The author's completed figure.

32 Battalion:

The 32 Bn, or 0s Terriveis or Tres Duis as it was known to friend and foe alike,  originated in Angola in 1975 during Operation Savannah. During this operation Col. J. Breytenbach was in command of a group of soldiers that originated mainly from the FNLA units  from the northern areas of Angola. When Angola gained its independence in November 1975, the communist MPLA had the majority backing as well as moral and material support within Angola. This was mainly due to a hesitancy of the major western powers to get involved in an African country and also due to a total underestimation of communist aspirations in the newly independent countries in Southern Africa. Civil war erupted between three main groups in Angola i.e. MPLA, FNLA and Unita. The CIA and America backed the FNLA in the north and South Africa somehow started backing the southern FNLA and Unita.

During the early battles, the FNLA troops were deserted by their officers and by poor chance or "luck" became involved with Col Breytenbach, who eventually became their trusted and very much loved commander. From a ragtag army of Angolan guerrillas they were moulded into a fearsome force, clearing much of the southern part of Angola of their enemies during Op. Savannah. When the American CIA and government withdrew their support, despite the fact that South African troops were already in Luanda, the official South African participation in the Angolan Civil War ceased. South Africa withdrew its forces south across the South West Africa (SWA) (which later became Namibia) border, and started its clandestine co-operation with the then only viable pro-western force left in Angola i.e. Unita.

The withdrawal of the South African forces resulted in a dilemma about the future of the Angolan troops who had served the South Africans so well. They could not be left behind in Angola due to the very definite threat of being murdered by the MPLA and FAPLA troops as reprisal for their actions. There was also mistrust between these ex-FNLA men and Unita. Col Breytenbach took it upon himself to obtain permission to mould his men into a South Africa/SWA Battalion and thus 32 Bn was born. Many of these black troops walked hundreds of miles through Angola to fetch their families in Northern Angola. The Battalion and their families eventually settled on the Kavango River at Buffalo and a small recce base was set up at Omauni. Headquarters were based at Rundu.

32 BN Set-Up:

Initially the unit consisted primarily of black troops and NCO's with white South African officers. This set-up changed in time with more white troops seconded to 32 Bn to function in their logistical and administration sections. Some black troops were eventually commissioned as officers. A number of foreign professional soldiers joined the battalion and eventually most served as NCO's. A large influx of personnel occurred with the independence of Rhodesia in 1980, but these eventually diminished to the odd person. Despite foreign media reports that it was a mercenary unit, this was far from the case. The white personnel were either Permanent Force South African troops or two-year conscripts. One night call the black troops mercenaries in that they were paid foreign troops in the SADF, but they were fighting mainly in their own country i.e. Angola. To the outsiders the idea of white officers over black troops again smacked of the Apartheid regime.

The anti-apartheid propaganda machine took the opportunity for the furthering of this impression. It should be realised that the white officers were originally the only trained troops, and had to train the black men into a fighting unit. As in other elite units all over the world it was not always the officers who were in charge of affairs. Many a time a black NCO led an operation containing white officers, and many a time a new SADF officer was guided and taught by the older black hands with many more battle contacts under their belts.Each officer/NCO was also in charge of his small company or e.g. recce party and to say that close friendships evolved was an understatement. Nobody on the outside will ever understand the emotions involved once one of the men were wounded or killed. It was this closeness over many years of warfare that was a major force in the esprit de corps of the battalion.

Uniforms:

Although photographs show a seemingly haphazard uniform appearance there were strict uniform codes. Internal (i.e. within SWA) or battalion operations with other South African forces were conducted in standard SADF browns. Uniforms were not allowed to be desecrated i.e. no tearing of sleeves off shirts and T-shirts as seen by the Americans in Vietnam. Brown special operations boots or parachute battalion boots were allowed because their soles were better suited to the soft sand of SWA/Angola. When standard boots were used the soles were sanded down to remove the South African patterns which could be identified in the tracks.

Webbing and weapons were another story. This was according to individual taste and differed with each person. Any weapon, South African or Warsaw Pact was used. It was therefore the norm to see SADF browns with PKM'S, RPK'S, RPD's and AK47's. The standard webbing was virtually never used. Almost everybody used chest webbing. In the early years chest webbing was taken off the fallen enemy or home made since it was more functional and afforded better protection to the torso. External operations into Angola involved the camouflage uniform There was a summer and winter pattern used with SADF brown or special operations boots or the police special operations tackies; the latter were the most popular in the recce group. Again strict uniform code was enforced i.e. no altering of uniforms. I have heard on numerous occasions that the Rhodesian camouflage pattern uniforms were used. This was not permitted and I have personally seen ex-Rhodesian personnel being severely reprimanded and told to remove these trapping immediately.

If photos of this appeared, it was probably worn by somebody who sneaked it onto an operation and was wearing it when the officers were not around. Virtually any chest webbing was used. From home-made to Chinese to Russia to the later SADF styles. Home-made ones seen were in green and brown and 32 Bn camouflage pattern. Skeleton webbing was a mixture of SADF and special force types. To get accuracy in modelling a figure, one will have to consult a particular appropriate references and photographs.

The main backpack was based on the Bergen equipment used in hiking, but militarised both in cut and colour. Normally the colour was green with black etching, and grey with green etching was seen later on. For modelling purposes the Bergen used by the British in the Falklands are perfect to a "T". Extras were always carried. All troops carried either mortar rounds, extra belts for the RPD or PKM or GPM'S. Many logistics or HQ division troops also carried extra smoke or phosphor grenades for the fighting men. All officers and NCO's carried hand radios in the recce group but this was scaled down a bit in the companies of the main battalion. The officers in charge of companies were all carrying radios with batteries and the signallers who were seconded to the units from the SADF carried larger radios. Thus, if you model an officer you have to add a radio.