Barries called me on Friday 22 July 2011, and I went to my first meeting last night. It was also my first visit to the Cape Field Artillery HQ in 20+ plus years, and my first visit to the regiment's new home. Barries, Tony & Coen didn't recognise me, so that hurt a bit because I recognised them. I also met with other ghosts from the past; gentlemen then known as Maj De Haan and RSM Boltman. They couldn't remember me either. Anyway, we had a few dops, laughed some, talked some, and hatched a plan. Gather the troops!
Ok, the fuse has been lit. A couple of emails slipped in and also that KZN call to book a place on the train. And Barries is expanding his view beyond the land of email, currently freefloating in cyberspace. Barries?!
Hi Rex, great to see you the other night and fantastic blog. The only reason we did not recognise you was because you somehow got better looking. The marvels of modern science. I have made contact with quite a few victims; Prof. Robert Cameron, Martin Delport, Neil Burgers, Brett Fuller, Gregory Yamouyanis and Leroy Ross. The response has been overwhelming. Barries told me that he managed to get hold of MC Botha who lectures at Univ. of Stellenbosch (his number was given to us by Robert). I have also managed to chat with Colin Hogg and 'Joker' Hornby.
We're desperately trying to locate all old gunners - if you can fill in a missing name or phone number, please help us. Even those in North America and Europe - if we know who's out there, we can stop searching!
From a forum covering the Angolan war, and this one specifically about the battle at Brug 14; "I get emotional when I look back, especially at what your lot, our roofies at 14 Field, had to endure. Can't believe how young Joffel van der Westhuizen looks, yet remember him so well as the clean-cut super warrior who used the skull and crossed gun barrels motif for the regimental badges. Can't remember who designed it. One of my makkers."
THE POKER TENT "Roll up roll up! Poker School is open" - Rex "Ek se maat, gee bietjie aan my kaarte" - Piet Alberts "Delport, I promise you, my R1 is loaded" - Joker "Who made up these rules? I'm a professional gambler and this is shit" - Gunner Gilmour "Ek sweer dis my eie vuurhoutjies" - Delport "Nou ja ek is alweer uit, wie wil toasted cheese and tomato he?" - Greens "Ag nee kerels, waar's my vuurhoutjies?" - RJ "Gee my jou Ace dan organise ek vir jou 'n rang" - Les "Jou ou ma rook buskaartjies" - Hoener "Het jy nie vir my 10c nie?" - Jukebox "Click-clack-click-clack" - Joker (the typewriter) "Luister maat, Frikkie gaan so bietjie in my plek speel, ek moet gou toilet-toe gaan" - Piet "Ek belowe julle, ek's te stupid om te kroek" - Pine "These rules are shit" - Gunner Gilmour "Kerels, iemand gooi halwe vuurhoutjies in die kitty" - RJ "Ek sweer al my my vuurhoutjies is heel" - Delport "Where's my teeth?" - Joker
FROM THE PARADE GROUND "Af-Af se fokken p...!" - Bdr van Greunen "Where is the Poppadeer?" - Gunner Archer "Cane, TV en dog style; almal kyk die movie en is fokken happy" - Staf Kriek "Jou ma se sussie se poppie se hart se p... hang in die kak" - Lt Campher "Sal daai vroue luitenant agter die parade asseblief haar fokken ore toedruk want ek gaan nou lelik praat" - RSM Venter "Ander sammajoor het my gestuur" - Piet Alberts "Hey man" - Gunner Marks "Grrr" - BSM Jenkins
EVEN IN THE 21st CENTURY, IN PARLIAMENT Apparently politician Tony Leon was a reporter for the army mouthpiece "Paratus" at the time we were eating dust in 14 Field, and remarking on this in the debate on The State Of The Nation on 13 Feb 2002, Dr Essop Pahad, MP and Minister, quoted Leon as follows; "When Paramount Chief Kaiser Matanzima, the Transkei's first Prime Minister, addressed the country from the stadium's podium shortly after the ochre, white and green Transkeian flag had been hoisted and eight 25-pounder guns of 142 Battery, 14th Field Regiment, Potchefstroom, had fired the 101-gun salute..." (I stop there because the rest is just the normal rethorical bull)
We are meeting at CFA's new HQ on Monday, email Carel, Rex or myself for directions.
I received a nice email from Patrick Scodeller who lives in Singapore via Hong Kong and London. I also went to see Max Raath and we too had a nice chat. Garth Clifford now lives in Port Elizabeth. It has been great to chat to Martin Delport, Ian Glen, Leroy Ross, Roger Viola, Colin Hogg, and Selwyn Gillmer who recognised my voice immediately and of course Henry-John "Joker" Hornby who has assured us that he will travel from Midrand to be at the reunion.
If anybody has any news regarding Stuart "Piggy" Browne please let us know as we have been told he passed away a few years ago.
FROM THE BOOK "TALE GUNNER" BY AJ BROOKS; “Anyone who went there will tell you that 14th Field Regiment Potchefstroom was a hell-hole. Basic training in the Defence Force was ostensibly the same wherever you went but because ours was a tented camp a little way out of town, our instructors had been seduced by a sense of isolation. As a result, they believed they could run the place as they saw fit. This didn't bode well for us...”
