32 Battalion

Originally formed in order to lend support to the FNLA and UNITA in the Angolan war, 32 Battalion quickly gained the reputation of being an unconventional, secretive, yet highly effective group. Written by a man who was intimately involved with the unit and served as its Regimental Sergeant Major for two years, the book aims to explode the myths surrounding the legendary 32 and set the record straight. It records how and why 32 Battalion was formed, explores its unique identity forged by the men who fought in it, details the many operations in which they participated, and concludes with its eventual disbandment at the dawn of a new South Africa. What they did, and how they did it, would earn this controversial group official recognition as the best fighting unit in the South African Army since World War II. This book’s unembellished, factual reporting will fill a big gap in the highly popular military genre.

REVIEWS

"This South African Defence Force unit called 32nd Battalion was formed in 1975 to combat Marxist MPLA and Cuban troops. Those had turned the Angloan civil war into one of the many proxy wars between east and west during the Cold War era. Author Piet Nortje served with this elite unit for ten years, rising through the ranks to eventually become Regimental Sergeant Major. Fearing the history of this top-secret unit would be lost, Nortje took it upon himself to write the story. Using newly declassified documents, official records and personal accounts, the author put together a very readable and detailed history. Generous use of maps and photos helps tell the story of "the best SADF fighting unit since the Second World War."
Books Plus, Women in the Arts, 2006/11