alleged massacre of
civilians.

A Legitimate Military Target

or Not?
You go to some lengths to give
your deductions that lead you to
the conclusion that Cassinga was in
fact a legitimate military target. Yet
nowhere in my dissertation do I say
anything to the contrary. However,
I did not write the dissertation as
an apologist for the SADF or the
paratroopers it was intended as a
dispassionate analysis of an airborne
operation, if anyone can indeed be
dispassionate.
You need to understand that an
academic study is based on a
carefully formulated hypothesis. This
hypothesis provides the researcher
with an aim and with the scope,
or parameters within which he will
conduct his research. The aim of my
dissertation was to prove or disprove
the hypothesis. Any professional
soldier will confirm the importance

of carefully selecting the aim and then of

maintaining it. Those who understand
the writing of a military staff paper will
know that one formulates the aim of the
paper before using that to determine the
scope of the discussion. I clearly set out
my hypothesis in my introductory chapter
and I repeated it in my conclusion. For
your benefit, I give it again:
A parachute raid on Cassinga was the only
way that the SADF could strike that objective
without encountering major resistance en
route, the objective itself was a strategically
weak point in SWAPOs defences, the raid
was totally unexpected by SWAPO and its
allies, and the subsequent extraction of the
paratroopers from the objective area was so
rapidly executed that SWAPO and its allies
were unable to react effectively to the raid.
My dissertation revolved around this
hypothesis. My conclusion, at the end of
the dissertation, is that a parachute assault
was indeed the only way that Cassinga
could be attacked; that Cassinga was in
fact a strategically weak point in SWAPOs
defences (though not of sufficient strategic
value to disrupt insurgent activity for more
than a few months); that an airborne raid
on Cassinga was unexpected by SWAPO
and its allies (though they had an idea
that there could be some sort of raid, for
which they expected to receive ample
forewarning); but that the final extraction
(for reasons which I clearly set out) was
not executed rapidly enough to avoid a
Cuban counter-attack and the success of
the raid was negated by SWAPO winning
the subsequent propaganda war. That
was what I intended to establish in my
dissertation, and that is what I did.
I was at pains to explain that I was not
going to try to prove or disprove the
claims of the opposing sides regarding
the contentious issue of whether Cassinga
was a refugee camp or a military base, but
that I would concentrate on the purely
military aspects of the SADF side of the
operation. I stated in my introductory
chapter that it is not the purpose of this
dissertation to resolve it, nor to endorse one
or the other contention. It is this approach
which determined the hypothesis that I
formulated. Nevertheless, my deductions
set out at the end of Chapter 3 (The
Nature and Defensibility of Cassinga)
make it abundantly clear that the objective
was a military base. Nowhere do I say

Issue 01 - March 2008

that Cassinga was not a legitimate

military target and I object to you
creating the impression that I did.
Those of us from the old SADF
who made a study of revolutionary
warfare and read the works of Mao
Zedong as well as the classics on
counter-insurgency by Sir Robert
Thompson and John J. McCuen, and
less well-known works by the likes
of Colin Mitchell, will understand
the composition of an insurgent
base. I set this out in summary in
the deductions at the end of Chapter
3 of my dissertation. From this it is
perfectly obvious that women and
even children and old people are likely
to be found in significant numbers in
an insurgent base. But whether or
not that disqualifies it from being
considered a legitimate military
target is open to debate. Perhaps
those who planned the bombing of
Dresden and other German cities in
the Second World War, fully aware
that they would be killing civilians,
could provide us with an answer.
I did state quite clearly in Chapter
3 of the dissertation that Cassinga,
although it might not have been an
exclusively military base, most certainly
housed SWAPO guerrillas and played
some significant command and
control role in the PLAN structure.
Furthermore, I go on to state in
my deductions that as a military
objective, Cassinga was well suited
to an airborne attack, based on the
information available to the SADF.
In my final conclusion at the end of
the dissertation, I state the balance of
evidence indicates that, although there
were many civilians at Cassinga, it
also housed, at the very least, SWAPOs
military headquarters for southern
Angola. Do I need to be more
explicit?
Clearly, from what emerged in my
research any reader could make his
or her own deductions and come to
certain conclusions of their own. This
is exactly what you did. But those
conclusions are outside the gambit
of my hypothesis, so I did not make
them. If you and others are going to
castigate me for what I did NOT say,
that is your problem, not mine. I

can only take responsibility for what

I did say. If you disapprove of my
hypothesis, then you are perfectly at
liberty to make your own and to prove
or disprove it. I cannot apologise for
not selecting the hypothesis that you
would like to have seen.

The Alleged Massacre of

Civilians
Nowhere in my dissertation do
I claim that the paratroopers
massacred civilians. For you to state
this is disingenuous and misleading.
Your quote from my dissertation
in this regard is out of context and
unacceptable. You fail to point out
that it was a reference to the effects
of the bombing by the Air Force,
which most certainly did cause mass,
indiscriminate death (as any bombing
attack in any war does). You also fail
to observe that I pointed out in the
next sentence that documentary
evidence indicates that the SADF
grossly underestimated the number
of civilians at Cassinga, and that
the intention had never been to kill
civilians, specifically not women and
children.

means that I condone what they did.

Would I have spent 15 years of my life
actively and literally fighting Communism
at considerable sacrifice to my family if I
condoned their actions?
Your argument about wanting to criticize
or condemn SWAPO for housing civilians
in a military base is in any case a tenuous
one. Do you want to also condemn the
SADF for housing civilians in Oshakati,
right next to the main operational HQ for
all SADF activities in Owamboland and a
large part of Southern Angola? Or are you
going to try to convince me that the wives
and children of Permanent Force soldiers
stationed there were in no danger of being
subjected to stand-off bombardments, landmines, ambushes and other techniques
employed by SWAPO in the way that they
waged the war?
It is most unfortunate that you have chosen
to accuse me of putting a knife into the
Citizen Force soldiers. Your diatribe
about the English and Afrikaans speaking
paratroopers and their political affiliations
is a little hard to follow, particularly as I am
personally acquainted with most of them. I
served proudly as a CF paratrooper for eight
years before joining the PF, and now that
I have reached compulsory retirement age
from the Regular Force I have again joined
the Reserves. I have no axe to grind with
the citizen soldiers. If I did have, I wouldnt
be one.

