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Buffalo Battalion: South Africa's 32 Battalion - Louis Bothma
"...In this book we are not the heroes and the enemy the villains; but also not vice versa. After all was said and done, 32 Battalion was not a beaten force that capitulated to the enemy at the conclusion of a war. It was a unit that was disbanded by the supreme high commander of the country's armed forces - the political head of state, F.W. de Klerk . .....". It is the true story of white and black soldiers - South Africans, South-Westers (Namibians), Angolans, Australians, Britons, Rhodesians and others - who, through a combination of circumstances, landed up in the same battalion where they had to fight secretly for South Africa in a "terrorist war" beyond the country's borders. Written by a former 32 Battalion Platoon Commander, the book deals with more than just shooting. It is about who the men were, how they came to be together, what they learned from each other, and what happened in the bush; their fears and expectations, their tears and happiness, their camaraderie and loyalty towards one other.Originally published in Afrikaans in 2006, reprinted 6 times (10,000 copies sold), this book has now been up-dated, corrected, and reproduced as a English edition
Buffalo Battalion: South Africa's 32 Battalion - Louis Bothma

Tatenda: Reminiscences of the Zimbabwe Bush - Anne Moore
The author served a life time career as a National Parks Warden in various National Parks spanning the time when the country was known as Rhodesia through to Zimbabwe. She has presented a series of interesting short stories reminiscencing her experiences in the wild bush. The book also includes colour photographs of places, people and wildlife. Contributions from the sale of this book will go towards 'Tatenda', the orphaned Black Rhino, in Imire.
Tatenda: Reminiscences of the Zimbabwe Bush - Anne Moore

How South Africa Built Six Atom Bombs: And then Abandoned its Nuclear Weapons Program - Al J Venter
This is a definitive account of how a maverick government was able to secretly develop and test atom bombs. South Africa - then still dominated by Pretoria's apartheid-orientated regime achieved that objective within six years - or roughly half the time it took Pakistan to test its first nuclear weapon. More salient, it did so with only a fraction of the number of scientists, technicians and specialists involved in other nuclear programs, such as those of India, Pakistan and North Korea: there were never more than a half-dozen nuclear physicists involved in the actual weaponization of the South African bombs.
How South Africa Built Six Atom Bombs: And then Abandoned its Nuclear Weapons Program - Al J Venter

Corporal K-9 - Peet Coetzee
Peet Coetzee, author of Special Forces 'Jam Stealer' served in the South African Defence Force Dog School between 1968 - 74. He was an instructor of this Infantry Unit and this book is a recollection of his time during that period, as well as some of the experiences of his colleagues/students operating on border patrols / reconnaissance in other countries against the SWAP0.
Corporal K-9 - Peet Coetzee

Operation Miracle - Prop Geldenhuys
Operation Miracle, one of the last major operations during the final stages of the Rhodesian bush war took place in Mozambique has a fascinating story. From an Air Force perspective, the book is a sincere tribute to three bold airmen, who were killed in action on 3 October 1979. They lie in unmarked graves, only God knows where. Two soldiers were killed on Day 1 of Operation Miracle - their bodies were repatriated and given decent burials. The aircrew - Hunter pilot Brian Gordon, and Canberra crew Kevin Peinke and JJ Strydom (SAAF navigator on secondment) were killed on Day 5, after most of the ground troops had withdrawn from the battle field. Two months later, the ceasefire was declared, followed four months later with a change of Government. This new government was not interested in recovering the aircrew (bodies) who had paid the supreme sacrifice in the defense of their country. Also, nobody knew exactly where the two planes had crashed ...…
Operation Miracle - Prop Geldenhuys

From Fledgling to Eagle: The South African Air Force in the Border War - Brigadier-General Dick Lord
The crucible of combat over 23 years forged the fledgling South African Air Force into a formidable strike weapon, capable of defeating the best Soviet air defences of the time. The book chronicles the evolution of the SAAF in the `Border War' that raged in Angola and South West Africa (Namibia), covering all the major South African Defence Force operations between 1966 to 1989 . Dick Lord, who writes in a `from the cockpit' style, has drawn on his own first-hand operational reports and diaries, incorporating anecdotes from dozens of aviators from a wide variety of squadrons - Buccaneers, Canberras, Mirages, Bosboks, C-160s and130s and helicopters. He also expands on the close relationship the SAAF had with the ground troops in a variety of operations- such units as the Parabats, Recces and Koevoet.
From Fledgling to Eagle: The South African Air Force in the Border War - Brigadier-General Dick Lord