More from the same work; “The noise of the explosion was horrendous and I lay on my back and gazed at my shredded shirt. When will the pain start? I thought, or will I die before that? I think I’d prefer to die than have the agony. I wiped my stomach and expected to see copious quantities of blood. There was none, so I sat up. Van was already sitting. He too studied his body for mortal wounds and found none. We looked at each other and grinned. It was so silly. But where was Samil Venter? We stood and began dusting ourselves off as a groan caught my attention. Then we saw him: Sergeant-Major Venter was stalking around clutching his one hand. His thumb had been blown clean off, but so too had his trousers and underpants. His shirt was shredded and bits of material that used to be his combat pants hung from his webbing belt. Then there were his bare, long sinewy legs and finally his boots. The tops of his socks were also gone. “He looked up at me, his face full of anguish, his teeth AWOL. His mouth was once again a maw: 'Brookth, jou poeth! Kom hier!' I went to him immediately. 'Yes, sergeant-major,' I stammered.'Ith my jewels nog daar? Ith my fokken jewels nog daar?' I lifted my hand and felt, probably the way a doctor does when he asks you to cough. His genitalia were burnt black as were his inner thighs, also his leg hairs, but his precious jewels were there, intact. I smiled up at him. 'Hulle is a bietjie gebrand, sa’majoor, maar hulle is nog daar.'”
Contacted both Lawrence Marks and Gerald "Hoender" Bresler (Rex, thanks for the detective work).
When I phoned Lawrence he kindly reminded me that he finished his army commitments quite some time ago. I had to tell him that I was only phoning to organise a reunion and not part of any call-up.
Well, here is Hoender's joke of the year:
He told me he took part in a blind wanking competition - but as yet still does not know where he came....I am still laughing.
Thanks Guys! Last night's meeting added plenty of detail to the address list; just makes the search so much easier. But many names and info still missing - the Free State & Gauteng still in the shadows, so we need more new faces at the next meeting, scratching away at the rust. Did I say meeting? It was as if time stood still; that first camp, Piggy's jacuzzi, the Rand Easter Show, the Mini & the 2 pistols, the cheese in the toilets, Staf Kriek, Hoender and the cow...
Just now finished loading MC Botha's pics. Includes more Transkei ones, and a couple of action scenes - check the cool double exposure shot! But my favourite without any doubt is the one with the forlorn OK Sales - man, there's only one title that fits here; The Lonely Gunner...
We got hold of Derek Shapiro, Angus Macmillan and Keith Barr. Angus is in JHB, but will attend our meetings when he is in CPT. Both Derek and Keith were very enthusiastic about the reunion and we hope to see you guys at our meetings.
Ok, so tonight I loaded the Chippendale pics - hope we're not offending anyone out there. Yes, of course there's a story behind them, and it's every bit as good as the story about the gunner who went up the hill with a full projectile case and came down again with an empty one. Or when Hoender flew over Potch (yes, that's what I said, the Chicken flew over Potchefstroom). Did you hear about the night Dellie set a new record for reporting Gun Ready in the Caprivi? How about time Joker hitch-hiked through Namibia to get to the Border?
Ok, Derek. Started adding names to pictures, but then I suffered a severe bout of Spikemilliganosis, so you're to blame for all the bull that no-one asked for...
Who remembers arriving at 14th Field and then having to stand in a long queue alongside the store's fence whilst waiting to collect a trommel and bedding, and then looking for a tent in the dark.
That night we all almost froze to death, especially those from the coast. I somehow knew from that moment that this was going to be fun, lots of ;&^*( fun.
At our first roll call I was standing in the middle row and this chap (Saayman) tapped me on the shoulder and asked "Hoezit lange, gee my 'n paar kappe van jou skyf", I had to stop myself from giving him the whole packet.
Then the next day it all got better and we met this wonderful,kind and understanding chap....L/Bdr Jones
We all have funny moments, well here is mine - During our TA course Bdr. van Greunen was lecturing, probably on Trigonometry, anyway during his lecture Mike Curry fell asleep. I sat next to Mike.
Bdr van Greunen then asked Mike a question related to his lecture. I nudged Mike in the ribs, waking him, and whispered "Durban" to him. Mike jumped up and proudly answered "Durban", van Greunen went berserk and shouted at Curry "Wat is die f&*^ antwoord", I again whispered "Durban" which Mike again answered.
I almost pissed in my pants. So Mike, if you read this my humblest apologies.
Ok, maybe I'll keep my 142 stories for later; hopefully you won't mind one or two Lohathla/Caprivi tales?!
DRUMS IN THE NIGHT(NOVA BASE, CAPRIVI)
We've been in the Caprivi Strip for less than a week. The first night in the guard post started out on a slightly nervous note. We've been staring into the darkness of the bush for quite a while, too afraid to make a noise or strike a match, almost too scared to breath or wink an eyelid. The noise started suddenly - it sounded like someone was hitting a dead tree trunk with a hammer. Rythmic and non-stop. We immediately decided it was the locals "talking" with a drum. I vividly remembered old Tarzan movies where tribesmen "talked" to each other, talked to the monkeys, to the birds, to Tantor the elephant.... What was the drum saying? Kill the soldiers, obviously. Only when Dellie lit a cigarette did we see the dung beetle in the corner, hammering away against a pole.