You also chose not to mention that I

had stated during the fighting both
civilians and guerrillas sheltered in
the same trenches, making civilian
casualties inevitable.
The only reason that none of the CF soldiers
Had you taken the trouble, you ever spoke out about what happened
would have noticed that just a few at Cassinga was because there was no
lines further on in the dissertation I deliberate massacre. (I wont even go into
used the term massacre of refugees the despicable implication in your letter
in inverted commas, thereby clearly that PF officers would have countenanced
casting doubt on the veracity of the such a thing, but the CF would not have!)
term.
Nobody (not even you) denies that
Why did I not condemn SWAPO
for housing civilians in a military
camp? Come, now, Tommie, I think
Ive explained that one! It was not
my intention to criticise SWAPOs
actions my hypothesis makes it
clear that I am focussing on the
military aspects of the SADF action.
You want me to condemn SWAPO,
but you have missed the purpose of
the dissertation. By not commenting
on the morality of their employment
of the tenets of revolutionary warfare
as set out by Mao Zedong, hardly

8

were on the same level of fitness

would have been better suited for the
job, I fail to see where I have been
harsh on the part-time soldiers. And
I stand by what I have said. It makes
basic military common sense. The
fact is (as I explained in Chapter 6)
that there was not such a battalion
available at the time, so a composite
battalion of mostly CF paratroopers
was used. And in the deductions to
Chapter 6 I clearly state that the
composite parachute battalion was
well-trained in the available time.
If you feel that I left SWAPO
smelling like roses simply because
I did not analyse their part in the
battle, then I can again only say that
you have missed the point. You have
approached my dissertation with
your own preconceived idea of what
you feel I should have commented
on, and you have failed to carefully
consider what my intention was.
You expected me to portray SWAPO
in a negative light, and because I did
not conform to your expectations
you have decided that I have failed
all paratroopers.
I analysed a military operation. I did
so as a professional military man and
a scholar who has devoted his life to
the study of airborne operations. I
had and have no interest in analysing
SWAPOs actions. Youll have to
look elsewhere to find someone to do
that for you. Perhaps someone with
an Intelligence background.

In what sense do I then deliver a

most devastating blow to the integrity
of the South African paratroopers?
Surely this is your own perception,
civilians were killed at Cassinga. I have not based on a misrepresentation of what
apportioned blame for those deaths to the I have written? Here are some of my
paratroopers, nor to SWAPO. Civilians comments on the operation:
die in war. That is a fact of life. I made it 1. The short duration of the raid,
clear that the SADF never intended killing
the rapidity of the extraction
civilians. I am happy with that. If you are
and the airborne nature of that
not, once again, that is your problem, not
extraction, all being done without
mine.
employing an airfield, made the
operation exceptional, and also
You are apparently convinced that I have my
highly risky.
knife in for the Citizen Force paratroopers
who were at Cassinga. Yet other than to 2. The operation was, according to
state that a regular battalion of paratroopers
what it set out to do, a resounding
with an established and practised HQ and
success and what could very
soldiers that knew one another well and
easily have gone wrong did

Army Talk Magazine

your comments published in the

Nuusbrief you have reached a wide
audience for your claims. Some
of those who read them will, as
is already evident, accept them at
face value. I would like to believe
that the majority will first read the
dissertation themselves and come
to their own conclusions.

not. From a military point of

view it was a daring, high-risk
venture in the classic mould of
an innovative airborne surprise
attack. Casualties amongst the
paratroopers were light and the
only major failure in terms of the
objectives set was the inability to
bring back prisoners.

organisation collapsed during the post 1994

era? Where was their expertise and experience
when it was desperately needed? Why is
it that our two Reserve Force parachute
battalions can barely muster one platoon
between them today? What happened to
the dedicated part-time paratroopers? And
where is the expertise that lay with all those
experienced Permanent Force paratroopers?
3. The reasons for the success can They left, took their expertise elsewhere and
be ascribed to initiative and we only ever heard of them again through
innovation on the part of certain of the grapevine.
the paratroopers and maintenance Only a small handful of us faced the problem
of the aim by the commander as and battled to resurrect that capability in the
well as the vital role of the Air face of tremendous adversity. And only now
Force.
is a semblance of the old capability beginning
I would hardly call this a devastating to emerge as a result of these efforts. Where
blow to the integrity of the were those who are so quick to criticise now?
paratroopers. On the contrary, I Most had long ago baled out and left the
would say that it reflects extremely organisation and the paratroopers to sink.
favourably on their actions. It hardly So who actually failed the paratroopers?

I understand your burning

desire to see only what you want
to see, particularly given your
involvement in the operation and the
actions you took to clear the trench
leading to the AA gun. What you
did can only be described as heroic.
Many people who were there feel
bitter that you were never awarded
a medal for your actions. By all
accounts they are right and nobody
would have been happier than me to
see you get that acknowledgement.
But your personal involvement does
make you subjective. One of the
reasons I selected the Cassinga Raid
as the subject for my dissertation is
precisely because I was not there.
And in case your closing salutation is
meant to imply that Im not proud to
be a paratrooper, let me correct your
impression.

Still proud to be an active

portrays them as incompetent I get the impression that you see the paratrooper!
(the word you used to describe
the impression you accused me
of creating). You see, Tommie, it
all depends on where you lay the
emphasis in what you read!
Of course, I had much criticism
for some aspects of the raid. I feel
these were justified criticisms from a
military point of view, but they remain
my opinions. Other professional
soldiers may have a very different
view, and that is their professional
right, as long as it is based on sound,
accepted military principles. I set
out to do a critique of the operation.
You may have wanted me to be more
complimentary, but that is not how
one analyses a military operation.
If you feel I have failed the
paratroopers then perhaps you can
explain to me where all the dedicated
paratroopers were when the airborne

paratroopers as only those people who

served with you. Im afraid that I take a
far broader view. Whilst I harbour deep
feelings of affection for the people I served
with in the paratroops 25 years ago, I also
have feelings for those Ive worked with in
the paratroops over the past 15 years. But
in my dissertation Im concerned with a
concept within the art of war, not merely a
small group of people. By ensuring that the
concept is correct and that shortcomings in
the paratroopers of yesterday are addressed,
I can contribute to better possibilities for the
paratroopers of today and tomorrow. This I
do by still attending airborne exercises and
training, jumping with the paratroopers,
researching airborne matters and revising
the airborne doctrine of the SANDF.
On the whole I found your comments
unfortunate and very selective. You took
many of the quotes you refer to out of
context and you failed to balance them
with other references I made. By having