Vlamgat: The Story of the Mirage F1 in the South African Air Force - Brig-Gen Dick Lord
This book is an outstanding compilation of stories and experiences of South African Airforce Mirage pilots who operated in the Angolan and the SWA/Namibian bush wars. The author, an British Fleet Air Arm pilot who had served on most of the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers and an USAAF ex-Top Gun instructor for several years, was at one time the CO of 1 Squadron (Mirages), the SAAF. A thrilling account told "from the cockpit".
Vlamgat: The Story of the Mirage F1 in the South African Air Force - Brig-Gen Dick Lord

Parabat - Matthew Paul
The highly sought after scarce book has now been reprinted! This book offers the reader a personalised history of the adventures of those men in the South African Defence Force who used to be known as the Parabats. Their experiences are recorded in three historical ‘war epochs’ - the border wars in Southern Africa, the township wars, and finally, the military intervention in Lesotho. In the course of countless interviews with the author, these men relate their experiences in their own words. Though every effort has been made to verify the details provided in various accounts, this does not pretend to be an official history.
Parabat - Matthew Paul

Manzovo: Place of the Elephants - Gary Albyn with Craig Bone
An exquisite coffe-table fomat 107-verse poem depicting the life of a herd of elephants as they journey from Mana Pools on the banks of the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The essence of the verses has been expertly captured in 200 new original paintings and illustrations by internationally renowned artist Craig Bone. Included with the book is a 30-minute audio CD read by South African actor John Whiteley.
Manzovo: Place of the Elephants - Gary Albyn with Craig Bone

A Greater Share of Honour: The Memoirs of a Recce Officer - Jack Greef
A highly sought after scarce book now updated and reprinted !
As a young Staff Sergeant in South Africa's special forces 'The Recces', Jack Greeff became one of the most decorated soldiers in the SADF. Leading two-man reconnaissance patrols deep into enemy held territories and operating under the noses of the enemy, they collected vital strategic information on enemy movements and installations. Using the information gathered, he led raiding parties to the targets to execute what were probably the biggest and most daring acts of sabotage in recent military history.
A Greater Share of Honour: The Memoirs of a Recce Officer - Jack Greef

Eagle Strike - Colonel Jan Breytenbach
This is not only an autobiography but also a comprehensive journal (640 pages) of one of the greatest airborne assaults ever mounted in Africa - on a SWAPO fortified base containing its Military Headquarters, logistical support, reserves and training facilities. Colonel Jan Breytenbach planned, jumped in and led South African paratroopers into the Battle of Cassinga in Angola with total commitment, superb strategy and leadership ability that has made him legendary in military circles worldwide. The assault was supported by a very strong airstrike by bombers and fighters as well as by air transport to drop the paratroopers into battle 250 kms deep behind enemy lines, and thus, of a necessity, the deployment of a veritable swarm of helicopters to extract the paratroopers back to safety. This work is destined to become a reference work by which future airborne operations will be measured by.
Eagle Strike - Colonel Jan Breytenbach

Ongulumbashe: Where the Bushwar began - Paul Els
This eyewitness account is a must for the serious collector and researcher of the revolutionary wars in Southern Africa. This book describes the first clash that took place between elements of the South African police, army and air force on the one side and Swapo's PLAN soldiers on the other side. The book also describes how members of the Security Branch of the SA Police infiltrated the area as employees of PASCO, ostensibly a private company. All this action leads to the arrest and conviction of several terrorists. This humble operation "Blouwildebeest" leads to a bitter and sophisticated war in South Western Africa including Angola.
Ongulumbashe: Where the Bushwar began - Paul Els

Special Forces "Jam Stealer" - Peet Coetzee
Peet served in the South African Defence Force (SADF) for 33 years, commencing with border duties in 1968 till SADF ended its role in Namibia in 1994. Read about this first ever to be told intelligence support role that he filled, earning him a place to serve with South Africa's elite special forces - The Recces. Discover the role that Photo Interpreters played in SADF Operations such as Savannah, Sceptic, Askari, Kropduif (Eheke) and Reindeer (Cassinga). In one way or other, he had insight in the majority of the cross border operations that SADF conducted in those days. The highlight of his military career was his serving 12 years in the Intelligence Support group for the Recces. His specialised Photo Interpretation service was specifically directed in aiding the Small Team Operators. (STO's is covered in two South African Special Forces books - "A Greater Share of Honour" & "A Journey without Boundaries" - both available on this website)
Special Forces "Jam Stealer" - Peet Coetzee

