Force ian

 The Unknown Force - Ian Gleeson - South Africans at war - Volume 12

Buy The Unknown Force - Ian Gleeson - South Africans at War series number 12 for R270.00

Buy The Unknown Force Black, Indian and Coloured Soldiers Through Two World Wars Ian Gleeson for R150.00

Buy The Unknown Force - Black, Indian,& Coloured Soldiers through 2 World Wars - Ian Gleeson for R450.00

Subtitle: Their Alpha and Omega Author: Ian S Uys Edition: First Edition ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Condition: Very Good. The DJ is bright and unfaded with light wear to edges. Book itself has a small mark on the fore-edge and slight shelf wear, else a clean, very presentable copy. Binding: Hardcover with dust jacket Pages: 288 Dimensions: 24.7 x 17 x 2 cm +++ by Ian S Uys +++ The Bushman soldiers were the most outstanding all-round fighters of the Border War. As the first of the indigenous population to take up arms on South Africa's behalf, they were among the last to lay them down. The border's oldest and most bush-wise people, they became feared as relentless trackers and dedicated soldiers. During Operation Savannah they were deployed in a conventional role as Battle-Group Alpha, part of Task Force Zulu, and advanced approximately kilometers in a month. Afterwards some of the Bushmen were trained as parachutists and served as Recces behind enemy lines. Others were attached to various units as trackers and guides. Their loyalty and bravery was recognised in the award of Honoris Crux decorations to members and former members of this elite corps. Controversy followed the battalion to South Africa after the war. Persecuted for centuries, the Bushmen have displayed an uncanny ability to survive and have adapted remarkably well to the modern world.   A passion for books and a passion for collecting fine editions was the recipe that created the successful group of bookshops in Johannesburg called Bookdealers. The group started thirty years ago with one store in the quirky suburb of Yeoville and has grown through the years to a total of five shops, plus our online sales. Bookdealers is well-known for its collectable and used books. We also have a large variety of remaindered books sourced from around the world.  If you collect from one of our five branches there is no delivery charge. We also offer postal delivery (when available) and courier delivery, subject to a quote.

Black, Indian and Coloured Soldiers Through Two World Wars. Excellent history researches and written buy Ian Gleeson. First edition hardcover with dust jacked published by Ashanti. 1994. 278 pages with index. Illustrated throughout. No.12 in the 'South Africans at War' series and certainly one of the most scarce. Very good condition. Tracked postage is R45.00.

Black, Indian and Coloured Soldiers Through Two World Wars. Excellent history researches and written buy Ian Gleeson. First edition hardcover with dust jacked published by Ashanti. 1994. 278 pages with index. Illustrated throughout. No.12 in the 'South Africans at War' series and certainly one of the most scarce. Very good condition. Tracked postage is R55.00.

Black, Indian and Coloured Soldiers Through Two World Wars. Excellent history researches and written buy Ian Gleeson. First edition hardcover with dust jacked published by Ashanti. 1994. 278 pages with index. Illustrated throughout. No.12 in the 'South Africans at War' series and certainly one of the most scarce. Very good condition. Tracked postage is R65.00.