Issue 01 - March 2008

McGILL ALEXANDER
(BRIGADIER
RESERVE FORCE)

GENERAL,

Responses to Other
Comments in the Nuusbrief

Berig 23/2007 dd 03
Jun 07

It is a pity that whoever wrote the

comment under the heading The
Airborne Assault at Cassinga didnt
take the trouble to establish his
facts first. The Cassinga Raid
was a History MA dissertation. I
did not submit the dissertation to
Tukkies, but to Unisa and I did not
submit it last year, but in 2003. It
was accepted the same year and the
degree was awarded cum laude. It
was evaluated by four examiners: two
from Unisa, one from the University

of Stellenbosch and one from the

University of Cape Town. Three of
them were Heads of their universities
Departments of History and one had
served in the old SADF.
The force involved was a battalion
minus and not a battalion plus.
I never anywhere claimed that
the battalion was guilty of the
indiscriminate killing of refugees and
I never bandied about the word
massacre. That is an infamous lie
and I reject it outright. Where I used
the word I did so with the utmost
circumspection. If you dont have
the inclination, time or ability to
read the dissertation, then try to take
the trouble to read my response to
Tommie Lamprecht who at least read
the document before commenting.
Clearly, whoever this anonymous
person is who gaily throws out such
libellous statements, never took the
trouble to first read the dissertation.
He is treading on dangerous ground
that could lead to litigation if he had
the courage to identify himself!
I also question the integrity and
credibility of the Nuusbrief if it
publishes such unsubstantiated trash
without first verifying and identifying
the source.
Wat Daan Nell se kommentaar
aanbetref, kan ek net meld dat ek
taamlik teleurgesteld is. Daan, ek
ken jou as n man van integriteit
met n gematigde uitkyk op die lewe
en wat eers dink voordat hy praat.
Ek het nog altyd waarde geheg aan
jou opinies. As jy regtig dink dat
ek nie eers n onderhoud met Jan
Breytenbach gevoer het nie, hoe
verduidelik jy dat my verhandeling
na nie minder nie as vyf verskillende
onderhoude met hom verwys? Hy
was een van 45 mense met wie ek
onderhoude gevoer het oor n tydperk
van 12 jaar en met baie van hulle het
ek meer as een onderhoud gevoer.
Maar dit is duidelik dat ook jy nie die
verhandeling gelees het nie. Kom,
nou Daan, dis nie wat ek van n oud
KS verwag nie!
Terloops, ek het deur sy seun vir Jan
n afskrif van my verhandeling laat

10

kry. Jan het my gebel nadat hy die

verhandeling gelees het, en alhoewel
hy nie met sekere aspekte van my
uiteensetting van die bevel en beheer
opset saamstem nie, het hy geen
ander besware gemaak nie. Die
verhandeling is ook deur lt genl Ian
Gleeson, wat oorhoofse bevelvoerder
van Operasie Reindeer was, gelees.
Hy het vir my deeglike geskrewe
terugvoer gegee en nie een van die
besware geoffer wat in die Nuusbrief
verskyn het nie, insluitend di van
Tommie Lamprecht.

Berig 24/2007 dd10 Jun

07

my 13 jaar in die nuwe SANW het ek my

ook nooit gewend tot gatkruipery nie, ten
spyte van die feit dat ek nooit n bro was of
kon wees nie. Wat ek bereik het, het ek self
gedoen en ek het deurgaans slegs op hulp
van bo en op my eie Godgegewe en hard
verdiende vermoens vertrou. Vir jou om
aantuigings te maak dat dit nie so is nie, is
nie net verregaande, dit is veragtelik. Jy ken
my nie eers nie (alhowel jy oor my geskryf
het, sonder om met my n onderhoud
te voer en met verkeerde feite), maar jy
het die vermetelheid om my integriteit te
bevraagteken. Ek dink dit is laag, uiters
laag!

Buiten dit, impliseer jy daardeur dat die

universiteit wat die graad aan my toegeken
Ek kan maar net Deon Fourie se raad het oop is vir gatkruipery en dat hulle grade
beaam: lees eers die verhandeling.
gevolglik bevraagteken behoort te wees. Al
Fred Kruger, try advising people to wat ek kan s is dat Unisa vir my behandel
read the whole thing and not just
Gen Alexander (right) at the
selected pages. It may help them to
US Friendship Jump Exercise
put what they read into context.
Willem Steenkamp, ek sou
nooit verwag dat jy met my
gevolgtrekkings sou saamstem
nie. Ek maak my gevolgtrekkings
soos in n militre waardering, uit
die oogpunt van n professionele
soldaat. Jy maak joune uit die
oogpunt van n journalis wat n
boek skryf wat moet verkoop
om suksesvol te wees. Dit is
dus onwaarskynlik dat die twee
sou ooreenstem. Dit is egter
jou volle reg om te voel dat my
gevolgtrekkings ongegrond en
onregverdig is, maar dit is ook my
volle reg om te voel dat hulle op
goeie militre beginsels gebaseer
is. Ek het immers valskermsoldate
in die geveg aangevoer en ook
my vakgebied oor baie jare beide
hier en in verskeie buitelandse
weermagte deeglik bestudeer by
militre skole, kolleges, akademies
en opleidingsentrums.

Normandy - 12 December 2004

Graag wil ek weet met wie jy so

oortuig is dat ek witvoetjie speel?
Ek skuld niemand iets nie en
verwag van niemand iets nie. In
al my 27 jare in die ou SAW het
ek nooit so laag gedaal dat ek by
enigiemand gat gekruip het nie,
ten spyte van die feit dat ek nooit
n broeder was of kon wees nie. In

Army Talk Magazine

Towed Artillery in the desert.

