Operation Hooper: The Attack on 21 Brigade: Historical Account

Extract taken with the author's permission from: “War In Angola - The Final South African Phase“, by Helmoed-Römer Heitman (See Bibliography)
For the Background and the Run-up to Intervention, get the book! *

At 19h00 4 SAI moved out of its assembly area to its forming-up place for the fire belt action against 21 Brigade. The artillery meanwhile continued to keep Fapla largely pinned down in their positions with harassing fire and fire on targets of opportunity.

4 SAI arrived in their hide north of the Cuatir at 22h00 without any serious difficulties, although there was one bad moment when the convoy found some of its tanks passing it heading in the opposite direction. One of the leading tanks had lost contact with the tank in front of it, and had led the greater part of the force astray. This was quickly sorted out, however, when the VNS Ratel moved back along the correct bearing to collect its charges, accompanied by the reconnaissance team that had reconnoitred and marked the route to the fire-support base.

They now led the force into its positions. The going was difficult and slow, however, and they only arrived about 00h15 on 2 January.

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Published by Ashanti Publishing Limited, Gibraltar, a division of Ashanti International Films Limited, Gibraltar.

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