Ops Askari was a large-scale, cross-border, mechanised operation launched by the South African Defence Force in November 1983. As is the nature with an assault like this, the constituent parts of Ops Askari was a complex blend of fighting men and support personnel from different Defence Force corps and combat disciplines. This account does not strive to recount the exploits of all these different elements in all their various facets. The focus is a rather narrow one. It is the story of five disparate, yet very similar, groups of young men who took part in this great raid into enemy territory against a superior force holding most of the battlefield aces. These five groups feature in this story for one reason: they all took part in the two attacks on a rickety little town in Angola called Cuvelai, on the 31st of December 1983 and again on the 3rd and 4th of January 1984. They only formed part of a much larger effort. The entire force is the subject of a number of books, but in this account the focus is on the five groups which I call the Spine of Delta. The first of these groups was a company of National Servicemen, known as Alpha Company (A Coy,) hailing from 1 South African Infantry Battalion (1 SAI Bn) in Bloemfontein, 1983. I was their captain, and it was my privilege to be their company commander from March 1983 right through the training phases and for the duration of Ops Askari. Then there was Delta Company (D Coy,) also NSM from 1 SAI. They formed part of 61 Mechanized Battalion Group (61 Mech Bn Gp) during Ops Askari. Also from the 1983 intake in 1 SAI was an 81 mm mortar platoon from the units Support Company, a young squad who fought courageously as part of The Spine during the hectic final five-day struggle for the occupation of Cuvelai.  The fourth element was also trained at 1 SAI Bn but during operations it did not deploy as a group. These men were Ratel drivers allocated where they were needed. They were fondly referred to as Digue's Platoon, named after their indefatigable platoon sergeant, Pierre Digue. This platoon participated as drivers for The Spine. These four bands of comrades shared their military roots, all being trained at 1 SAI in 1983. There was, however, a fifth and quite different group. They werent national servicemen at all, but students from four University Military Units; from University of Pretoria, University of the Free State, University of Stellenbosch and Rand Afrikaans University. They had already completed their two years' commitment as NSM and were civilians once more. During the university recess they had the option to volunteer for deployment as individuals or as a group from various Citizen Force (CF) Regiments. This book is mainly a compilation of their stories; of the reminiscences of those young national servicemen from Alpha and Delta Companies, 1 SAI; the 81-mm Mortar Platoon from 1 SAI by way of 4 SAI, Middelburg; Digues Platoon, officially the Chief of the Armys Platoon of drivers, and the valiant students from Tuks, Kovsies, Maties and RAU. With 63 black and white photos from the operation and the authentic war journal by Ian Scott from the University of Pretoria Military Unit. FIRST PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 2014, SECOND PRINT. SOFTCOVER, 163 PAGES AUTHOR: DAWID LOTTER  

2014 paperback with 163 pages brand new. R50 postage in SA. I also do an affordable courier.....ask me!   Ops Askari was a large-scale, cross-border, mechanised operation launched by the South African Defence Force in November 1983. As is the nature with an assault like this, the constituent parts of Ops Askari was a complex blend of fighting men and support personnel from different Defence Force corps and combat disciplines. This account does not strive to recount the exploits of all these different elements in all their various facets. The focus is a rather narrow one. It is the story of five disparate, yet very similar, groups of young men who took part in this great raid into enemy territory against a superior force holding most of the battlefield aces. These five groups feature in this story for one reason: they all took part in the two attacks on a rickety little town in Angola called Cuvelai, on the 31st of December 1983 and again on the 3rd and 4th of January 1984. They only formed part of a much larger effort. The entire force is the subject of a number of books, but in this account the focus is on the five groups which I call the Spine of Delta. The first of these groups was a company of National Servicemen, known as Alpha Company (A Coy,) hailing from 1 South African Infantry Battalion (1 SAI Bn) in Bloemfontein, 1983. I was their captain, and it was my privilege to be their company commander from March 1983 right through the training phases and for the duration of Ops Askari. Then there was Delta Company (D Coy,) also NSM from 1 SAI. They formed part of 61 Mechanized Battalion Group (61 Mech Bn Gp) during Ops Askari. Also from the 1983 intake in 1 SAI was an 81 mm mortar platoon from the units Support Company, a young squad who fought courageously as part of The Spine during the hectic final five-day struggle for the occupation of Cuvelai.  The fourth element was also trained at 1 SAI Bn but during operations it did not deploy as a group. These men were Ratel drivers allocated where they were needed. They were fondly referred to as Digue's Platoon, named after their indefatigable platoon sergeant, Pierre Digue. This platoon participated as drivers for The Spine. These four bands of comrades shared their military roots, all being trained at 1 SAI in 1983. There was, however, a fifth and quite different group. They were'nt national servicemen at all, but students from four University Military Units; from University of Pretoria, University of the Free State, University of Stellenbosch and Rand Afrikaans University. They had already completed their two years' commitment as NSM and were civilians once more. During the university recess they had the option to volunteer for deployment as individuals or as a group from various Citizen Force (CF) Regiments. This book is mainly a compilation of their stories; of the reminiscences of those young national servicemen from Alpha and Delta Companies, 1 SAI; the 81-mm Mortar Platoon from 1 SAI by way of 4 SAI, Middelburg; Digues Platoon, officially the Chief of the Army's Platoon of drivers, and the valiant students from Tuks, Kovsies, Maties and RAU. With 63 black and white photos from the operation and the authentic war journal by Ian Scott from the University of Pretoria Military Unit.  

