Here is a never before published photograph taken from the cockpit of a SAAF Puma Helicopter airlifting Paratrooper Fire-Force troops into action during the Border War.

South West Africa/Namibia border 1987, 61 Mechanised Infantry Battalion Group and Charlie Squadron is joyriding in a SADF Ratel IFV .. picture says a thousand words. Some say, the driver is still getting an oppie .. all we know is he’s called the Stig!

South African rapid response unit is debused from a South African Air Force Puma helicopter somewhere on the Angolan and South West African/Namibian Border. Great photo by Peter Marlow

South African Air Force pilot of a French built SAAF Mirage F1CZ fighter jet climbing into his cockpit at his airbase in Waterkloof near Pretoria. 1978. This Mirage was number 212.

Crew of an #Eland 90 armoured car at work freeing their vehicle, after it bogged down in a flooded shona (flood plain) during the annual rainy season in Ovamboland – South West Africa/Namiba.

Photo acknowledgement : Chris van der Walt,

On the 27th June 1988, a combined Angolan FAPLA-Cuban force launched an unexpected ground attack against the #Calueque Water Scheme SADF positions, close to the South West Africa/Namibia and Angola border. This was followed shortly thereafter by a treacherous air attack with MiG fighters.

The ground attack was halted by a combined SADF and…Read More

This rather surreal and dark image of a enemy Angolan #Hind Helicopter operated by FAPLA taking off in Angola during the Border War in the late 1980’s.

Men of Steel. Looking every bit the SADF Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) – and epitomising a very special and unique breed of men, feared and loved by the troops and NCO’s (and some junior commissioned officers) all at the same time. Easily identified by the South African crest worn behind a red patch on the sleeve. This is Seargent Major H.G.…Read More

Who doesn’t love a ‘mine hound’? This great image of a SADF dog handler and his dog on operations in Ovamboland, South West Africa/ Namibia. This particular ‘Black Labrador’ is trained to sniff out explosives. Vital in a war so dominated by land mines.

Photo copyright – Peter Marlow

Famous image by Herman Potgieter of a South African Air Force DC 3 Dakota in 1979. An aircraft of World War 2 vintage the DC3 was known as the ‘vomit comet’ by the troops during the Bush War (partly due to low altitude hot air turbulence over Ovamboland). This DC3 is probably on it’s “milk run” ferrying troops and supplies from Grootfontein to…Read More

The Border War also saw some pretty famous future personalities and this is one for all the EastEnders fans (the famous on going British soap opera), this fun photo is Alex Ferns during his stint in the South African Army on the Angolan border – Alex is best known for his EastEnders role as Trevor Morgan, “Britain’s most-hated soap…Read More

#Casspir call sign 33B, which was captured at the battle of Indungo on Oct 31, 1987 (Operation #Firewood), displayed by Cuban soldiers