Landmines

This was a part of my training I did at 26 Field, it was great fun and by the time I was sent to the border, this was pretty much my main function other than general infantry support and reaction patrols.

We started our training with learning the MMD Mk3 metal detector, we then had some training with general metal detecting, then on some inert mines and finally went out on the mine range with live practice smoke mines. We were all threatened with an oppie by our respecting corporals for the first person to trigger a mine the entire platoon would be op fokked. 

This was a pretty daunting task and terrifying to think at any moment one could stand on a anti personnel mine. We were asked to pretend that these were not practice mine but real ones and if you engaged this was a pretty scary thing to do, thankfully I found my mine but 3 were triggered so yes we did have a playful oppie, it was more for the corporals amusement and a bit of extra PT rather than a full blown op fok. 

During classes we were shown and taught the in's and out's of all known mines we may face on the border from the AP mine to the TM57 and cheese mines. We were shown the easy way and the hard way to deactivate mine found and the art of uncovering them with a mine stick and a knife. Here we had no sissy bomb suits just you and the device.

When a vehicle detonates an anti tank mine the blast and concussion is normally deadly as the body is not capable to sustain the force involved, the shock wave will strip the clothing from your body and can result in such bad tissue damage the flesh liquefies. The blast itself  will destroy most civilian vehicles with pretty much 100% mortality rate for the occupants. The pictures below show the destructive force of a landmine and a civilian truck, both occupants died from the blast. 

Civilian MAN truck detonated an anti tank mine

 During the era where South Africa was placed under an arms embargo, our country had to fend for ourselves and the SADF created some fantastic military vehicles, most were mine proof in some way and the SADF are considered the world leaders in mine proof vehicles with the USA and some other countries now using our creations.

The SADF Buffel was designed in such a manner that if one was damaged by a mine the vehicle could be repaired in a couple of days and be back out again, they were simplistic effective and safe vehicles.

When a mine was found on the border, in most cases we just used a 50 foot length of rope and a grappling hook, the hook was gingerly placed with two hooks just under the bottom rim of the mine and then you walked to the end of the rope, sat down, took up the slack and then lay flat on your back. The rope was pulled which in turn lifted and detonated the mine - bravo and what a feeling, the concussion from a tank mine was something else.