Episode 95 – 21/25 Brigade makes a dash for the Chambinga Bridge amidst heroics by 32's Van Zyl

[Music] Welcome back to South African Border Wars with me, your host, Desi Lothan. This is episode 95. We're in the final phase of Operation Modular in November 1987 and the SIDF was lining up Foupler's 16 brigade after giving them a bloody nose on the 9th. Combat group Bravo was going to draw Foupler's attention between the Mianneia and Vampula rivers, south east of Guido-Quanabali. But that was a diversion. 59 brigade was based there and moving slowly in a northerly direction to support 16 brigade, almost due east of the town. There's a series of short rivers that rise to the north east and south of Guido-Quanabali, most flow westwards enjoying the Guido river and it was along these rivers that most of the next phase of Operation Modular would be fought. The wreckies spotted T-54-55 tanks heading towards the source of the Hubert river and the South African commander, Commander Dion Ferreira, was weighing up whether or not to neutralise these heavy weapons before continuing with the attack on 16 brigade. The South Africans were still not fully aware of what 59 brigade was doing, although they had a better idea about 16. During the night of the 10th of November, the SIDF pulled off a switcheroo moving combat group Alpha to the south of 16 brigade. Combat group Charlie was now slightly north. Early on the morning of the 11th, combat group Alpha was in position and began to fire the Rital 90 guns, along with the Rital 81 mortars towards Fuplar trenches. The G-5s also began to prepare for 16 brigade, along with the multiple rocket launches to Bulkuris. On the same day, the Engolans were celebrating the independence, but as the Russian advisers met with the African colleagues for muted festivities, the launchers flew overhead and began to bomb the Engolans. Something quite unimaginable is happening now! Road Russian translator Igor Shedokin, the Engolans troops are almost completely demoralised, the brigades are on average at 45% strength. Where 10 or 15 shells launched by the enemy, the Engolans are able to send only one. SIDF's rate of fire was wearing Fuplar down, while the rickies and artillery spotters were passing on information constantly. Eventually, they picked up 59 brigades, shifting position. The Russians reported that the Engolans had spotted what they called "the Buffalo", that was 3-2 battalion, and the advisers wrote that the Engolans fear the South Africans like fire. The advisers had been grumbling for some time about their allies, noting that the Engolan morale was dangling by a thread. The Russians complained that the MiGs stayed away for most of the 11th, and when they arrived, later in the day, they often remained at high altitude. As with all soldiers on the ground, they didn't really understand the complexities of what was going on, because the MiGs did come in low that morning, and the bombs landed around 50 meters away from combat group Charlie's anti-aircraft troop. Just to prove it, a gunner was hit in the back by Shrapnel from one of the bombs. The SAF was mirage pilots, we're also flying in low and fast, but they were limited in the effectiveness by the distance from the airfields in South West Africa, and had only a few minutes over the region east of Guido-Quanabali, so there were no dogfights. The Jambinga River flows directly west with from its source of a few kilometers east of Guido-Quanabali, and joins the Guido River at the time. You can imagine the scenario with the SAF now advancing in a westward direction straight towards 16th Brigade. At the same time, things were becoming more difficult for comic group Charlie as it advanced, struggling through the thick bush. They arrived 19 minutes late at the target, that meant the element of surprise was lost, and 16th Brigade used the delay to withdraw further into the dense bush between the Hubert and Jambinga sources, moving eastwards. When combat group Charlie arrived at the target point designated Alpha at ten hundred hours forty-five, there were no end golems to be found. The South Africans had become disoriented in the bush, then for Errora ordered them to turn north to a second objective called Brava. However, without modern navigation equipment, it was like moving around in a thick green pea soup. Only one vehicle had what amounted to a very primitive form of GPS, but this didn't help much. Commit group Charlie's commander Leon Mare was monitoring his infantry, which had now been struggling for most of the day through the thick bush on foot, and they were beginning to suffer the effects. To many people this doesn't sound like a long march, but you must remember there were heavily armed carrying ten or more magazines and spare arms and webbing as well as water, while the extreme humidity was taking its toll. The South Africans were becoming more spoke to by the minute, the three twos commander Pete van Zell reporting after it's that, when we approached