Speaker 1Welcome back to South African Border Wars with me, your host, Des Latham. This is episode 93. Colonel Dion Ferreira was putting the final touches together for the next phase of Operation Modular, and that was in late October 1987. The South Africans had reorganized themselves into three combat groups for the upcoming push against Fapla that was southeast of Kuito, Kwanabali. Combat group Alpha was initially led by Kuuba Smit of 61 Mech, but he was about to be rotated out to be replaced by Commandant Mike Muller, and this force was basically 61 Mech minus a mechanized infantry group. Combat group Bravo, led by Robbie Hartsleaf, was two motorized infantry companies from 3-2 Battalion and 101 Battalion each, as well as 3-2 Battalion's anti-tank squadron, with a mechanized infantry company seconded from 61 Mech. Combat group Charlie was headed up by Leon Marais and comprised of 4 SAI infantry, a tank squadron of Ulefants, plus a motorized company from 3-2 Battalion. Alongside these was 2-0 Artillery Regiment under Colonel Jean Laspach. Sierra Battery retained their G5 guns and turned their 120mm mortars over to Romeo Battery, so this regiment had two G5 batteries, one Valkyrie MRL Battery along with a 120mm Mortar Battery and a troop of G6s. That meant there were 3,000 South Africans in this brigade. No reinforcements. The artillery was going to be based southeast of the Mya Nye River, which itself is southeast of Kuitu Kwanawali, covered by Combat Group Bravo. Kuitu Kwanawali was now in range, along with its crucial airstrip, but the Angolans had withdrawn their MiGs and attack helicopters from the town, aware that their SEDF Long Range G5s were in danger. Long Range G5s and G6s could strike their expensive machines. The big guns began pounding the town on the 20th of October and by the 23rd the Russians began reporting what they called "the disgusting howl and whistle" of the G5s. The bombardments were getting closer. On the 24th of October, FAPTA's 59th Brigade was facing the South Africans along the Mya Nye River. Russian advisors and part of the 21st Brigade were ordered to head off in a column to the 59th's position. At 14:20, this column of Angolans and Russians was hit by 3/2 battalion small arms fire and artillery in an attack that lasted 20 minutes. The FAPTA column experienced problems. One of the water carriers hit a log and turned over, crashing a soldier. By 15:40, the SEDF artillery opened fire once more with 120mm mortars. One shell exploded a few meters away from the armored troop carriers, shrapnel killing one soldier. Several others were wounded. Igor Zhdokin, the translator whose diary I've used recently, paints quite a picture of this moment. Around 17:00, I went to the communications platoon of our brigade to transmit information to Kuito via the Rakal radio station. As he arrived there, UNITA troops opened fire on this mobile station, hitting it with machine gun rounds, while mortars exploded nearby. Several bullets whizzed past, and I only just succeeded in jumping off the armored troop carrier. I was hit in the back of the head, but it didn't hurt. I was shot in the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. 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I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. I was shot in the back of the head. As usual, it wasn't as simple as that. Waiting for orders was the enemy tank tactical group north of Chambinga, as well as 66 brigades skulking almost 20 kilometers from them at a bridge over the Chambinga River as well. Part of the plan was to force 16 brigade out of this area, then Alpha and Charlie groups would head straight west and seize the Chambinga Bridge between that river and the Hubei River. This would leave 59 and 21 brigades stranded east of Kuito, then they would be encircled and destroyed. Meanwhile, officers of these two brigades had their own plans, of course, a counter-attack on the South Africans, particularly targeting the SATF artillery positions. Unlike previous operations, both armies knew by now where the other was. Pretoria, however, was banking on their mobility and quick action to overcome a larger, more powerful force. Fapla was banking on their superiority. The Russians and 59 Brigade weren't static. They began to push forward towards the South Africans on the 26th of October, but were caught by an extremely accurate artillery bombardment, which killed four and wounded 22. It was only that night that 59th Brigade finally stopped and dug in expectantly. The day of the 27th of October dawned with the unceasing din of artillery fire, the SATF was shelling 59 Brigade virtually non-stop. Experiencing the force of the ATF, with the full brunt of the bombardments, the Russians began composing songs after eating goat stew with potatoes for supper that night. We found it so tasty we licked the whole pot, said Zhudokhin. By the 28th, the bombardment had intensified. Again, on the 29th, this time, the SATF artillery caused mayhem. Last night, the enemy hit the 59th Brigade with 148 shells, said Zhudokhin. He reported that an officer, a sergeant, and four soldiers had died, and dozens of others were missing. It was going to get a lot worse, and quickly. At 6am on the 29th, the Russians were sitting close to their armoured vehicles, having breakfast, when they heard the SATF artillery firing once more. Through habit, we cocked our ears to hear where the shot was flying. The air defence expert called Slava shouted, Get down! Just as a massive explosion ripped through the parked vehicles, blowing men over. 120mm shells were landing amongst the Angolans and the Russians. Then reports began filtering in that the SATF was using chemical weapons. The brigade commander was coughing blood, said Zhudokhin. The wind was blowing nearby, and everyone was complaining of violent headaches and nausea. No one had gas masks. The SATF claims it never used chemical weapons. These Russians disagree, saying their advisers were sick from that day's bombing. The truth? Who knows? On the 30th of October, these barrages continued. With FAPLA desperately trying to respond. Our brigade's artillery reconnaissance simply can't locate this battery, said Zhudokhin. The scouts have constant problems. Their radio signals were being jammed by the SATF. A reluctance to do anything is evident, said a disgusted Zhudokhin. And of course, fear of the South Africans, particularly after they used poison gas. Most of the troops apparently refused to move then, unless they were sent gas masks. But they were... ...ignored. Perhaps there was no gas, but these soldiers are willing to swear that there was some kind of gas attack over these two days. During the Truth Commission process in the early 1990s, however, it