Border troops won't be honoured

[Skeptik]

I wouldn't be surprised if some white folks get the hell in and organise some sort of resistance movement. My first target would be Cosatu's Erenreich.

 

[IgortheAgro]

Believe me, i doubt there is an ex SADF who is not proud of being part of one of the finest fighting forces the world has ever seen or to have set foot in Africa (just ask the old desert fox-Rommel..."give me a batallion of SA soldiers and i will take the world"), we were and still are well respected and revered internationally as professional soldeirs, without fear of fighting for our convictions......and hey ho! as the military history books will show ... us as the only conventional army to win a guerilla war even though heavily out numbered and out gunned by several puppet armies, their masters and some hangers on's.

Let them name one contact, skirmish or battle that they won or where they inflicted more casualties on us compared to their own losses, which on every ocassion that we met in the arena were substantial on their part - why would we want to be associated with this scourge (terrorists, freedom fighters...mass murderers, perpetrators of genocide....what the difference) of Africa and some old **** hole of an island just off America.

Why don't we talk the people of Rwanda, Burundi, Congo and Darfur to name but a few, maybe even those closer to home, the peoples of Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Angola, about what they think of freedom fighters and what they stand and are renowned for. If I was Mr Wall Erector and Co, I would want to distance myself from this self styled title that they relish in and hold so dear to their hearts.

 

[jabulani]

(just ask the old desert fox-Rommel..."give me a batallion of SA soldiers and i will take the world")

Have you got a reference for that quote? Having recently read a biography of Rommel and The Rommel Papers I am sure I would have noticed it. I know he had a high regard for the NZ troops, but he did not seem to say much about SA troops.

 

[BTTB]

give me a batallion of SA soldiers and i will take the world

That quote is true.
Heard it from several sources.
Not caring to check again now, but I did look on the internet for that quote before and found nothing.
It certainly must be written in history books.

I think the story is about the South African Forces up in North Africa during WWII, probably during the Battle of Tobruk and surrounds that gave the Germans a run for their money.
In our own families history my father's first cousin died at Bardia, a place outlying Tobruk with a unit called the Imperial Light Horse (Mechanised Infantry) during the Desert Campaign.
I recall my late Great Aunt going on about her Nephew's (there were 2) that died during WWII and hinting at what heroes they were.

Nowadays the South African Defence Force is a joke. There is no discipline, respect for chain of command, plus a host of all sorts of problems too many to mention here. Not that we need an army.
Personally I would be worried to send my son to this army to do National Service.

One must remember that the old South African army comprised descendants of many nations of people, unique to the rest of the world.
I will leave you with that thought as if I say anything more it may be misinterpreted.

 

[jabulani]

That quote is true.
Heard it from several sources.
Not caring to check again now, but I did look on the internet for that quote before and found nothing.
It certainly must be written in history books.

With respect - it sounds more like propaganda or urban legend. I can find no reference to his papers or letters about it.

 

[BTTB]

With respect - it sounds more like propaganda or urban legend. I can find no reference to his papers or letters about it.

Could well be?
But on the other hand if I recall correctly I do not think it was Rommel, but Hitler himself?

 

[IgortheAgro]

BTTB....., definitely was Rommel when dealing with the contingent of SA soldiers attached to the 8th Army doing their business in North Africa WW2.

Jabu....with some luck, you might still find one or two survivors in one of the MOTH halls, mmm, let them give you a lesson in SA military history....., talking about more modern history, in your endeavour to uncover the urban myth scour the net at your leisure for the MYTH that the cubans etc forced the end of apartheid, or the feedom of sothern africa... I think not that you will find any facts on that.........could it have been a case of The People themselves turned their back on and rejected an oppressive and unworkable policy.

 

[RompelStompel]

(just ask the old desert fox-Rommel..."give me a batallion of SA soldiers and i will take the world"),

Field Marshal Montgomery also made a similiar comment.

As soon as I find it , will post online.

 

[BTTB]

BTTB....., definitely was Rommel when dealing with the contingent of SA soldiers attached to the 8th Army doing their business in North Africa WW2.