one particularly thick piece of bush, someone started firing into it, unprovoked. The next moment nearly everybody was letting loose. He had what he called a hell of a time, getting the troops to stop their panic shooting. Eventually, just after one-thirteen the afternoon, Charlie Group's Alpha Company commander asked if they could stop and recover. Maria Greed. Unfortunately, for the South Africans, Fapler reconnaissance unit had been keeping a very close eye on the advancing troops. As the South Africans were rarely dropped to the ground under the trees, Fapler opened up with automatic cannons, mortars, and small arms from less than 200 meters away. Bullets and shells were shredding the threes and making sawdust of them, and I left from the tank, said van Zell. Two of his men were killed moments later as a shell landed on one of the early fun tanks. Another trooper was hit by a 15.5 millimeter anti-aircraft shell. At least seven infantrymen were hit by treetop snipers in these early minutes. This took the SEDF completely by surprise and pandemonium broke out until tank commander Major Andrei Ritif filled himself together and ordered a fireball's action. All tanks and men took aim in the direction of Fapler and the intensity of fire brought the SEDF a few crucial minutes and began to move forward. The best defense is the tank after all. It wasn't going to be that simple because battle group Charlie was sent very bad news from the intelligence. Sixteen brigade had been bolstered by three new companies of men and at least 22 tanks, which were now art flanking Charlie. Marais shifted his tanks to his right, worried that the T-54 or T-55s were going to somehow get around his mechanized units and attack from the rear. This was an extremely fluid battle that was developing, and at this moment the quickest and most agile side was going to succeed over the next few minutes. Marais managed to maneuver some of the rifles to the right, as well as an anti-tank latune of Rital 90s to his left flank. Just off the 2pm at T-54, 55, broke out of the bush directly in front of a Rital 20. Basically it was armed with a pop gun compared to the monster tank directly ahead. Gunner MJ Mitten pumped rounds into the tank, like AM-tommered on only a few days before. The weapon firing 12-20mm armor piercing rounds per second, chipping bits off the tank, and like a giant being stuck with pins, it turned towards the Rital instead of continuing through to attack the infantry behind. Mitten appeared to be made of stern stuff, he kept firing even as the tank's gun turned on him, and moments later a second T-54, 55, thundered out of the bush, fired two rounds from a 100mm gun, which ripped through the Rital, killing the driver and seriously winning Mitten. The South African is good no longer predict from which direction these heavy tanks would appear. The Rital began to burn, and Mitten managed to elevate his cannon, allowing another crew member a few moments to run from the shattered armored car, but Mitten was critically injured, pivoted by shrapnel, he dragged himself out of the Rital, then collapsed alongside the armored car, seriously wounded. He didn't make it out that night, dying shortly afterwards. The really fun tanks moved up to help, heading towards 16 brigade positions, along with the troops on foot. It was chaos, this fire and movement conducted through minefields, which then blew one of the Uleafund tank tracks right off. Tiffy's rushed in and chained the tank to a second Uleafund, which pulled it out of the line of fire. Tiffy, Commander Lieutenant de Villiers' force, was awarded the Honourous Cricks for his carriage, rounds bouncing off the ground and vehicles around him, as he slipped a hook on the trackless Uleafund. The thundering sounds were deafening big guns of both the T-54, 55s, and the Uleafunds firing constantly, mortars and artillery shells landing amongst the troops in the vehicles, machine guns, small arms, automatic fire continuing constantly. The South African tanks began to get the better of the Angolians. Eventually, seven T-54, 55s were destroyed, but another Rital was blown up by a mine, then shot up by a tank. The SEDF threw out a long, snaking explosive known as "Bloff Other". It was supposed to trigger mines, but didn't always work. It was a string of explosives weighing around 500 kilograms fired by a rocket over a minefield from a Casper. As it hit the ground, it exploded detonating the mines and clearing a path. That was the theory. The Americans used similar systems in a rock decades later. Rocket propelled a fire from a gun these snakes of explosives detonating set off IEDs or BB traps and houses. The Bloff Other was experimental, did not trigger all the mines, but the other Uleafunds managed to traverse the minefield. Despite this carnage, four science-3-2 battalions scrambled forward and hit up those trenches. Then another Rital detonated a mine and a T-54-55 nearby fired on the marooned vehicle, killing the