Issue 01 - March 2008

11

het net soos jy s die ou SAW jou te evalueer en aanbevelings te maak.

behandel het met die skryf van jou Hoekom sou dit nou sogenaamd wees?
Was Andr Bestbier ook sogenaamd?
boeke.
Of verwys jy ook na wat ander ges het
En waar het ek jou bestempel
oor my verhandeling, wat jy erken jy ook
as een van die instrumente van
nog nie gelees het nie?
apartheid? Vir iemand wat s hyt die
verhandeling gelees moes jy dit uiters Herman du Plessis, jy is vinnig om
oppervlakkig gedoen het. Ek het Tommie se standpunt te steun. Het jy
wel jou boeke beoordeel as onder di darem, soos hy, eers die verhandeling
group wat unashamedly biased in gelees? Indien wel, dalk het jy dan ook,
favour of the apartheid government soos hy, die pot misgesit ten opsigte van
was en as pro-SADF In vergelyking die doel van die verhandeling?
met baie van die ander sekondre Paul Gerber, it is not so very funny to have
bronne wat ek gebruik het was hulle refugees on a parade. At most refugee
wel. In elk geval, dit was my opinie, camps the people are gathered together in
waarop ek geregtig is. Maar as n the mornings to allocate tasks to them for
instrument van apartheid, nee! the day. Have you ever been to a refugee
Dit het ek nooit ges nie. Om dit camp in Darfur? I have. For the record,
te beweer is dalk goeie joernalistieke included in my dissertation are photos
taktiek, maar dit is nie waar nie.
(Unfortunately, no photos are displayed
Terloops, jou boeke was nooit deur
my gebruik as primre bronne nie.
Dalk verstaan jy nie dat n boek
van daardie aard, wat tweedehandse
informasie besit, in die akademie
nooit hor as n sekondre bron kan
wees nie. Dit beteken die informasie
moet getoets word voordat dit
aanvaar word. Jou boeke was deel
van die 144 gepubliseerde werke
wat ek wel geraadpleeg het, buiten
honderde ander sekondre bronne.

Blikkies Blignaut, ek staan verstom

oor jou uitlating. Ek het jou altyd as
n vriend beskou en was jou nog altyd
immers dankbaar dat jy my aanbeveel
het om voor n offisierskeuraad te
verskyn. Dit was na afloop van n
Escape and Evasion oefening wat ek
en ander Burgermag valskermsoldate
meegemaak het toe ek nog n
korporaal was in 1970. Maar nou
verwys jy skertsend na my as die
sogenaamde Master Paratrooper.
Ek was, nadat Andr Bestbier die
Weermag verlaat het, aangestel as
die Master Paratrooper deur die
Hoof van Gesamentlike Operasies.
My taak was om hom op hoogte te
hou van die SANW se gesamentlike
lugstormvermo en hom raad te gee
oor lugstormaangeleenthede. Dit
het ek gedoen deur die valskerm- en
lugmobiele magte te besoek tydens
ontplooiings en oefeninge, hulle

12

learned to accept and process their

criticism and evaluation, even when
we didnt always agree with it. The DS
criticised constructively with an eye to
improving us (or that was the theory
behind it, anyway). If I have been
brutally frank in my evaluation of the
military dimensions of the Cassinga
Raid, I make no apology for it.
Ten slotte, miskien moet ek julle met n
aanhaling uit die laaste bladsy van my
verhandeling los:

There can be no doubt

that the final word on
Cassinga has not yet
been spoken.

his is the extraordinary tale

of an extraordinary man.
An honestly told story of his
military career, of a man who
was twice decorated for valour, who
pioneered and developed the concept
of small team reconnaissance within
the South African Special Forces.

on the website copy of the dissertation) of

PLAN cadres on parade at Cassinga prior
to the raid irrefutable proof that it was
a military installation, even if there were
refugees there too. But then, you probably
have also not read the dissertation, and
would rather make inane, meaningless
He was a consummate warrior and
and unfounded statements.
gentleman and has told his story with
Berig 25/2007 dd 17 Jun humility and a disarming sense that
what he did was simply the job he was
07
given, when even the most cursory
Seker ook maar goed dat julle nie Frans reading will show that it was anything
Botes se opmerkings geplaas het nie, want but simple or easy.
dit wil voorkom dat hulle ook gebaseer is
op wat ander ges het, die meeste waarvan From start to finish, his life was truly a
nie eers die verhandeling gelees het nie Journey without Boundaries.
maar wat baie gretig was om oordeel te These memoirs were written by Col
vel.
Diedericks, better known as "Diedies",
Willem Steenkamp, ek is bly jy beskou before his untimely death from cancer
die verhandeling as n waardevolle bydrae in 2005. The book is available for
tot die Cassinga-verhaal. Dat jy aanstoot purchase from Just Done Productions
neem oor party van my gevolgtrekkings via their website at http://www.
en woordkeuses is jou volle reg, net justdone.co.za/.
soos dit my reg is om, soos jy hierbo sal
agterkom, aanstoot te neem oor jou skewe
aantuigings.
I was once a DS and later returned for
some years as the Chief Instructor at the
SA Army Colleges Command and Staff
Duties Branch. Those of you who had
the privilege of undergoing senior Staff
training will recall that it was the job of
a DS to be brutally frank about your
prowess. When we were on course, we

Army Talk Magazine

e built the bloody

place, and are Oh,
so sad, to see it
crumbling apart!!!

We are the National Service

generation. The youngest is about 35
and the oldest of us are into our 60's.
We built the New South Africa!

Some thoughts!!!
adrenaline and occasional arse-clamping
terror. And the camaraderie that lasts a
lifetime. Others' kept the system working.
As guards, clerks, store-men, chefs, drivers,
and maintainers' of many things. "Tiffies" of
every sort abounded, and we all developed
special skills and insights. We met people
from every strata,
division, or group in
society. By and large
we got on with each
other. And these were
experiences which
stood us in good
stead in later life.

