Military HistoryGunship Over Angola, Ratels on the Lomba & Recce Way: Specialised Cooking Book Bundle

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Interesting military reads bundle filled with vivid drama, thrill, humour and one-of-a-kind recipes.

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Gunship over Angola: The Story of a Maverick Pilot

Growing up in suburban Pretoria, Steve Joubert dreamed of a career as a pilot. After undergoing SAAF pilot training, a freak injury put an end to his hopes of flying fighter jets. Instead he learned to fly the versatile Alouette helicopter.

He had barely qualified as a chopper pilot when he was sent to the Border, where he flew missions over Namibia and southern Angola to supply air cover to troops on the ground. As a gunship pilot, Steve saw some of the worst scenes of war, often arriving first on the scene after a contact or landmine attack.

He also recalls the lighter moments of military life, as well as the thrill of flying. A born maverick, his lack of respect for authority often got him into trouble with his superiors.

His experiences affected him deeply, and led him eventually to question his role in the war effort. As the Border War escalated, his disillusionment grew. This gripping memoir is a powerful plea for healing and understanding.

Recce Way: Specialised Cooking

Vulture soup, anyone? Or how about diesel-dipped dog biscuits as a side to some fried python? If you prefer something less severe, then how about having a braai on top of a submarine out in the middle of the ocean?

The South African Special Forces, or Recces, are known for being fearless and tough. Not only must they pass a notoriously gruelling selection course, but once they have qualified as operators, they often spend weeks in the bush living off rat packs and whatever else they can find.

This cookbook with a difference combines stories about their experiences in the field during the Border War with recipes from the bush and the sea, and even a few from the kitchen. Fortunately, most meals are edible! These recipe stories offer insight into the scope of activities of the different reconnaissance units, including 4 Recce at Langebaan, 5 Recce at Phalaborwa and 1 Recce at Durban.

Readers will also learn about some of the important life skills needed to be a member of the Special Forces as well as Recce philosophy, such as staying in the moment and being adaptable. This book feeds into the public’s fascination with this elite unit and will help to break down some of the secrecy around the Recces.

Ratels on the Lomba: the Story of Charlie Squadron

Charlie Squadron – the iron fist of 61 Mechanised Battalion Group (61 Mech) – led the way on 3 October 1987 during the climactic battle between the South African Defence Force and the Angolan forces on the Lomba River in southern Angola. Ratels on the Lomba places the reader in the midst of the squadron of young conscripts who were taken off to the Border War to fight in this battle.

Not only were they up against a vastly superior Angolan force in terms of numbers and weaponry, but they also had to deal with a terrain so dense that their sight was severely impaired and their movement restricted. Also, even though SADF tactical doctrine clearly stated that tanks had to be countered by tanks, these conscripts had to take on the Angolan tanks in armoured cars with inferior low-velocity guns and thin armour, designed to keep out nothing more than small-arms fire.

Yet, during the battle on the Lomba the 47 Brigade of the Angolan forces was nearly wiped out. This blow-by-blow account of a David vs. Goliath battle takes the reader to the heart of the action.

It is honestly told and vividly described, thanks to interviews with veterans and diary entries that help to recreate the drama of the battle. It is also an intensely human story of how individuals react in the face of death and how the war never left them, even when they returned home.