Tango Romeo: The life and times of Jack Malloch - Alan Brough
This biography is a true life action adventure story of incredible human achievement set against the backdrop of Africa's bloody and turbulent past - a past which has been largely forgotten by the rest of the world. Jack Malloch was a pioneering aviator who ran numerous clandestine airlines in Africa in the early post-independent years where he was involved in gun-running against the encroachment of Communism. He actively fought against the UN, yet was in the pay of both the CIA and the French secret Service. He is most well known as the arch Rhodesian sanctions buster who almost single-handedly kept Rhodesia alive through a steady supply of consumer goods, arms and ammunition throughout the years of Rhodesia's UDI.
Tango Romeo: The life and times of Jack Malloch - Alan Brough

Ops Medic: A National Serviceman’s Border War - Steven Webb
This book takes you from South African army's National Service basics in the SAMS Depot Potchefstroom to training as an ops medic in Pretoria and from there to the Angolan-South West African border where a counter-insurgency war had been raging for many years. Published for the first time is the SADF’s Roll of Honour which lists almost 2,500 of its honoured dead, killed on active service, and the complete Roll of the SADF’s Honoris Crux awards for bravery.
Ops Medic: A National Serviceman’s Border War - Steven Webb

Chopper Pilot - Monster Wilkins
The personal experiences and exploits of Monster Wilkins, who was regarded as the South African Air Force’s top helicopter pilot, with over 6,000 hours, of which he has spent in excess of 4,000 hours on his favourite chopper the Alouette III. He details his service in the various operational areas, such as Angola, SWA/Namibia, Rhodesia and Mozambique. He was still serving as a brigadier-general at time of the original publication in 2000.
The original and hard-to-get much sought after publication has been reprinted - available now!
Chopper Pilot - Monster Wilkins

We Fear Naught but God - Paul Els
The story of the elite South African Special Forces ("the Recces") from inception in the 1960s to disbandment in 1993. A unique account of one of South Africa's premier units, masters in the art of reconnaissance and clandestine warfare. Pro-rata, the most highly decorated unit during the wars in Angola and Namibia / SWA. This is no gung-ho account, but rather a loving compiled series of accounts put together by the author who was there at the inception of this fine regiment. This is about the "operators", the men of the Recces, their exploits in Angola, SWA/Namibia and other southern africa territories.
The original and hard-to-get much sought after publication is hasnow been completely reworked with more information, updates, corrections and new photographs.
We Fear Naught but God - Paul Els

Blood Sweat and Lions - David Lemon
By the author of Never Quite a Soldier: A Rhodesian Policeman's War. Adventure, pain, fear - and moments of pure magic: these are the ingredients of David Lemon's latest story about Africa. Overweight, unfit and by his own admission far too old, he set out to walk 1200 kilometres (end 2006) through the wild Zambezi Valley, from Kariba Heights to Binga, ignoring dire warnings about the dangers of such a venture. Exciting, poignant and fast paced, his story will bring hope and encouragement to anyone with adventure in their soul. Lemon has few equals when it comes to writing about life in the African bush, already having several books to his credit.
Blood Sweat and Lions - David Lemon

Wildside, Wildside 2: The Best Medicine, Wildside 3: The Best of Rose Rigden, Wildside 4: Golf on the Wildside - Rose Ridgen
Rose Rigden's The Natural Selection Wildside cartoon books is an extraordinary collection of the humorous wildlife art that has had people from around the world doubled over in laughter. Rose's extraordinary knowledge of the bush is coupled with a gentle perception of real human behaviour. She puts the two together to create situations which are amusing to readers of all nationalities and all ages - she shows her wry sense of humour in the transposed relations between 'animals and us'! Much of our time is spent in pursuit of happiness and being the peculiar human form of life that we are, our natures take us along some strange paths and tracks in the jungles of this world. Just like a 'tug of war', our emotions pull us in different directions . We want to look and be 'smart'. Holding our own and yet rising above the 'herd' from time to time. Having a cause or opinion sharpens our appetites, although this can sometime lead to other consequences. As hunters for the truth or design for our lives we nearly always become victims of fad, fashion or trends. Watch out, there is a bit of you in here somewhere ......... Absolutely brilliant ...
Wildside books - Rose Ridgen

Half a Century in Uniform: The Life story of Group Captain OD Penton OLM AFC - Rob 'Ralpapajan' Thurman
The life story of a journeyman pilot who spent his entire working life connected to aviation and the Air Force. Group Captain Ossie Penton helped establish the Rhodesian Air Force and epitomised its spirit and excellence.<BR> "I commend this story to the reader, not only as the fascinating one of the career of a Service Pilot, but also because it gives a very clear picture of the chronicle of events and politics pertaining to the period of time that it covered." Air Commodore Dickie Bradshaw OLM
Half a Century in Uniform: The Life story of Group Captain OD Penton OLM AFC - Rob 'Ralpapajan' Thurman