We are the generation who provided

our time to the nation in many
different ways. Many of our Dads
and Granddads had Africa Stars
and other 39-45 war medals. We
(sometimes) got a Pro-Patria, but
mainly are now just getting contempt
and denigration and a kick in the We were no angels,
more like lusty tomgat.
cats with a terrible
We were a polyglot bunch made up thirst! But we did the
of many nationalities, thrust together needful, and did not
and welded into a fairly damn shoot or "frag" our
effective outfit. Some 300 thousand officers. After initial
of us were born on the wrong side service, we resumed
of history. Today, we are branded our "Civvy" lives,
the "baby killers" of Africa. That is, and became the
of course, if anyone even remembers students,
farmers,
our contribution and us.
apprentices,
trainees,
learner
officials,
and
From ages between seventeen and
office
juniors'
of
the
whatever, we took time out from lives,
world.
loves, jobs, education and "normal working
Later
on
we
things" and donned nutria browns.
became
the
Shift
We were subjected to the rigours
sparky's,
of "Basics", and many of us chose Bosses,
plumbers,
miners,
to endure even further hardships of
doctors,
technicians,
advanced training; as leaders, special
and
forces, parabats, mecchies, Op's accountants,
middle
managers
of
medics, and a multitude of other
the
country.
In
the
mining
specialities. We learnt quickly, and
assumed the mantle of professionals, industry, we made a lot of people
all within a very short time. We in London very rich. As engineers, we kept
performed! 18, 19 and 20 year-olds the ESCOM grid alive and expanding,
carried out the tasks, that in other bringing electricity to the furtherest reaches
military forces, would be carried out of the country (without blackouts). Also
by seasoned career professionals. We as engineers, we built some of the finest
structures in Africa and completed projects
did the business as youngsters!
of great complexity (in the face of sanctions
We served in so many ways, sometimes and fuel restrictions).
enthusiastically, and sometimes with
no great fervour. Many endured the We built hospitals (and staffed them with
peculiar experience of Border duties. world class doctors, nurses and other
Heat and dust (sometimes cold and professionals), and kept places like Bara
mud), mozzies, snakes and crap and Natalspruit open under full-scale war
food. The odd mixture of tedium, conditions, we built schools and colleges
interspersed with bouts of high (with world class educationalists). We built

Issue 01 - March 2008

an international and commercial

powerhouse in Africa, the only
one! We were leaders, creators and
innovators. We made things happen.
We "made a plan". And still later, we
continue to lead, build, protect and
make things happen....... all over the
world
Many of us started
or took over small
businesses.
Some
were highfliers and
progressed rapidly
through the corporate
and businessworld.
Some too, "crashed
and burned" or took
some wrong turns in
their lives. They paid
a price.
We contributed too,
in wider society. As
parents, members
of the community,
through
churches,
cultural groups, schools and
universities, youth and
sporting organisations
we helped to build a
wider community.
Many of us were
volunteers in a
service
capacity.
Fire,
ambulance,
sea-rescue, life-saving,
scouting, Voortrekkers,
Rotary, Round Table, St
Vincent de Paul, police reserve,
and a multitude of charities and
groups all derived leadership, effort
and support from our generation.
Plenty of us were passionate about
the environment, and we did things
about that too. Hopefully, this legacy
will last.
But, lurking in the background, was
always nutria brown. From time to
time (some more often than others)
we got the call-up again. As part-time
soldiers, we engaged in the last "hot
battles of the Cold-War". Indirectly,
we helped to bring "The Wall" down.

13

We confronted Russians, Cubans and Re-action to the Above by

legions of "freedom-fighters" of every
Jan Breytenbach
description. And some of them were
received
this a day or two ago and
tough. They gave us a run for our money.
I
am
forwarding
it so that others
But we prevailed. Later on, we served in
too
can
read
this
'cry from the
the townships. We maintained a form of
heart'
by
a
NSM.
As
a former PF
stability, and were often RESPECTED
officer
I
am
personally
proud
to have
and WELCOMED.
had men such as this unknown author
This is an inconvenient fact that the under my command. They were ninety
revisionists would seek to bury. In urban percent of the best army South Africa
operations we stood between warring ever had, certainly the best in Africa by
factions. We protected ordinary residents a very long shot and, to my mind, one
as far as we could, and separated violent of the best in the world.
ANC and Inkatha protagonists regularly.
In doing so, some of us got hurt. The most I call on all former PF officers and
effective units got vilified and succumbed NCOs to do their duty towards
to propaganda. We served in the country- these men who now feel neglected
side too, and ensured that rural life and by the country they had served so
the farming communities could get on well but who are now being harassed,
with the business of providing food to particularly in the media, by a former
Sub-Saharan Africa. Sometimes two enemy who are downright jealous of
or more generations served inthe same the splendid war record of these NSM
and CF soldiers, airmen and sailors.
Commando.
Former senior officers, especially,
We also established the necessary stability should remind themselves that the first
to allow the 1994 elections to take place. pincipe of leadership is 'loyalty to one's
These democratic elections would not / troops' even long after the bullets have
could not, have happened without the stopped flying around. I regret to say
"National Service Generation". It'sworth that there are now a few former senior
adding, that in all these conflicts, black officers who have climbed on the band
and white soldiers frequently stood wagon of disparagement armed with
shoulder to shoulder.
a bucket of tar and a brush to break
And then, national service ended. Some down the hard won honours of the
continued to serve in an integrated force SADF and its NSM and CF soldiers,
(and still do so). The whole nation revelled especially as regards the Cassinga and
in the spirit of Rugby World Cup 1995. Cuito Cuanavale battles. To counter
Reconciliation was the order of the day. A this damage done, by fighting back
vigorously, we owe it to our former
"Rainbow Nation" was born.

troops to speak out in the press and in

public against a developing tendency
to steal or denigrate our battle honours
and to make us look like gangs of
murdering psychotics, sometimes
even like a bunch of turkeys as was
attempted about both the Cassinga
and Cuanavale battles from certain
quarters.
And to hell
correctness!!

with

political

(From the WOs Newsletter)

To subscribe to the Warrant Officers
List, send email to Rowley Medlin at
medlin@mweb.co.za

And now?
Bit by bit, it all seems to be sliding
away. And the ENORMOUS
contribution of the National Service
Generation is being written out of
history. If indeed, it is included in
history, then the "baby killer" tag is
applied. This is pure revisionist claptrap. We built the bloody place!!!
We have every right to be proud of
our contribution. And we must make
it known.
Dave
Initially posted to Army Talk and
subsequently forwarded all over the
place