2014 paperback with 163 pages brand new. R50 postage in SA. Special edition limited to 200 copies. Numbered 162 and made out to a Van der Poel. I also do an affordable courier.....ask me!   Ops Askari was a large-scale, cross-border, mechanised operation launched by the South African Defence Force in November 1983. As is the nature with an assault like this, the constituent parts of Ops Askari was a complex blend of fighting men and support personnel from different Defence Force corps and combat disciplines. This account does not strive to recount the exploits of all these different elements in all their various facets. The focus is a rather narrow one. It is the story of five disparate, yet very similar, groups of young men who took part in this great raid into enemy territory against a superior force holding most of the battlefield aces. These five groups feature in this story for one reason: they all took part in the two attacks on a rickety little town in Angola called Cuvelai, on the 31st of December 1983 and again on the 3rd and 4th of January 1984. They only formed part of a much larger effort. The entire force is the subject of a number of books, but in this account the focus is on the five groups which I call the Spine of Delta. The first of these groups was a company of National Servicemen, known as Alpha Company (A Coy,) hailing from 1 South African Infantry Battalion (1 SAI Bn) in Bloemfontein, 1983. I was their captain, and it was my privilege to be their company commander from March 1983 right through the training phases and for the duration of Ops Askari. Then there was Delta Company (D Coy,) also NSM from 1 SAI. They formed part of 61 Mechanized Battalion Group (61 Mech Bn Gp) during Ops Askari. Also from the 1983 intake in 1 SAI was an 81 mm mortar platoon from the units Support Company, a young squad who fought courageously as part of The Spine during the hectic final five-day struggle for the occupation of Cuvelai.  The fourth element was also trained at 1 SAI Bn but during operations it did not deploy as a group. These men were Ratel drivers allocated where they were needed. They were fondly referred to as Digue's Platoon, named after their indefatigable platoon sergeant, Pierre Digue. This platoon participated as drivers for The Spine. These four bands of comrades shared their military roots, all being trained at 1 SAI in 1983. There was, however, a fifth and quite different group. They were'nt national servicemen at all, but students from four University Military Units; from University of Pretoria, University of the Free State, University of Stellenbosch and Rand Afrikaans University. They had already completed their two years' commitment as NSM and were civilians once more. During the university recess they had the option to volunteer for deployment as individuals or as a group from various Citizen Force (CF) Regiments. This book is mainly a compilation of their stories; of the reminiscences of those young national servicemen from Alpha and Delta Companies, 1 SAI; the 81-mm Mortar Platoon from 1 SAI by way of 4 SAI, Middelburg; Digues Platoon, officially the Chief of the Army's Platoon of drivers, and the valiant students from Tuks, Kovsies, Maties and RAU. With 63 black and white photos from the operation and the authentic war journal by Ian Scott from the University of Pretoria Military Unit.  

Winds of Destruction  is a unique account of one mans service in the Rhodesian Air Force, spanning a period of twenty-three years from 1957 to 1980through the politically turbulent years of Federation; the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (U.D.I.) by Ian Smiths government in 1965 and thirteen years of relentless, uncompromising bush warfare against the never-ending tide of Robert Mugabes and Joshua Nkomos ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrillas. In a gruelling conflict that permitted no quarter, the Rhodesian Air Force (Rh.A.F.) fast became one of the Rhodesian Defence Forces most lethal and effective counter-insurgency organs. In pre-emptive bombing strikes against enemy camps in Mozambique, Zambia and as far afield as Tanzania; in its integral role as a troop-carrier and airborne strike force in fireforce operations; in working closely with such specialist units as the Selous Scouts, the S.A.S., the R.L.I. and the R.A.R. the Rhodesian Air Force was never far from the action and in no small way responsible for the astonishing military successes against a vastly numerically superior army. This, all in spite of the international sanctions against Rhodesia, which ordinarily would have brought a nations armed forces to its knees. However, forced by circumstances, the Rh.A.F. was obliged to maximise usage of its aging fleet of fighter-bombers, transports and helicopters and to resort to innovative techniques in terms of tactics and weapons systems, many of which were later adopted by the South African Air Force in its own counter-insurgency operations in Angola and Namibia in the 80s PAPERBACK: 392 PAGES WITH 300 B/W PHOTOS & MAPS Published January 2005

