Striking Inside Angola With 32 Battalion by Marius Scheepers

Author:Marius Scheepers [Scheepers, Marius]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: African Wars, Battles, Campaigns, Contemporary Warfare
ISBN: 1907677771
Amazon: 1907677771
Goodreads: 13224131
Publisher: Helion & Company
Published: 2012-05-01T04:00:00+00:00

2.

It is no longer a priority to capture and occupy Cahama

3.

The expected infiltration by seven SWAPO companies [into SWA] should be avoided at all cost

4.

The main target of the operation is Cuvalai which must be captured.

61 Mechanized Battalion was on the outskirts of Cahama, but was reassigned to support other forces at Cuvelai now facing the threat of being cut off by FAPLA’s 11th Brigade.

Due to the relatively high toll—according to SADF standards, a few casualties were regarded as ‘high’—the combat group then withdrew from Cahama to Xangongo to reorganize and regroup with only 142 Battery remaining at Cahama. It was also reported that a 700-strong FAPLA force was heading towards the SADF force at Cuvelai, and so reinforcements from Task Force X-Ray had to be reassigned to this location. After Task Force X-Ray had laid 30 landmines near Mulondo on 27 December, it withdrew part of its force. They then began building a bridge at Humbe to cross the Cuculuvar River.

On 27 December, while disembarking a Ratel, a hand grenade attached to a soldier’s belt exploded when the safety pin snagged on the door. He was killed instantly and three soldiers inside the vehicle were wounded. Under extremely hostile conditions, a Puma, flying very low, managed to evacuate the wounded.

On 28 December a Ratel received a direct hit from artillery fire while moving to the higher ground west of the road, 13 kilometres east-southeast of Cahama. The shell struck the Ratel on the right side above its hatches, opening up a one-metre gap in its 12mm solid steel armour. One OF member was killed and three wounded, one being left totally blind.

The withdrawal of the main force was officially ordered from Cahama on 30 December. Combat Group 3 now consisted of 563 soldiers with 72 vehicles.

On 31 December a 122mm missile exploded 30 metres from a Samil 100 truck, ten kilometres east-southeast of Cahama, setting the vehicle on fire. The entire combat group broke contact with Cahama and withdrew to Xangongo, crossing the Cunene River after successful completion of the mission. 142 Battery remained behind at Xangongo. 82nd Brigade HQ then arrived at Xangongo to to occupy the area.

Combat Group Delta (Task Force Victor), accompanied by Q Battery, then moved towards Cuvelai.13 61 Mechanized Battalion crossed the Cunene River over a temporary bridge and arrived in the vicinity of Cuvelai during the evening of New Year’s Day in record time (16 hours). 61 Mechanized Battalion and S Battery joined up with Combat Group Delta after only a ten-hour rest, before joining the battle at Cuvelai almost immediately.

By the end of December, all action against Cahama had ceased in order to now concentrate on the attack against Cuvelai, where more SA-8 missile systems were reported to be deployed, 22 kilometres west and 23 kilometres west-southwest of Cuvelai, as well as at Chiange and Televemba.

Operation Fox

On 30 December Operation Fox was opened with the following components:

Combat Group 1

3 x mechanized platoons

3 x armoured car troops

1 x 81mm mortar group

1 x G2

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