Extract taken with the author's permission from: “War In Angola - The Final South African Phase“, by Helmoed-Römer Heitman (See Bibliography)
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The 21 Brigade force attempted to cross over the Hube during the night, but gave up its attempt, possibly because the site chosen was not suitable for its heavy vehicles. The force at this point had twelve tanks with it, including the four of the 25 Brigade battalion. They were therefore left with no alternative but to move round the Hube source.
By the morning of 16 November the bulk of this force had passed Viposto, the rearguard then being just opposite it. At 09h30 the brigade commander requested air support to pin down Combat Group Charlie at the Hube source while he passed, and was assured that aircraft were on stand-by.
Charlie had deployed farther south than Marais intended, leaving a gap between it and the Hube. At 07h30 he rearranged his deployment to close this gap before advancing westwards. It was deployed with B Company on the left and A Company on the right. The armoured car squadron and D Company were ranged behind A Company, the anti-tank fire group behind B Company, and E Squadron's Olifants were in centre rear. Charlie moved off and encountered the shona after only 100 metres. While its northern elements were manoeuvering round the shona and its gullies, the dust of two approaching columns, one moving along the river and the other coming up from the south-west, gave warning of the approach of Fapla.
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