14

She says she IS Lili Marlene

Army Talk Magazine

Oranje Vrijstaat Artillerie Corps

kruppgun@yahoo.co.uk

Historical Study and Re-enactment Group

Bloemfontein, South Africa
http://www.heilbroncommando.com

O.V.S.A.C. Study No.1

Boer Artillery Trophies

in Australia and New Zealand

Introduction

Despatches from South African High

he distribution and current Commissioner...
location of captured Boer A subsequent letter from the Secretary
artillery pieces is one of the of Defense dated 18 November 1904
main research subjects of showed the intended distribution of
the OVSAC. Our search has revealed these guns and rifles:
that the two former British colonies
New South Wales:
of Australia and New Zealand not
only received a large number of trophy One 75mm QF gun

150 rifles
Victoria:

One 75mm BL
gun

150 rifles
Queensland:

One 75mm BL
gun

150 rifles
S. Australia:

The Transvaal 75mm Krupp QF gun at the NSW

Memorial, Observatory Park in Sydney

One 2-in
Whitworth gun

150 rifles
W. Australia:

BL

pieces, but also that quite a few of these One Maxim gun
150 rifles
have survived.
Tasmania:

Original Allocation

In a cablegram from the Secretary of

State for Colonies to the GovernorGeneral of Australia dated London, 25
January 1904, the following was stated:
Trophies
South
African
War.
Queensland,
Western
Australia,
Tasmania, each awarded Pompom;
South Australia Maxim; as mementoes
of special engagements. 15 guns and
2,500 rifles and carbines also available
for distribution among Colonies sending
Contingents, but no decision possible as
to allotment of these pending receipts of

450 rifles.
To determine which of these were
in actual fact shipped to the two
colonies, the Public Records Office
in Kew, London was consulted.
Record WO 32/7028, Return of
all guns captured or recovered from
the Enemy, rendered in accordance
with letter from D.G. of O. No.57/
Cape/218 (O3) dated 12th July
1901. gave the summary in Table 1.
A second list in the same file gave
further distribution detail. (Table 2)

Issue 01 - March 2008

Jun/Jul 2002

This list also made mention of a 1/2

pdr (probably 1-pr SBML) shipped to:
Robt. McKillop Esqre, Burgh Surveyor,
Perth on 5/7/04.

The Surviving Guns

With the help of some friends overseas

and the Internet, a list of surviving guns
was compiled (Table 3)
This list is probably not complete as we
hope that more surviving pieces will
be traced in future. Further, it will be
noted that this list confirms some of the
original allocations as per WO 32/7028,
but it some cases it differs. The exact
distribution will probably never be
known.
To help in identifying the various types,
a short description of each is included.

75mm Krupp QF
(Schnellfeuer-Feldkanone
L/24)

This gun was one of eight used by the

Transvaal Staatsartillerie. The first six
were ordered in 1895 and a further two
in 1896. Grouped into two mounted
batteries of four guns each they formed
the: 2de en 3de Rijdende Battery.
The gun is easily identifiable by its
horizontal sliding breech block systems,
which opened to the right. A cartridge
case was used to help in obturation,
i.e. to prevent the escape of gases to the
rear. This also allowed for a rapid rate
of fire, which, combined with its use of
smokeless powder, made it a true early
QF gun. It has a ridged carriage with no
buffer.
This specific gun (No.2) is the only know

15

The Free States 75mm Krupp BL gun No.10.

Type

Place Captured

Disposal

3 at Paardeberg

1 in Victoria,

(Nos. 4,5,13)

1 in NSW

The Wanganui 75mm Krupp BL gun.

survivor of its type. The exact date and location of
its capture is not certain.

75mm Krupp BL 1 at Poplar Grove (No.6) 1 in New Zealand

75mm Krupp BL 1 at Parys (No.10)

to NSW

Table 1
Serial
Type

No.

75mm Krupp QF

New South Wales 04/5/05

Date

75mm Krupp QF

New Zealand

24/8/04

75mm Krupp BL

West Australia

13/2/05

75mm Krupp BL

Victoria

illeg.

75mm Krupp BL

14

Queensland

04/3/05

75mm Krupp BL

New Zealand

24/8/04

37mm Single Load QF 2

Tasmania

04/3/05

2-in Whitworth BL

South Australia

04/3/05

37mm Pom-pom

West Australia

13/2/05

37mm Pom-pom

New Zealand

24/8/04

37mm Pom-pom

Queensland

illeg.

37mm Pom-pom

New Zealand

24/8/04

.45-in Maxim

473

South Australia

illeg.

Extra Light Maxim

West Australia

13/2/05

Extra Light Maxim

New Zealand

28/8/04

Table 2

75mm Krupp BL (Feldkanone L/27)

The Free State Artillery Corps made use of a

different model 75mm Krupp. Six of these L/27
guns were imported in 1892 and a further eight in
1897. Its horizontal sliding breech
was of an older, cylindrical wedge
design (C73), which opened to the
Carriage Limber
left. It was made gas-tight by means
Yes
Yes
of a steel ring in the breech end of
Yes
Yes
the chamber and a steel removable
Yes
Yes
plate on the face of the breechblock,
which fitted against the expanding
Yes
No
steel ring. It still used a bagged,
Yes
No
black powder charge, which caused
Yes
Yes
an extremely visible smoke cloud
Yes
No
when fired. The carriage was plain
with axletree-mounted seats while
Yes
No
wheel brakes helped to control
Yes
No
recoil.
No
No
The gun in the photo is No.10,
Yes
Yes
the Rensburg Drift gun, which is
Yes
No
on display at the Australian War
Memorial Museum (AWM). It
Yes
No
was captured by troops of the New
Tripod
South Wales Mounted Rifles on
Tripod
27 October 1900 near the town of
Parys where De Wet abandoned it
on the main road after a wheel was
lost.

Type

Serial No. Current Location

75mm Krupp QF

NSW Memorial, Observatory Park, Sydney

75mm Krupp BL

Australian War Memorial Mitchell Annex

75mm Krupp BL

Kings Park, Perth

75mm Krupp BL

10

Australian War Memorial Museum, Canberra

75mm Krupp BL

13

Australian War Memorial Museum, Canberra

75mm Krupp BL

illeg.

Wanganui Regional Museum, New Zealand

2-in Whitworth BL -

Fort Glanville/Private Collection?

37mm Pom-pom

Queensland Museum

16

Table 3

A second gun (No.6), captured at

Poplar Grove on 8 March 1900,
is on display as part of the Trelore
Collection (Forging of a Nation
Tour) at the Mitchell Annex of
the AWM.
No.13, one of the three Paardeberg
guns, is also said to be at the
AWM.

