This is a brief decription of one of the most famous Sapper accounts in the history of the Angolan bush war.
The the famous battle at Bridge 14 on December 9, 1975, during Operation Savannah. This is the accounts of some really brave Sappers and other forces, that against the odds rebuilt a destroyed bridge over a fast flowing river in Angola. As Sappers' from Bethlehem, the Bridge 14 rebuild was an extra-ordinary feat as it was rebuilt from wood poles and sand bags that had to be cut down from Gum trees and the filled sand bags had also to be brought in.
As engineers, this group had been trained in locating and lifting mines, and in building bridges. From Bethlehem they were off to SWA for border duty.
During Op Savannah in 1975, the troops arrived at the little town of Bibo, Angola - a street, a bank, a hotel and a cigar shop. It was a ghost town, no people, like the Marie Celeste there was warm coffee still in coffee cups. At 17.00 each day the choppers dropped rations - canned peas and Rooibos tea.
Quibela was now an important objective. It was the first week of December and down came the rain. The Nhia river became a real obstacle. The north bank end of the bridge - Bridge 14 - had been blown up by SWAPO. It was up to the Sappers to 'fix' it. This was done by building up alternative layers of sand bags and blue gum logs which had to be cut down. (Note a beautiful picture of Bridge 14, taken from the enemy side, showing the repairs)
As they worked, the Sappers came under small arms fire and Red Eye (Katyusha) rockets. "The loud explosions of the rockets for two days wore the troops down. Troops could die (and some did). But then the Bats arrived, crossed over, and there was no more enemy fire after that. There were some acts of great heroism at the Bridge. A Lieutenant swam the river three times to get medical supplies for his wounded men on the north side.
The Elands (armoured cars) arrived, the Battle group crossed over the bridge and laid into the enemy. The repairs to Bridge 14 had paid off, but four of our men died. The troops were then ordered to withdraw and return to base, a decision already made in Pretoria, (a decision that upset many of the troops).
They were heroes all.......
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I was part of foxbat fighting group.Charlie Company, 2 SAI.Prev; From tempe 1 SAI 1975.I was 17 when I went to the army .BASICS at tempe 1 SAI.Transferred later to 2 SAI Walvis Bay.From there we went to Rucana air strip.Did first attack into Angola,pera de echa.Russia gave us 24 hours to leave .GEN Magnus Malan was there and we duly obligded.We encircled the town, there was a lot of killing, all the bodies loaded up onto trucks.Remember bullets flying past us One of our guys ran up to through a hand grenade, when he turned and started on his way back he was blown up.Anyway on our return to Rucana air strip.we were later flown to Grootfontein.On our arrival we were each giving a case of 24 beers.The following day we were broken into small groups,and asked to volunteer to go and finish our service in Angola,America were to pay us R10. a day danger pay and South Africa R5. a day.Our uniforms were taken away from us and we were supplied with green uniforms, takkies & a strange staldak.About 10 of us flew into Angola with a unimog.We landed at Cela airport.We waited for the others to fly in and come up by road.We eventually left on the road towards bridge 14.We turned left before the area that would be known as the battle of bridge 14. The next day we were bombed and had to retreat as we were not dug in , bombs falling all around us as we were retreating.We slept on a moutain side that night fighting against the army ants through the night.One of our guys shot himself through the foot, they took him to Cela hospital, where they bandaged him up and sent him back to us.Good thing that otherwise a lot more would have happened had they sent him home.A couple of days later we moved forward, they wanted to send some gunners to Top Hat. I volunteered with two others to escort them into enemy ground.On our return that night ,our company was gone .Nowhere to be seen or heard.We heard explosions in the distance ,it was dark now.We eventually arrived by the gathering making all the noise in the night,and after careful observation we approached them to find out it was our South African gunners.We lied and told them that we had orders to get back to the next town, They gave us a lift back to the next town.We three moved into an empty farmhouse.The next day we killed a calf, a cow & a pig. we braaied the lot two days later we were found and taken back to the front.During the battle a lieutenant swam back over the river to get help.Two of his troops were shot,Tommy Lotze & C.Marais. I again voluteered to go.We rescued them Marais was alive but shot through the leg and through his chest, remember praying for him as we carried him.We did not bring Tommy Lotze over he was to shot up and dead.Marais died later that night.All the time at the river during the rescue the red eyes were flying over &and our bombs exploding in front of us ,Still got a lot to get of my chest.Mark Goller.
