“War
is a poor chisel to carve out tomorrow.” Martin
Luther King, Jr
Were you part of B Sqn SSB
during Savannah and implicated in the Battle of Massaba River Bridge or
the Battle of Ebo? Do you know anything about Battle Team Alpha led by Captain
Johan Holm on the morning of November 23 1975?
Do you know anything about:
Note: Reference to rank was a 1975 rank. All of these men
were 175 NSM Intake and most were on the 1975 junior leaders course wit Major
Wouter Lombard as the course leader.
- 71259428BG Tpr Neil Lombaard dob: 27 July 1955 Killed
23 November 1975
- 72473226BG Cpl Robert Sheppard Gibbon SAAC 1 SAA Regt
dob 13 Oct 56 and died 19 July 1976 Killed in a military vehicle accident.
Was driving an echelon vehicle near Oshakati to rebunker the squadron when
it overturned. Nok Mother “Mrs Gibbon.” Still trying to find his family
- Tpr G Volgraaff as he ran from his disabled car. He
was wounded by enemy fire in the stomach. Taljaard & Adams ran forward and
pulled him to cover and then carried him to where a vehicle could take him
to the medics. I believe he lived in Kanoneiland (Upington.)
- Maj WCA Rigaardt
- Capt A Fourie Squadron Commander Reserve Squadron was
there to relieve Maj WCA Rigaardt. Capt Fourie was also Commander of Battle
Team Bravo. I believe he has passed away.
- Capt (Willie) Strydom SAIC
- Lt JC du Raan.
- Lt JW Swanepoel
- 2nd Lt Johan du Toit
- 2Lt AJ Kriel, in the neck, back, legs and arms. Helped
out at the mortars with Taljaard. Herman van Niekerk wounded in the back
arms and legs. Holm, & Taljaard were killed.
- 2Lt Jan Alberts
- S Sgt OM van Linden, (Possibly Permanent Force?)
- Cpl GC Hugo,
- Cpl JN (Jakkals) van der Merwe ( I think he was also
called Jaco.)
- Cpl G Botha,
- Cpl JC Wahl
- Cpl Adams Also helped at the mortars
- L/Cpl PC (Piet) van Ellewee.
- Trp WAC Swart,
- L/Cpl GE Visser,
- L/Cpl J Kotzé
- Tpr RH Ludwig. Came forward to rescue Cpl Botha’s
crew.
- Trooper NG Obbes
who was killed.
We are searching for the stories, the families and those who wish to be
heard. Let us tell the stories and let those who fought in this war be heard.
You can remain anonymous.
