1980, Operation #Sceptic. Captain Tinus van Rensburg lying on a stretcher after being brought back to South West Africa/Namibia.

His Alouette III Helicopter, Serial No. 24 was shot down by an RPG-7 anti-tank rocket during the later stages of Operation Sceptic. His Flight Engineer Koos Cilliers was Killed. Tinus successfully evaded capture until rescued and extracted by a Special Forces Recovery Team and brought back to AFB 3Ondangwa. He his seen being questioned by Intelligence Personnel after his return from Southern Angola.

The body of Sergeant Koos Cilliers body could not be recovered and was used by the Angolan Authorities for propaganda purposes. His body was eventually returned to South Africa 2 years later.

Operation Sceptic was launched on 10 June 1980 as a lightning attack on a SWAPO base in Southern Angola but developed into an extended operation as more and more SWAPO caches were discovered in the territory. Sceptic was due to end on the 16 June but due to additional bases being discovered from intelligence gathered during the operation, the clashes continued and finally ended on 30 June with all South African Defence Force (SADF) forces back in their bases in SWA/Namibia by 1 July 1980.

Operation Sceptic included serious clashes be­tween the SADF and the People’s Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola ( #FAPLA).

During the operation the South African forces also clashed for the first time with mechanised elements of #SWAPO, SWAPO lost its forward base facilities and 380 killed. Several hundred tons of equipment and supplies as well as many vehicles were captured by the SADF and seventeen members of the SADF force were killed.

Photo and caption on the photo thanks Grahame Du Toit #Puma