ReplyDeleteHi all,
ReplyDeleteI would greatly appreciate any info as to where I can get detailed reports/encounters regarding bridge 14. My dad was there in 1975/1976, when the bridge were blown up. He was in the panzer division. The reason for my asking is so that I can try and understand a part of my dad's life, that he has kept to himself, but still sometimes haunt him. His name is Johan Christian Schrade. Any info can be sent to queeniejoubert@gmail.com
Regards, Queenie
Hi i was at bridge 14 as well when i look back after all these years i wonder why. trained 1 sai transfered to 2 sai Brian Visser
ReplyDeleteGood day (live in oz now) Bethlehem, 21 field 1978-1979
ReplyDeleteWhen we did basics and 2nd phase all the ranks were arseholes. However there one or two arseholes that stood out as actually knowing what they were doing.
From memory (which is often wrong) Lt's De Wet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honoris_Crux_Gold)
and Engelbrecht both had medals from combat during savana, I think urban legend had it that Lt Dekock was the guy that swam across the river at brug 14, but as I say I might have got the names wrong or mixed up. Another Lt that was also an arsehold but knew his stuff was Lt Tik Tok (forget his name)Wessels(just found it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honoris_Crux_Gold) from 22 field. Lost his leg in combat but I don't recall the story. The only good NCO that I remember that had actually had some combat exposure as apposed to the other idiotic nco's that we had was a Corporal Wallace, he died of cancer when I was on a border posting. In mine search training I remember his hall mark comment when we stuffed up was "you just experienced the vorevoerve effect" which he would happily explain was the noise our legs would have made as they went voorring past your ears. The only 2 officers I had absolute respect for as both officers and gentleman was a Major at the time and I think his name was Prince (could be wrong once again)and Captain Human sp? With Major Prince we rebuilt the bridge at Xngongo in the early 1980's.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xangongo)
Wouldn't mind if any readers could verify names and story's. Here is to all old sappers from Bethlehem, the good, the bad and even the ugly.
I was also at bridge 14 and reading Mark Goller account I was the Ops Medic who helped C. Marais down at the river. We must have both been carrying his stretcher but we did not know each other.
ReplyDeleteThe Lt. that was at bridge 14 was Lt. Ted Fountain who also received battle honors. He lifted the land mines to allow the Sappers to do their work.
ReplyDeleteOne of the Original Sappers 17 field Squadron 1974-1976. Served with De Wet, Wessels, Steyn, Prins,Human amongst others.
Hi Guys
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the comments on this post, really great to read views and even corrections, this was not my time, but sounded like a hellish time to be in Angola - take care lads
Hey
ReplyDelete!!!!and about Daniel "Danny" Roxo!!!!
The Battle of "Bridge 14" was fought in December at the Nhia River. An important bridge structure located there had been demolished by withdrawing Cuban forces in an ultimately futile attempt to stall the South African Defence Force as it marched on Quibala.
ReplyDeleteThe South Africans managed to place a handful of observers on a nearby hill dubbed "Top Hat", from which they were able to direct artillery fire effectively against the enemy positions.[55] South African sappers successfully rebuilt the bridge despite heavy Cuban opposition, allowing an amoured column to breach the river. A number of Sagger missile crews had expected to ambush the advancing vehicles, but the South Africans carefully skirted the road, routing the Cuban-MPLA troops on the opposite bank.
During the fighting, Portuguese mercenary Danny Roxo claimed to have single-handedly killed twelve Cuban and MPLA soldiers while conducting a reconnaissance of the bridge, an action for which he was awarded the Honoris Crux.[citation needed] Several other South African military personnel were decorated with the medal for bravery during this battle, some posthumously.
Nice comments guys. Also served with Wessels - did basics with him, same bungalow - he had epilepsy which may have accounted for the nickname. Lt Prins was 2IC to Capt "Blackie" Swart when we lived at the dam on returning from Caprivi, early 74. Anybody remember Staff Spillar, Sgt Ben Geldenhuys - sappers of note.
ReplyDeleteThere were some people on that hill testing a laser designator for the artillery in great secrecy. Also there were some pf special forces acting as bodyguards to prevent the gadget getting into the wrong hands - it worked and that explains the effectiveness or at least some of it.
ReplyDeleteThey were quite excited to score a direct hit on a tank which was totally destroyed. Hope my memory is correct.
Staff Spiller (or spitter as he was called due to his habit of spraying you with spit when he was screaming in your face) was still there in 1989, but think he may have been an RSM or SM.
ReplyDelete75532085 BG JAN 77 TO DEC 78 PROUD EX SAPPER. SPENT TIME IN NORTHERN TRANSVAAL AND OPS. AREA OVAMBOLAND. ITALI,OSHAKATI,OMATIA,ONDONGWA PLEASE EXCUSE BAD SPELLING IT HAS BEEN A WHILE.
ReplyDeleteBrian Visser , you were part of our fighting group. What is your email ?
ReplyDeleteIan, I would like to get hold of Brian as he was with us in Angola
ReplyDelete