Jabu....with some luck, you might still find one or two survivors in one of the MOTH halls, mmm, let them give you a lesson in SA military history....., talking about more modern history, in your endeavour to uncover the urban myth scour the net at your leisure for the MYTH that the cubans etc forced the end of apartheid, or the feedom of sothern africa... I think not that you will find any facts on that.........could it have been a case of The People themselves turned their back on and rejected an oppressive and unworkable policy.

Thanks IgortheAgro,

I wonder if my father's late cousin with the Imperial Light Horse was part of the 8th Army doing their business in North Africa during WWII.
The lost cousin's sister is still alive at 82 and she is eager to see the information I gathered on her 2 brothers that died during WWII.
She gave me a newspaper clipping from that time which was referring to the Sollum War Cemetery at Bardia of another soldier's father that was flying over the area post WWII to see the spot of his son's final resting place.

Those men were a breed apart.

 

[jabulani]

BTTB....., definitely was Rommel when dealing with the contingent of SA soldiers attached to the 8th Army doing their business in North Africa WW2.

Jabu....with some luck, you might still find one or two survivors in one of the MOTH halls, mmm, let them give you a lesson in SA military history....., talking about more modern history, in your endeavour to uncover the urban myth scour the net at your leisure for the MYTH that the cubans etc forced the end of apartheid, or the feedom of sothern africa... I think not that you will find any facts on that.........could it have been a case of The People themselves turned their back on and rejected an oppressive and unworkable policy.

Whoa Igor old boy, keep your tampon in. I merely questioned one thing you said, nuffink about Cubans etc. I doubt any MOTH boy could give me lessons about the North African theatre in WWII any better than the several histories I own and have read - soldiers on the ground often have very little clue about the bigger pictures. BTW what makes you the big expert? Besides, if some old Corporal who fought at Alamein says that Rommel said something, he is in all likelihood repeating propaganda as he most certainly did not hear it from the mouth of Rommel. So keep cool, wind your neck in, be reasonable and we'll all be fine.

Edit PS - Please don't impute all kind of k@k political opinions to me.

 

[IgortheAgro]

Jabs, relax your slax boet, nothing untoward intended by the comments ............ I was just making reference to the purported "propaganda, urban myths and other BS" that led to this thread being opened in the first place.

 

[BTTB]

Hehe

 

[mancombseepgood]

I doubt any MOTH boy could give me lessons about the North African theatre in WWII any better than the several histories I own and have read - soldiers on the ground often have very little clue about the bigger pictures.

But certainly any moth boy could teach you a thing about excitement and tampons and how the two are not related...
I'm sure your mommy will explain if you ask...

 

[jabulani]

But certainly any moth boy could teach you a thing about excitement and tampons and how the two are not related...
I'm sure your mommy will explain if you ask...

My, we are being charming tonight....

Do you have anything to contribute to the debate?

 

[Syndyre]

My, we are being charming tonight....

Do you have anything to contribute to the debate?

I think that's his fallback when he runs out of intelligent comments.

 

[JBFRobisher]

With respect - it sounds more like propaganda or urban legend. I can find no reference to his papers or letters about it.

Probably you won't. That sort of statement is standard morale-boosting stuff for the cannon-fodder - "Give me a battalion of (your favourite regiment) and I'll take over the world / beat those pesky Russkies/ etc. - (some famous general)".

 

[jabulani]

I think that's his fallback when he runs out of intelligent comments.

LOL! He must use it quite a lot then!

 

[Syndyre]

LOL! He must use it quite a lot then!

Time will tell.

 

[mancombseepgood]

Whoa Igor old boy, keep your tampon in.

Heh... I'll admit I'm not as gifted as you with charm...
and as for the debate, the point was lost in there somewhere...

 

[IgortheAgro]

Thats all we need a General giving the enemy a moral boosting speech in the heat of battle ............, and alas I am further led to believe it was said by he great man himself after capturing the SA contingent of the 8th Army.....he subsequently released them for not having enough rations to feed them properly, for them just to return to the arena after rearming etc....so yes our boys names belong up there with that lot, not some 2bit wall.

Probably you won't. That sort of statement is standard morale-boosting stuff for the cannon-fodder - "Give me a battalion of (your favourite regiment) and I'll take over the world / beat those pesky Russkies/ etc. - (some famous general)".