South Africa's armed forces invaded Angola in 1975, setting off a war that had consequences for the whole region that are still felt today. A Far-Away War  contributes to a wider understanding of this war in Angola and Namibia. The book does not only look at the war from an "old" South African (Defence Force) perspective, but also gives a voice to participants on the other side emphasising the role of the Cubans and Russians. This focus is supplemented by the inclusion of many never-before-published photographs from Cuban and Russian archives, and a comprehensive bibliography. Published: February 2016. Softcover, 208 pages. Editors:  Ian Liebenberg, Jorge Risquet, Vladimir Shubin  

At last! The history of the Rhodesian Light Infantry. Weve seen the stories of the more glamorous Selous Scouts, the SAS and the Rhodesian Air Force, but very little about the RLI, often underrated, but arguably one of the most effective counter-insurgency units of all time. This was the unit that brought the Fireforce concept to the worlds attention - the devastatingly ruthless airborne envelopment and annihilation of a guerrilla enemy. Dubbed The Killing Machine by Charles D. Melson, chief historian of the US Marine Corps, the RLI was a veritable foreign legion with over 20 diverse nationalities serving in her ranks. The RLI, a truly international airborne battalion, comprising of over 20 nationalities, fought the bitter Zimbabwean bush war for 15 years against the overwhelming tide of communist-trained guerrillas. Kill rates dont win wars, but during its brief 19-year history, it is estimated that the RLI accounted for between 12,000 and 15,000 enemy guerrillas, for the loss of 135 men. RLI soldiers were recipients of four Silver Crosses and 42 Bronze Crosses of Rhodesia. An RLI trooper holds the world record for operational parachute descents - a staggering 73 op jumps - most under 500 feet! A glossy coffee-table, pictorial format with hundreds of colour photos, maps, rolls, honours and awards. It is not intended as a definitive history but, with more of a classic scrapbook feel, the presentation attempts to capture the essence of this fine unit - what it was like to be a troopie, one of the ouens. We have accessed a host of unique, previously unpublished photos and illustrative material and many former RLI members have embraced the project, generously contributing photos, memorabilia and anecdotes. Ian Smith has written his tribute in the front and the foreword is by the last CO, Lieutenant-Colonel Charlie Aust. PAPERBACK: 544 PAGES WITH  1,800 b/w illustrations & maps.  Published June 2007

PUBLISHED BY ASHANTI, A COLLECTION OF 12 VOLUMES. HARDCOVERS WITH DUST JACKETS, ALL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.  300+ PAGES EACH, ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT WITH B/W PHOTOGRAPHS AND MAPS. TRACKED POSTAGE IS R125.00. VOLUME 1:The war of a hundred days by James Ambrose Brown- Springboks in Somaliland & Abyssinia 1940-41 VOLUME 2: Warriors of the sky by Peter Bagshawe- Springbok air heroes in combat. VOLUME 3: South Africa's Flying Cheetahs in Korea by Dermot Moore & Peter Bagshawe. VOLUME 4. Urgent Imperial Service by Gerald L'ange- South African Forces in German South West Africa 1914-1915 VOLUME 5: War at sea by C.J. Harris-South African Maritime Operations during World War II. VOLUME 6: They fought for king and Kaiser by James Ambrose Brown-South Africans in German East Africa 1916 VOLUME 7: Retreat to Victory by James Ambrose Brown-A Springbok'S diary in North Africa: Gazala to El Alamein 1942 VOLUME 8: War in Italy by Jack Kros- With the South Africans from Taranto to the Alps. VOLUME 9: Captives Courageous by Maxwell Leigh- South African Prisoners of War, World War II VOLUME 10: A Country at War 1939-1945 by Jennifer Crwys-Williams- The mood of a Nation. VOLUME 11: Pyramids and Poppies by Peter K.A. Digby- The 1st SA Infantry Brigade in Libya, France and Flanders 1915-1919 VOLUME 12: The Unknown Force by Ian Gleeson - Black, Indian and Coloured Soldiers Through Two World Wars