Army Talk Magazine

Another De Wet gun, one of the

three guns captured on 6 November
1900 near Bothaville, can be viewed
at Kings Park in Perth. This gun,
No.7, is mounted on British 12 or
15-pr gun wheels.
A fifth gun rests outside the
Wanganui Regional Museum in New
Zealand. A plaque on the gun reveals
that it was buried by the Boers and
only afterwards discovered. After the
war it was shipped to New Zealand,
where it was again buried in the

traditionalists who were

against the idea of breechloading ordnance. The breech
was externally threaded and
closed by a threaded cap,
which swung on a carrier
pivoted on the right side of
the gun. Whitworth rifling
consisted of a hexagonal bore
with rounded angles into
which a precisely shaped shell
fitted with negligible windage.
To ensured complete sealing a

37mm Pom-pom and crew outside Mafeking

guns. The replacement

guns took almost a year
to arrive in Bloemfontein,
which forced the Free
State, who was still at war,
to assemble one serviceable
gun from the remains of
the two damaged guns.
Contemporary Commando
Rapports indicate that both
breech and muzzle-loader
types saw action thereafter
during the later battles of
the Basuto War.

The 6-pr Whitworth RBL barrel at Green Point.

1940s, because it was believed that
it might attract the eyes (and bombs)
of Japanese aircraft! It lay buried
until the late 1950 or 1960s. Today
rust damage makes it impossible to
identify its serial number. Earlier
it was stated that No.2 and one
Paardeberg or the Polar Grove gun
were shipped to New Zealand. Since
both No.6 and 13 are in Australia,
this could either be No. 2, 4 or 5. No.
2 was one of three guns discovered
submerged in the Rhenoster River
on the farm Tierbank near Lindley
on 23 March 1902.

6-pr Whitworth RBL

(2-inch)

This gun is an example of the early

built-up, rifled breech-loaders that
were constructed during the 1860s.
It was designed for use as either a
RBL or a RML, probably to satisfy

greased wad was used in the rear, between

the projectile and its bagged charge. The
carriages resembled the typical wooden
field carriages used on most guns of that
period.

When Major Albrecht took

command of the Free State
Artillery in 1880, he found
one 6-pr Whitworth RBL
and one 6-pr Whitworth
RML among the collection
of antique guns in the fort.
Various sources state that the
Free State had one 6-pr Whitworth gun
in 1899, but none say whether it was
a RBL or a RML gun. PRO 32/8111
mentions that a 6-pr Whitworth was
captured at Bloemfontein on 13 March
1900. It is more likely that this gun,
and a few other antique pieces, were

In 1864 the Free State ordered two 6-pr

RBL guns. The
guns accompanied
the Artillery Corps
to the Basuto
border in 1865,
where one blew
its breech out after
only ten shots were
fired. After the
second gun later
exploded under
similar conditions,
Whitworth agreed
to replace the
damaged pieces
with two new RML
Krupp factory photograph of the 37mm QF L/30.

Issue 01 - March 2008

17

found abandoned in the old fort. A

photo of captured guns taken at Green
Point Common in Cape Town very
distinctively shows the barrel of a 6-pr
Whitworth RBL gun lying on wooden
blocks among other old pieces that were
also taken from Bloemfontein.
PRO 32/7028 states that a 2-in
Whitworth BL gun, with a carriage,
was dispatched to Southern Australia.
It can be assumed that this carriage
was only added after its capture. A
similar Transvaal 6-pr Whitworth
RML (bought from the Free State in
1873) survived in South Africa, and
is mounted on a made-up carriage,
flanged together from the steel carriage
parts of a British 15-pr and some
agricultural equipment spares.

field carriage and was equipped with

a water jacket to cool the barrel.
Most Boer guns also had a shield of 1
m2 (3 ft 4 in square). Between 1896
and Jan 1899, Maxim-Nordenfelt
(MNG&ACL) and later Vickers
Maxim (VSM) shipped twenty-two
Pom-poms to the Transvaal (Serial
numbers: 2080, 2081, 2122-2125,
2090-2095, 2311-2320). The gun
got its name, Pom-pom from
the peculiar noise of its discharge.
On Boer side it was also called a
Bommeksim (Bomb-Maxim) or
Doodsklok (Deaths Bell).

So far the only surviving gun that

could be traced is the Queensland
Museum gun. It was first on display
at the Botanical Gardens and later
the grounds
of the old
museum
at Bowen
H i l l s
until the
museum
was moved
in
1986
after which
it
was
placed in
A maxim of unknown calibre mounted on a cavalry
the repository.
carriage.
This gun, said
to have been
To date two guns of this caliber have
captured
by
Sir
Harry
Chauvel
been traced in Australia. The first is said
himself
on
4
May
1900
at
Vet
River,
to be at Fort Glanville, while a second
is
in
dire
need
of
restoration.

gun finds itself in a private collection in
Victoria. Apparently, the Victoria gun Another gun, No.2125, was buried
is mounted on a newer steel carriage. It near Christchurch in 1941 after
is not sure whether any of these two are the Pearl Harbor attack. This gun
in actual fact the Boer gun. Any further incorporated a lock from No.2122.
Could it still be out there waiting to
detail on the location
and condition of
these guns and their
carriages will be
greatly appreciated.

37mm
MaximNordenfelt
Mk. II

The Pom-pom was

simply a large belt-fed
machine gun, firing
explosive rounds. It
was mounted on a

18

be discovered?

37mm Krupp QF (SchnellladeGebirgskanone L/30)

This single loading mountain gun consisted
of a 30 caliber long barrel equipped with
a striking bolt breechblock. The assembly
was mounted on a light carriage and was
sometimes equipped with a shield. Its
lightweight enabled it to be towed by
a single horse, or if necessary, hitched
behind a wagon.
The Transvaal imported its first 37mm
single-loading QF gun from the German
firm of Hermann Gruson in the early
1890s. A few years later Gruson was taken
over by Krupp, from whom the Transvaal
ordered three more guns in November
1895. One of the three, No.2, was shipped
to Tasmania after the war. It is not known
whether it survived. Another example
(No.3) did survive in South Africa, and
consists of a Krupp-Essen manufactured
barrel mounted on a Krupp-Gruson
carriage.

