Mercenaries by Al J. Venter

Author:Al J. Venter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Casemate Publishers (Ignition)
Published: 2014-05-08T16:00:00+00:00

Arthur Walker was the highest-decorated fighting man in the South African Defence Force before he joined Executive Outcomes as a mercenary aviator. Of the only six Honoris Crux decorations (Gold) handed out during the course of the 21-year series of Border Wars (and South Africa’s equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor) Arthur got two. He is seen here with one of his squadron’s awards at an air force base near Pretoria. (Photo: Author’s collection)

Arthur was also involved in one of the most savage firefights of the entire “Border War” period in South Angola.

This was the Battle of Cuamato. The author was there as well, having been dropped into position by Puma helicopter with a bunch of Parabats… South African lingo for members of their crack Parachute Battalion. He was attached to Charlie Company, which – together with several other units – was responsible for clearing enemy ground positions and it was Arthur Walker’s job to provide “top cover” with his gunship for the men on the ground.

But, to quote the famous maxim, “no battle plan survives contact with the enemy,” and the 1981 fight for Cuamato provided a whole series of surprises for South African forces. The intention was to use the deserted village as a forward logistics base, while an area operation was mounted to seek and destroy guerrilla camps, including what was thought to be their western headquarters.

On the afternoon of January 15, six Alouettes and four Pumas flew 60 miles to a position just 20 miles north of the Angolan border in readiness for the operation due to commence the next morning. Apart from the Parabats, there were also troops from 32 Battalion, the elite unit that accounted for more enemy losses than any other in the South African Defence Force. With Charlie Company, they were busy securing the perimeter and checking out the surrounding area, when… Contact ! One of the patrols had come across a previously unknown and completely unexpected Angolan army strongpoint just miles north of the village that gave its name to the battle.

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