I Flew for Savimbi - Simon Van Garderen
In this entertaining autobiographical account, veteran South African pilot Simon Van Garderen recalls his days as a bush pilot during the 1980s and 90s, flying the length and breadth of sub-Saharan Africa on secret missions for a clandestine air transport company dubbed 'Savimbi Air' by its employees. A former South African Air Force SAAF jet fighter pilot, Simon had retired from military flying when he secured a job with Pasload Flights - a supposedly civilian air transport company operating from Wonderboom airport in Pretoria, South Africa. It was, in reality, a covert operation of the South African government of the day, set up to secretly assist the UNITA terrorists in Angola, led by Dr Jonas Savimbi, who were waging a protracted civil war against the Communist-backed MPLA.
I Flew for Savimbi - Simon Van Garderen

The Kevin Woods Story: In the Shadow of Mugabe’s Gallows - Kevin Woods
Kevin worked as a double agent for the South African apartheid government and Robert Mugabe’s Central Intelligence Organization in the 80s. He was incarcerated in the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison (Harare) for 20 years, five of which were spent naked on death row. His release was pleaded to Mugabe by none other than Nelson Mandela in the 90s but this fell on deaf ears. Finally, a year ago he received a presidential pardon. Kevin now lives in South Africa and has launched a well-received career in motivational speaking. This is his story.
The Kevin Woods Story: In the Shadow of Mugabe’s Gallows - Kevin Woods


Masodja - Alexandre Binda
The History of the Rhodesian African Rifles and its forerunner the Rhodesia Native Regiment. Commissioned and compiled by Brigadier David Heppenstall and the Rhodesian African Rifles Regimental Association (UK).
Originally formed as The Rhodesia Native Regiment during World War I, this fine regiment first saw action in East Africa, pitted against the wily von Lettow-Vorbeck and his army of German askaris. Disbanded and later re-formed, the regiment was to distinguish itself during World War II in the North Africa and Burma campaigns. Using the counter-insurgency experience gleaned from the Malayan Campaign of the 1950s, the RAR provided the front-line troops in the battle for Rhodesia in the country's bitter bush war of the 1960s and 1970s.
NB - Same author / publisher / format as the earlier magnificent book 'The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry'
Masodja: The History of the Rhodesian African Rifles and its forerunner the Rhodesia Native Regiment - Alexandre Binda

The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry - Alexandre Binda
Compiled and edited by Chris Cocks, bestselling author of Fireforce: One Man's War in the Rhodesian Light Infantry.
This is the history of the Rhodesian Light Infantry - arguably one of the most effective counter-insurgency units of all time. This was the unit that brought the 'Fireforce' concept to the world's attention - the devastatingly ruthless airborne envelopment and annihilation of a guerrilla enemy. The RLI was a veritable 'foreign legion' with over 20 diverse nationalities serving in her ranks. This magnificent 544 page, full-colour, coffee-table format book captures this fine regiment with the inclusion of comprehensive listings, written contributions, and over 1,500 previously unpublished photos, illustrations and maps. 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. *** HIGHLY RECOMMENED ***
The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry - Alexandre Binda

Executive Outcomes: Against all Odds - Eeben Barlow
Eeben Barlow, a former lieutenant-colonel in the Permanent Force of the South African Defence Force, served in the Engineer Corp, the Reconnaissance Wing of the elite 32-Battalion, Military Intelligence and in the shadowy Civil Co-operation Bureau division of Special Forces. When the government arbitrarily disbanded the CCB, Barlow found himself on the street. Taking advantage of his exceptional military skills he formed Executive Outcomes, a private security company - a model on which all Private Military Companies (PMCs) operating in Iraq and Afghanistan are based on.
Executive Outcomes: Against all Odds - Eeben Barlow

The Bush War in Rhodesia: The Extraordinary Combat Memoir of a Rhodesian Reconnaissance Specialist - Dennis Croukamp
(Originally titled as 'Only My Friends Call Me "Crouks": Rhodesian Reconnaissance Specialist')
This is a soldier's story told simply, with feeling, humour and without heroics. It also gives a fascinating insight into the personality of the author, who relates his personal experiences in a down-to-earth, no bull style of storytelling. In his career as a soldier for 16 years, Dennis at first served in the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), but later served as member of the elite Selous Scouts under the command of Lieutanant-Colonel Ron Reid-Daly. He became an reconnaissance specialist and saw action on all border areas of Rhodesia and also in Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana. The author tells it as it was, unvarnished, seen from the ground-level, no effort to safeguard careers. . .
The Bush War in Rhodesia / Only My Friends Call Me "Crouks" - Dennis Croukamp

