test please delete

[DS23]

there again, i didn't get where i am today etc. <smirks>

[Diver]

Just before chrismas in 83 I got a call from kurt.
The SA citizen force were recruiting to form a commando. funded mainly by rich white industrialists and farmers but subsidised by the SA government.
The incursions by SWAPO terrorists into SA had been increasing steadily.
Based in Angola, supported and influenced by Cuba and Russia, they were becoming a real threat.

[Diver]

SA security had been driving them back gradually and hindering them with long range patrol's
Many of the SWAPO terror teams never lived to reach their intended targets.
Those SA security boys were tough and they were efficient.
Anyway, Kurt asked if I was interested in a post and told me that he had already put the word in for me and a few of the other regulars.
We had locked horns with the Swapo and the Angolans (FAPLA) in the past, they were hard fighters and they didn't believe in taking prisoners.

[Diver]

Kurt had already made the calls and 4 of the old troop were up for it.
I couldn't say no, could I?
Six with me and Kurt, We had a full team.
2 days later I was in the back of a transport and heading for the staging area (camp)

[Diver]

Thinking that we would go operational right off the bat we were shocked and dismayed to say the least that we were required to do six weeks of basic.
Basic was hell, they would pump us full of water, mellon, and have us scrabbling around in the bush for hours (Leapord crawl).
Weapons training was a breeze, it was just the physical in that heat (and the bloody thorns)
We had contracted as an independant unit attached to what was to become Delta.

[Diver]

Delta when formed for the move against SWAPO, was made up of mainly Citizen force. "Weekend Warriors" yeh like hell they were, these boys would give the RMC and the para's a run for their money. They were tough no nonsense fighters with a dedication that you only get from a man defending his home and family.

[Diver]

On new years day 84 Delta was called up for duty in operation ASKARI.

Our Orders - To probe the enemy defences at Cuvelai.

Our battle group consisted of less than a thousand men.
Our troop had been sent far out on the right flank with Orders to radio through any contact immediately.
We didn't make contact but the main column certainly did. They ran smack into a couple of battalions of Cuban troops.

[Diver]

Ah! cuppa tea that's better

[Diver]

Well we could hear The action even if we couldn't see it, so we called in for Orders.
We were ordered to hold position.
The Cubans didn't get personally involved with fights between SWAPO and the SA's, This time they did and the fighting was heavy.
The Cubans were being reinforced by units of SWAPO terrorists and a FAPLA Mechanized Brigade, and we were stuck out on the flank twiddling our thumbs.

[Diver]

Listening to the radio chatter we heard that a column of T54 tanks were approaching Delta and things were looking pretty grim.
We were outnumbered about 5 to 1 and now we had Tanks to worry about.
Kurt called in and requested that we be allowed to return to the group to support but was ordered to stay off the radio unless he had intel.