Operation Super
Operation Super | |
---|---|
Part of the South African Border War | |
Objective | Prevent PLAN guerrillas infiltrating into South West Africa through the Kaokoveld. |
Date | 9–14 March 1982 |
Operation Super was a military confrontation during the
Order of Battle[2]: 159
South African forces
- 10 men - 5 Reconnaissance Regiment
- several platoon elements - 32 Battalion
- 2 Alouette III gunships and Puma transport helicopters
PLAN forces
- over 230 men
Battles
Initial contact
On 9 March 1982, ten
A while later a patrol of 28 PLAN soldiers arrived on the scene on foot and started looking for evidence of the attackers.[2]: 159 They eventually found the tracks of the Recces and started following them. The Recces, realising that their position was now compromised, immediately called for reinforcements from 32 Battalion who were assigned to cover them.
Meanwhile, the Recces were running out of time while they waited for the reinforcements to arrive. In a desperate attempt to stall for time, they tried to pass themselves off as PLAN soldiers as soon as the PLAN patrol was within earshot, accusing the PLAN patrol of being members of UNITA. A fierce argument between the parties ensued but ended abruptly when the Recce commander shot the PLAN commander. A heated firefight erupted, that was joined at this time by 32 Battalion and an Alouette helicopter gunship fitted with 20 mm cannon.[2]: 159 When the fighting finally stopped, 21 PLAN soldiers had been killed, seven captured and one escaped.[2]: 159
Interrogation of the PLAN prisoners captured during this action revealed the presence of a previously unknown camp nearby in the Cambêno Valley at 16°56′29″S 12°36′32″E / 16.9413°S 12.6088°E, so a plan was immediately formulated to attack it.
Camp assault
A helicopter-borne assault involving 40 members of 32 Battalion was launched on 12 March; however, the attack had to be aborted at the last minute due to thunderstorm activity that limited visibility.[2]: 160 It was feared[who?] that any further attempt to attack the camp would be futile, as the helicopters had been close enough to be heard. However, scouts positioned around the area reported no movement out the valley, so a second attack was launched at dawn the following day, 13 March.[2]: 160
The helicopters initially struggled to find the well-camouflaged camp, until they were virtually on top of it. At this point, the enemy, realising they had been spotted, started firing at the helicopters with everything they had.[2]: 160 The 32 Battalion assault force was immediately dropped, only 50m from the camp where the intense fire was coming from. The assault force consisted of two platoons and an 81 mm mortar section.[2]: 160
The guerrillas had built their camp in the bottom of the valley flanked by high ground on either side.,
Aftermath
By the next morning, 14 March, a further 24 SADF soldiers were flown in, but no counterattack by PLAN occurred.[2]: 161 and the battlefield was found to be littered with dead. 197 insurgents and 3 members of 32 Battalion died, with seven to eight prisoners captured.[2]: 161 Significant quantities of food, weapons and logistical equipment were captured by the South Africans.[2]: 161 From information gathered from the interrogation of the prisoners, a search over three weeks was made for a further PLAN base consisting of 50 soldiers.[3]: 184 This search, carried out by a company from 32 Battalion, failed to find the base which was supposedly south of Iona.
16°53′25″S 12°34′21″E / 16.8902°S 12.5724°E
References
- ISBN 0620139676.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-624-05410-8.
- ^ ISBN 1868729141.
Further reading
- Nortje, Piet (2004). 32 Battalion : the inside story of South Africa's elite fighting unit. Cape Town: Zebra Press. ISBN 1868729141.
- Scholtz, Leopold (2013). The SADF in the Border War 1966-1989. Cape Town: Tafelberg. ISBN 978-0-624-05410-8.
- Steenkamp, Willem (1989). South Africa's border war, 1966-1989. Gibraltar: Ashanti Pub. ISBN 0620139676.