driver. A section of T-54-55s rolled up attempting to outflank Charlie Bethel Group on the left. Uleafund tanks moved into into Cepthes and two of the Russian tanks were brewed up. A time, 315 pm, and the South Africans were now running short of ammunition. The attack ground to a halt, losing momentum. Brigadier Fudo Smith, who commanded Forsyte, was worried about the angered and surrounding his men and ordered there with a draw. Then ordered Combat Group Alpha to switch positions with the battle-weary units. Forsyte troops is It spent most of the day alongside three two battalion fanning art in turns then slumping on the rifles and exhaustion if they could. Just to add sparse into the battle, the migs returned. They appeared out of nowhere and bombed combat group Alpha, which took evasive action, stopping and flinging camouflage over the vehicles, which meant foresight had to continue fighting alone. The sun was sinking and the commanders knew that they did not want to fight Foupler in the dock. Very few night vision systems were available. They called for a general withdrawal and this gave 16 Brigade another chance to escape. It was a bitter moment for a few platoons from three two battalion and four si, who together had managed to infiltrate the forward line of Foupler's trenches and emptied them. Now they were being told to retreat. The South Africans obviously had no idea as they withdrew that 16 Brigade wasn't far worse shaped than they thought. The Angolan Brigade was also in full retreat, burning or destroying their equipment that could not be moved as they sought solace in Guido, Guanavali. Still, as they withdrew, units began running into the open felt and SED of artillery spiders saw these companies near the Chambinga and provided accurate coordinates, a terrible bombardment of Valkyrie rockets fell upon the Foupler troops, killing more than a dozen then destroying vehicles. Russian avarza with 16 Brigade, Lieutenant Alexander Kalan, reported to separiors in Guido that the 16 Brigade had no fuel and ammunition, their water had also run out. The morale of the Angodans had collapsed, they had basically been knocked out. But the South Africans had also been tested. Five men on the SED of side were dead, 19 wounded two rifles destroyed, one would if undamaged while Foupler lost close to 400 men, at least 14 tanks, four BTR-60s and a number of logistic vehicles. Combat groups Alpha and Charlie pulled themselves together and refocused on the surviving Angolan Brigades, about 4,000 men remained, along with 39 tanks and 59, 21, 25 Brigade and 66 Brigade. Major Ratif was worried about his men, the SED of was dangerously low on ammunition. Suppliers could not reach the men easily, and now as the South Africans withdrew, it was their turn to fuel the heat from Foupler's artillery. Ratif had also flirted about the Ulyfhan tanks having been told by the SED of Topbrows to avoid losing any. Our infantry were very upset about being ordered to withdraw, said 3 2 battalions from sail later. He believed had the SED of force the issue, they would have overrun what was left of 16 Brigade and destroyed it completely. It was ironic that at that moment on the other side the Russian advisors were worried about exactly that. As both sides picked up their pieces, an incredible casualty evacuation was about to take place. Front sail realized that one of 3 2 battalions black troops was missing and was told that the infantrymen was last seen lying dead in a Foupler trench 800 meters away. Foupler told Major Ratif that his body had to be recovered. Ratif denied the request, but Foupler ignored this and ran back to the trench with the Brigade's force. They sprinted through a deadly gauntlet of fire, machine gun and AK-47 bullets ricocheting off the trees and popping dust as they went, one sprinting forwards while the other fired is our forest cover, then swapping rolls. Some of the South Africans looked on in amazement as the two leaders reached the Foupler trenches and saw the 3 2 men lying in one of these. He wasn't dead, but was seriously wounded in the back, so they met a stretcher out of their rifles and began dragging him to their lines. Foupler was firing constantly and eventually Ratif realized that he must do something, so he sent one of the rifles to assist zigzagging towards the two through the minefield. The wilufons also began to put down covering fire. Front sail and the Villiers force saved the man's life, and all three survived, but can only be called a miraculous cazvak. The troops watching knew they were in the company of heroes. Their action was one of the major differences in this war between the South Africans and the Angolans. The S.A.D.F refused to leave any dead or injured behind whatever the colour of their skin, whereas the Angolans, the Russians and Cubans appeared to care very little about their colleagues. This had a significant effect on morale, as you can imagine. The philosophy of leave no one behind is an intrinsic