Fireforce - Chris Cocks
Widely acclaimed as the classic account of counter-insurgency warfare in Africa, as told by the combat soldier "on the ground". The gut-wrenching account of brutal face-to-face combat in the Rhodesian bush (now Zimbabwe) is not for the squeamish. This is the compelling, brutally honest account of Chris Cocks' service in 3 Commando, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, during the Rhodesian bush war. Fireforce, a method of combat developed by the Rhodesians and perfected by the RLI, involved troops being helicoptered or parachuted into an area immediately after a guerrilla presence had been reported or a sighting made. Due to the enormous shortage of ground troops, the same men were sometimes parachuted into contacts as many as three times per day.
Book Reviews
http://www.bushveld.net/store3/x316.html

Of Land And Spirit - Alan Thrush
This novel is set during the five years of Rhodesian bush war leading up to the birth of Zimbabwe. Although fictional, it was written by an officer in the Rhodesian African Rifles who saw service in all operational areas and was decorated for gallantry.
The result is that there is much authenticity in it. Both sides involved in the bush war are catered for.
Book reviews
Extracts from book
http://www.bushveld.net/store3/x283.html

They served Africa with Wings - WGM Stirling & JA House
About 17 years ago the authors, Mitch Stirling and John House started collecting photographs and stories about aviation in the old days in Central Africa - Northern Rhodesia / Zambia; Southern Rhodesia / Zimbabwe and Nyasaland / Malawi. The result is ‘They Served Africa with Wings’, an excellent well produced book - a must for ex-pat aviation enthusiasts. The title is a play on the words ‘We serve Africa with Wings’ which was the motto of Central African Airways. The end result is a excellent evocative and well researched & illustrated 277 page +/- 'A4' sized publication, dedicated to all those fine men and women who served, so well, the cause of aviation between 1920 and 1980. An excellent must-have hardback history of aviation in Central Africa.
They Served Africa with Wings

Lost in Africa - Stu Taylor
‘Lost in Africa’ is a colloquialism from the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), meaning ‘a state of bewilderment or cluelessness’, which Stu Taylor uses to describe his disjointed life.
Raised in Southern Rhodesia to nomadic parents, Taylor’s early years were unsettled as he was shuffled from school to school during the 1950s. He signed on in 1967 with the RLI and served with that crack airborne unit for thirteen years. In 1980 he demobbed and slid into Civvy Street, at times an easy, and at times, a difficult transition, as he tried to find his place in the newly independent Zimbabwe. Again, in the late 1990s, he found himself on the ‘front line’—this time in the security business, desperately facing off against Mugabe’s ‘war veterans’ in their notorious land-grab campaign of farm invasions. Ultimately homeless, stateless and jobless, Taylor never gives up. This is his remarkable story.
http://www.bushveld.net/store3/x297.html


The Last Safari: A Season of Discovery in Zimbabwe - Bruce VanBuskirk
This is the true story of an American hunter, Bruce VanBuskirk, who spent the 2001 season living a dream, working on safari in Zimbabwe. Full of fascinating characters, adventure and excitement, it also deals truthfully with the hard lessons learned about the future of hunting in Africa. This is a day by day description of the events, places and people who make the safari industry work in Zimbabwe. You'll travel the bush with the author, getting to know the professional hunters and clients, company employees, local villagers, and learn just how much work it takes to run a safari operation in a third world country. Fuel shortages, poaching, war vets seizing property, broken rifles, snakes, charging elephants, and wounded buffalo were all in a day's work. This is a rare look at the behind the scenes efforts to make a client's dreams come true. This deluxe paperback features non stop action, observations on the current political situation in Zimbabwe, as well as the stories of citizens forced to deal with the realities of life in Africa.
http://www.bushveld.net/store3/x297.html


The Covert War: Koevoet Operations in Namibia: 1979-1989 - Peter Stiff
The 3rd book in Peter Stiff's Trilogy on South African Warfare. The mostly untold story of Koevoet, the South African Police's highly successful counterinsurgency unit, initially based on the Selous Scouts of Rhodesia, formed in 1979 and deployed in Namibia until independence in 1989 when it was disbanded as a sop to the UN. During its almost ten year existence it fought in 1 615 contacts and killed or captured 3 225 of SWAPO's PLAN soldiers - the equivalent of almost six battalions of troops. But it paid a high price in blood and lost almost 160 policemen killed in action with another 949 wounded - more grievous casualties than any other South African fighting unit since World War II. More