The Tempered Sword

The Tempered Sword, Colonel Jan Breytenbach's newest book, is aptly sub-titled "Forged in Battle revisited; Operation Savannah and the birth of 32Bn". This fascinating account takes the reader back to the period before the launch of Operation Savannah in 1975, through this epic campaign in South Africa's military history, to 1976, when South African soldiers withdrew from Angola and the formation of 32Bn. As you know, Operation Savannah encompassed and touched the whole country, from the Recce Operators who were instrumental in training the rag-tag FNLA soldiers, the Paratroopers, the Armour guys in their noddy cars, the Infantry and logistics chaps doing their National Service, to the CF regiments contibuting "border camps" and a host of ancillary arms, both on the border and back in the "states"! Colonel Breytenbach tell his fascinating story in his no-nonsense direct style, punctuated by his often wicked sense of humour, interspersed with the compassion and humility of one of SA's greatest warriors of our time. The Tempered Sword is illustrated with a generous selection of black and white photographs, and for once, accurate and detailed campaign and battle maps to satisfy the most ardent student of latter day Bush War history.