nature and American standing order, as it was with the S.A.D.F. There's not a lot of time to explain more, but historically all armies that honor their men in this way tend to have a higher rate of success than those who don't. When Russia attacked Finland, the Finns would pick up their casualties and return them for proper burials, whereas the Russians left hundreds of thousands of dead men to rot in the fields. They still do. Back to our story. Mark Muller's combat group Alpha finally moved up to replace combat group Charlie while the Ulyfans remained behind to support Alpha. This wasn't a clean switch, it was confused. Alpha did not have clear orders, they were merely told to replace Charlie and join up with the tank section. The South Africans were running out of time to do anything, there was only an hour to sunset. Finally all groups withdrew to larger areas in the rear from where the wounded were casavac that night. The Hubei-Chambinga gap as the S.A.D.F. called it remained open, so what should be done now was the obvious question. It was very little sleep that night, choppers landed, fuel lorries rumbled, then another trooper was run over, his legs were shattered as he tried to recover from the day's battle, joining the 19 others wounded, it was the second time during this operation that a vehicle had run over a sleeping soldier. Lea Mare's combat group Charlie received new orders overnight to cut off around 1,000 troops from 21 and 25 Brigade from crossing the Vimbula River north of Hubei, while commandant Mike Muller's combat group Alpha spread out in the bush near the MIA and Vimbula rivers to stop a possible counterattack by the same brigade. That meant that Papa's 59 Brigade was left up to its own devices and right now they were most interested in pulling back to Guido Kwanabali, they had left at least 20 tanks behind to help 16 Brigade and these deployed in two defensive lines. One line stretched along the high ground between the Chumbunga River and the Hubei, the other was based east of the source of the Hubei. Meanwhile, Papa's 66 Brigade had two battalions at the strategically important Chumbunga bridge, although this brigade's third battalion was moving north east of Guido Kwanabali and was facing commandant hot sleeves combat group Bravo. There was also a pioneer group from 21-25 Brigade reinforced with at least 10 tanks near the source of the Vimbula River. They were threatening to strike the SEDF from the flank as the South Africans pushed west, something had to be done to make sure this pioneer group was deflected. The Yon Fareda appeared at his maps and pondered. The SAA force and artillery continued their bombing raids and bombardments making life hell for Fapples Brigades. In a few days they would shock the residents of Guido Kwanabali not because they bombed the town, they'd done that previously, but because of where they did it from, the north. This was shocking because the Fapple units in Russian advisers stationed south and east of Guido were hoping to escape north of the SEDF over and the town. But it wasn't that simple. Nothing is in war and particularly after weeks of fire and movement. The remarkable South African G5 guns were starting to wear out. There were two batteries of these and at least three guns were out of action already, vital parts were needed, including new barrels. Half of the support tracks had broken down, repairs were slow, many could not be repaired at all. The Valkyrie MRL battery had been pulled back from the Mi-NA river for repairs and to replenish their rockets. A logistics headache was getting worse as the fighting continued. For all the South Africans another crucial day was approaching. Friday the 13th of November 1987. During the afternoon Fapples 21-25 Brigade began a rapid withdrawal north towards the Mi-NA river. Ferreira received word almost straight away from intelligence that brigades were on the move away from his forces. So he sent word to combat group Charlie C. O'Leone Maria to follow up. The Angolans were moving quickly and had the upper hand despite Maria turning north to try and hear them off south of the Vambula river. It just happened that three two battalion had a great deal of experience along the Vambula and Ferreira wanted the battalion to work alongside Forsyne mechanized infantry once more as they sought to slam the door shut on the Angolans. At this time Russian advisor team leader Anatoly Mikhailovich Artyomenko sent a message to the military district command proposing that 21-25 Brigade should occupy the hearts of the Vibostro area which would have been very difficult for the SEDF to assault. Instead he was told to move to the source of the Hube river and occupy defensive positions there. Much of that area had been mined and the Angolans had long planned to use this territory to storm his South African advances. The powerful thunderstorm was brewing as they all began their move but Ferreira did not realize its significance yet. South Africa's