emerged that the apartheid government had been developing chemical weapons codenamed Project Coast. Project manager Neil Knoebel admitted that chemical weapons were developed, but said these only came into production in 1988. We know that between 1987 and 1994, arms corps subsidiary Swartklapp Producks loaded CR powder into just under 12,000 hand grenades and rifle grenades, 81mm mortar bombs, and in over 1,300 G5 155mm shells. CR powder is a non-lethal chemical used in riot control products. So where the chemicals originated that blew into the faces of the Russians and others alongside 59 Brigade in late October 1987 needs further investigation. It was now 30th of October and the continuous SADF shelling and bombing suddenly stopped. What can this mean? The Russians were saying to each other. Is the enemy devoted to stock taking or room cleaning on the last day of the month? Shadrachan wrote in his diary that This quiet is not a good sign. I recall a film about the Great Patriotic War. There one of our soldiers tosses and turns on a plank bed in a dugout and finally says miserably, If they would only shoot... otherwise we can't sleep at all. Clearly the Russians were cracking jokes, but the tension was palpable on both sides. Everyone had got used to falling asleep with the sound of shells falling. The silence that pervaded was more frightening, more psychologically deafening. November the 1st, 1987 dawned. It was a bright day and little did the Angolans know it was D-Day minus eight. The SADF planned to launch their major offensive on the 9th, but before then there was more silence. It was time for a softening up and reconnaissance planned. FAPLA and the SADF exchanged bombardments that day. The BM-21 rockets shrieking eastwards, the G-5s west. During one of these exchanges, a G-5 high-explosive shell scored a direct hit on the Russian command post alongside 59 Brigade. When the dust cleared, FAPLA troops lay dead, but none of the Russians had been hit. As the group leader said later, At that moment, we were reborn. He was ironic, because the 1st of November was his birthday. He was 40. It was a miracle. That shell landed 30 meters away. The saplings and branches of the trees had been blown off. And most of the Russian advisers on the scene from now on had hearing loss of some sort. On the 3rd of November, SA Air Force raids began at 0500. Seven planes swooped in, hitting the brigade but causing little damage. Just after 1pm that afternoon, 59 Brigade reconnaissance units stumbled on a forward unit. Just after 1pm that afternoon, 59 Brigade reconnaissance units stumbled on a forward unit. Just after 1pm that afternoon, 59 Brigade reconnaissance units stumbled on a forward unit. Just after 1pm that afternoon, 59 Brigade reconnaissance units stumbled on a forward unit. Just after 1pm that afternoon, 59 Brigade reconnaissance units stumbled on a forward unit. UNITA base, managing to kill a number of the rebels, capturing their radios and some small arms. The SADF bombarded the 59th again overnight and through the next day, the 4th of November. The commander of the brigade's 3rd Battalion was seriously wounded while about a dozen others were killed, including the officer of the Political Special Department. This was the man who monitored the fighting on behalf of the MPLA government and now he himself was dead. On the 7th of November, the Angolans began to pick up movement around the source of the Lomba River to the south below the 59th Brigade, close to the Mianay and Kalui rivers. The SADF's combat group Alpha was moving into position for their feint. FAPLA monitored this movement. During the day, there were two bombardments of Angolan 59th Brigade 1st Battalion, which was occupying the heights, and the Angolans began to believe what the SADF wanted them to, that any attack was likely to be directed at the 59th in the region of the Mianay. As the bombardment continued, the Angolans began to move closer to the Mianay River, perhaps closer to Kuito Kwanawale, not to the north. By now, the SADF artillery fire was almost exclusively anti-personnel rounds instead of high-explosive. These exploded in the air, spraying shrapnel for 300 meters about. A column then drove up to the 59th from the 25th Brigade, closer to the Kuito River, bringing fresh food, which was welcomed by the Angolans. But the SADF spotted the vehicles and peppered them with shells. Two men were killed, seven wounded. As the bombardment continued, the SADF spotted the vehicles and peppered them with shells. Two men were killed, seven wounded. As the bombardment continued, the SADF spotted the vehicles and peppered them with shells. Two men were killed, seven wounded. As the bombardments continued, Colonel Ferreira constructed a large sand model of 16 brigades positioned on the Chambinga River and the final preparations were made. On the evening of the 8th of November, the SADF increased the pressure still further as a few units of the 59th Brigade began moving forward to try and engage the South Africans in a more mobile way. "All night we heard the rumble of engines and nearby explosions," wrote Jadokun in his diary. "This was the diversionary attack." It was at dawn that day that the Russians joined up with fellow Soviet advisers who were based at 59 Brigade HQ and who said, "No problem, everything was under control, nothing to worry about." Of course, there was a great deal to worry about. That's because as they spoke to the North, the SADF launched their attack on the 16th Brigade around the Chambinga River starting at 0500. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. Artillery and rockets had caught the unsuspecting target. africans ulufant tanks what happened next is for next episode a quick note of thanks to ant rob and mike thank you so much for the significant donations in the last month that's helped me fund the web and podcast fees for the series i'm in your debt guys thank you so much and also a big thank you to other folks have helped me in the last year with your donations to ensure that we keep the series up on the various podcasting platforms if you'd like to help there's a paypal donate button on the website abwarpodcast.com and for those of you interested in sadf and sandf merchandise and others head over to wardogactual.co.uk or check out Nick's designs at wardogactual on Instagram. That's wardogactual.co.uk. Thanks for your continuous support, Nick. We'll meet up one of these days, I'm sure. Please rate the podcast on iTunes. It helps raise the visibility of the series. If you want to contact me, there's an email form on the website abwarpodcast.com or you can direct message me on Twitter at Des Latham. Until next, goodbye. Bye.
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