.450-in Maxim-Nordenfelt

The Maxim gun got its name from its

inventor, Hiram Maxim. This was the
worlds first true machine gun and was
manufactured in a variety of calibers. The
first maxim adopted by the British World
was the .450-in (Martini-Henry) World
Standard model maxim manufactured by
MNG&ACL. It had a water-cooled barrel
and was mounted on various kinds of
horse-drawn carriages and tripods.
Early in 1896, the Transvaal seized
eight cavalry maxims from the ill-fated
Jameson Raiders. Most of Jamesons
maxims were originally shipped to the
British Cape Colony of which
one, No. 473, was imported
in 1890/91. This specific gun
was recaptured during the Boer
War and subsequently awarded
to Southern Australia. Rumors
have it that it was again pressed
into service during the Japanese
invasion scare! Its current
whereabouts is unknown.

.303-in MaximNordenfelt Extra Light

Extra Light Maxim and Boer gunner.

After the worldwide adoption

of small caliber smokeless rifle
ammunition, Maxim designed a

Army Talk Magazine

light infantry version of his famous

gun. This gun was known as the Extra
Light and first appeared in 1895.
The Transvaal government acquired
twelve, tri-pod mounted, 0.303-in
guns of this design from MNG&ACL.
They were numbered 5428 to 5438 and
5549/5597. After the war an example
was shipped to Western Australia and
New Zealand, respectively. No further
details are known.
A Call on All Who Read This
It is very obvious that there are still
pieces out there to be discovered. We
call on all interested parties to keep an
eye out for these trophies, especially
for Pom-poms and Maxims. So,
go have a look at that old gun in
your local park or museum, and do
contact us with any detail, photos or
comments.

MC Heunis

Sekretaris, Corps der Artillerie
We would like to acknowledge and
thank the following people for their
friendly assistance and photographs:

Matthew Midge Carter Australia

Michael Cecil & Geoff Brewster
- Australian War Memorial
Michelle Horwood - Wanganui
Regional Museum
Tony Lucking - UK
Robert Wotton - SA War Virtual
Library
PS: Since the first circulation of
this piece, the following additional
information has come to light:

The Young British Soldier

When the 'arf-made recruity goes out to the East

'E acts like a babe an' 'e drinks like a beast,
An' 'e wonders because 'e is frequent deceased
Ere 'e's fit for to serve as a soldier.
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
Serve, serve, serve as a soldier,
So-oldier OF the Queen!

When 'arf of your bullets fly wide in the ditch,

Don't call your Martini a cross-eyed old bitch;
First mind you steer clear o' the grog-sellers' huts,
She's human as you are -- you treat her as sich,
For they sell you Fixed Bay'nets that rots out your
An' she'll fight for the young British soldier.
guts -Fight, fight, fight for the soldier . . .
Ay, drink that 'ud eat the live steel from your butts -An' it's bad for the young British soldier.
When shakin' their bustles like ladies so fine,
Bad, bad, bad for the soldier . . .
The guns o' the enemy wheel into line,
Shoot low at the limbers an' don't mind the
When the cholera comes -- as it will past a doubt -shine,
Keep out of the wet and don't go on the shout,
For noise never startles the soldier.
For the sickness gets in as the liquor dies out,
Start-, start-, startles the soldier . . .
An' it crumples the young British soldier.
Crum-, crum-, crumples the soldier . . .
If your officer's dead and the sergeants look
white,
But the worst o' your foes is the sun over'ead:
Remember it's ruin to run from a fight:
You must wear your 'elmet for all that is said:
So take open order, lie down, and sit tight,
If 'e finds you uncovered 'e'll knock you down dead,
And wait for supports like a soldier.
An' you'll die like a fool of a soldier.
Wait, wait, wait like a soldier . . .
Fool, fool, fool of a soldier . . .
When you're wounded and left on
Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what
remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
If the wife should go wrong with a comrade, be loath
Go, go, go like a soldier,
To shoot when you catch 'em -- you'll swing, on my
Go, go, go like a soldier,
oath! -So-oldier of the Queen!
Make 'im take 'er and keep 'er: that's Hell for them
both,
From: The Young British Soldier
An' you're shut o' the curse of a soldier.
by Rudyard Kipling
Curse, curse, curse of a soldier . . .
Now, if you must marry, take care she is old -A troop-sergeant's widow's the nicest I'm told,
For beauty won't help if your rations is cold,
Nor love ain't enough for a soldier.
'Nough, 'nough, 'nough for a soldier . . .

Various military Caps and

Badges are available for
sale from Just Done

The West Australian Extra Light

maxim (no, 5438) has indeed survived
and has been seen as recently as 1993
in the store of the West Australia
Museum at Perth.
The Whitworth gun at Fort Glanville
has turned out to be a 2-pr (1-inch)
rifled muzzle-loader and not the 6-pr
(2-in) rifled breech-loader. This means
that the 6-pr might still be out there
somewhere
The Queensland Pom-pom has a post
Boer War carriage number (3428),
indicating that it might not be a Boer
War Trophy. Hopefully the restoration
work will reveal more detail.

When first under fire an' you're wishful to

duck,
Don't look nor take 'eed at the man that is
struck,
Be thankful you're livin', and trust to your
luck
And march to your front like a soldier.
Front, front, front like a soldier . . .

http://www.justdone.co.za

If there is something
you want
embroidered, then let
us know and we will
do it for you!

Issue 01 - March 2008

19

Photo Gallery
Random Military Photos from all over

Above: How things have changed! These are the new tents. These semipermanent structures are erected at the units base camp when it is deployed.

(Photo: John Dovey)

Below: And how things stay the same. This photo was taken after a route
march by some members of CTH up Table Mountain in the rain.

(Photo: John Dovey Collection)

20

Army Talk Magazine

On the beach with full kit. Practising carrying a wounded member of the section in
an improvised stretcher.

Durban Light Infantry, Alpha Company Training Weekend.

Photos: John Dovey

Sgt Major Hornby in Full Cry.!

The Section Leader briefs his section

while an instructor looks on. They are
about to tackle the Urban Warfare
course (overleaf).
Issue 01 - March 2008

21

Moving through the course. Helmets have

been removed to improve hearing and
visibility.

A pause while the Section Leader

evaluates a report of a possible ambush
from the soldier on point.

22

Army Talk Magazine