combat group Charlie was redeploying north with a view to setting up an ambush at crossing positions on the Vambula river with Forsyne tow. Three two battalion commander Fenceil radioed HQ wanting to know exactly where the Angolans were headed. His men had spent some time along this river in mid-October and there were a few spots to cross. Fenceil didn't want to guess, he hoped that the wreckies had seen enough to help. It seemed the Angolans were heading towards Sondumba Ford, so three two battalion moved into what they thought was the most likely position on the 14th of November. Reconnaissance patrols were sent out which confirmed the main ambush should be laid two kilometres southeast of Sondumba Ford. Combat group Charlie had travelled more than 20 kilometres by that time and instead of covering the Ford they stopped shoot. The Vilius Force and Fenceil wondered where they were and started moving north, eventually meeting up with the elements of the group. It was not and the thunderstorm was crashing all around, a particularly violent thunderstorm as if it was competing with the terrible battles. the last few days. Three two lead elements bumped into Charlie and as they discussed what to do, they heard tank engines. Immediately everyone knew they'd missed the Angolans. Farpler had already crossed the Vambula River and precisely at the point where Charlie was supposed to ambush them at Sondumba Ford. The Angolan 21-25th Brigades were now moving north of the river and dashing towards the Hubert which was around 12 kilometres away. The Angolans had completed a scissors movement of their own while the 21-25th Brigade dashed north, one battalion of the 66th Brigade was moving along the bank of the Vambula and turned heading towards the source of the Hubert as well. They'd meet up with the 21-25 in two days. It was then that the next main battle was to take place east of Guitua-Quanavali. The SADF had missed another opportunity to crush two more battalions of Farpler's troops but no one would take responsibility for this. After the operation there was going to be quite a bit of finger pointing which continues to this day, veterans have many theories about whose fault it was and so on. But for once the SADF had been upmaneuvered in the bush by a highly mobile enemy, an enemy that had learned the basic art of mechanised warfare after years of facing the SDF. They also knew that movement at night was critical when the SADF tended to hunker down. Farpler had experienced so many dawn attacks by SADF forces in numerous mobile operations that they had trained to use the nut more effectively. All hope was not lost however. Combat group Bravo had moved up from the MIA-NA river to reinforce Charlie. Everyone was galloping towards this strategic chumbinga bridge. It's always geography that plays the main role in a war and so it was now. A unique feature on the battlefield that was to cause Angolan some trouble was the Viposhtra high ground which led to the south of the Hubert river and the chumbinga river bridge. The fleeing Angolan said a choice. Other across the Hubert and that aimed straight at the chumbinga river bridge would turn at the Hubert and follow it east and turn back past the Hubert's source and strike back westwards towards the bridge. The best and the quickest option was to cross the Hubert fast. This was not going to be possible. 2125 Brigade turned right or east then dashed along the thickly wooded southern bank of the Hubert. To their south was the Viposhtra high ground only a few kilometres square but a significant feature. By keeping on the southern and thickly wooded bank of the Hubert, they may have escaped the Mirages and the SCD of attention making a dash around the source. Of course, thundering east or right of the high ground was the SCD of heading towards that same source as well. Mark Muller's combat group Alpha, Robbie Hutsleaf's combat group Bravo and Leon Mare's combat group Charlie were all now focused on stopping the Angolan's escape. On the 15th of November, a telegram numbered 103 was sent by the Commander of 2125 Brigade Duke Witteukwana Bali, advising the military district commander at four of the T-54 or 55 tanks staring mechanisms had been damaged. The response came shortly afterwards. That brigade should go on to the offensive in the area of the source of the Hubert River at ten hundred hours on the 16th of November. The damaged tanks could still move but only directly forwards or backwards. Not ideal when facing the South African Ulyfans but the SCD of didn't know this at the time. Despite these challenges, the Russians embedded in the Angolan army said later they were impressed with the detail of the directive. Each group had received very clear orders about where to direct their attack. A major battle was shaping up which would take place on the 16th of November with both sides in for some bloodletting. What have been next is for episode 96. 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