A few nights later, same story, but this time it had a metallic sound. Drums, we decided. No, we were told, these were the gunner ghosts in the old Golf Base trying to get out from underneath the corrugated sheeting and sandbags - gunners who died during a mortar attack on Katima. Eventually we learnt that it was local farmers patrolling their fields at night, beating on a tin to drive away wild buck raiding their harvest.
When weeks later the real drums eventually started talking in their hurried and feverish African way, no-one gave a shit.
We've been drinking since lunchtime. Another fine day in Africa - beautiful sun, no clouds, no wind. We've been on the Border for more than a month, and we've already lost our No1, Sgt Schenk. Our gun, Sun City, was leaderless. To give you proper perspective; I was now given command of this mighty gun, but seeing that I was pissed most of the time, the role of leader passed onto the shoulders of whoever happened to be closest to the gun position at any given moment. So, like I've said, we've been hitting the bottle since 12pm, but we eventually did retire before the clock hit 12 again. What happened then ranks right up there with the likes of Churchill, Rommel and Montgomery. It wasn't their turn, but Delport and I-cant-remember-who (Gunner Smith?) offered to take the next guard shift because they wanted to continue drinking.
Round about 12h30 the shit hit the fan. Storming in from the guard post, Delport and Smith came through our sleeping quarters like a tornado, screaming and turning over everything in their path. They headed straight for the gun and and started prepping for fire orders. Delport hit the tannoy and by the time the rest of us stumbled onto the gun position, half asleep, half drunk, he was shouting at the duty room that "Sun City" was ready and waiting for fire orders. Obviously whoever happened to be in the duty room at that stage was as stunned as we were.
At this stage let's just look at the normal process. Kenneth Kaunda decides to attack all water towers in Katima or Pretoria decides that we should blast the feathers off all the chickens in Kenneth's backyard. Either way, a qualified electrician from the Genie Korps would then hit the button to activate a siren perched on top of some radio mast in the centre of Katima. Next to this tower was a bungalow which contained a signaller and his radio, and this fine soldier would then contact Nova Base (that was us) requesting a supreme state of artillery readiness. The Nova duty room would in turn call all gunners to their posts, and as soon a the first gun has been brought into action, Nova would report to Katima that we were ready. Normally Katima would by then have the target bearing ready, this would be relayed to the waiting gun, and soon enough serious battle would commence.
Now normally you would not hear the siren in Katima, but on this particular night the air was still and the night was quiet, so the sound carried. Dellies and Smith were making love to their bottle, they heard the siren and stormed off. The Nova duty room was still arguing with Delport when Katima came through on the radio. The conversation went something like this;
KATIMA: Nova Base, this is Katima. Berig. Oor. NOVA (into the tannoy): Delport, hou 'n slag jou fokken bek. Katima is op die lug. NOVA: Katima, this is Nova. Send. Over. KATIMA: Nova, enemy in moonlight. Prep guns and await fire orders. Over. NOVA: Eh...Katima, we're ready. What's the orders? Over KATIMA (after a stunned silence of three seconds): Nova, wat de fok gaan daar by julle aan? I've just now informed you of the activity, so how the hell can you be ready?!! Over. NOVA: Katima, I also don't know what's going on, but Sun City is ready and waiting. Over.
The fire orders eventually came through, and I can't remember the numbers, but let's say the old record was 11 minutes and we bettered it to something like 4 minutes. I don't for a moment doubt that this was the best ever reaction time for a 5.5 inch field gun under operational conditions.
Dellie and Smith were the heroes of the day, and right there aqnd then we celebrated the magnificence of these supreme soldiers.
[Apologies to "Smith" - I simply couldn't remember your name. Sorry, sorry, sorry]
I can echo what Tony said about meeting ‘this wonderful, kind and understanding chap....L/Bdr Jones’.
Being a ‘Kapie’, I obviously didn’t know too much of what went in Joburg at the time. L/Bdr Jones must have picked this up, and endeavoured to enlighten me about how things worked up there. One night, after he returned from the Beer Garden, he proudly informed me, in this very serious tone: ‘Me and my Boeties – we Rule Joburg!’. What a man……
Great evening last night and fantastic to see more new faces, Leon Garisch, Tommy van Vlaanderen, Leroy Ross, Alex Faddel (who came all the way from Riversdale) , Stuart Page , Johan "Jaffles" Vermeulen and Andries Breedt. Also, thanks to those who sent in apologies.
I took some pictures and it is quite amazing how many extra chins our group has grown...The only one that looks reasonably young is Frikkie Pienaar, actually I am not sure it was Frikkie, perhaps it was the other Pienaar...sorry boet!!
I think it is fair to say that we do not do justice to the phrase "When we were young and pretty and now we are just pretty"..aish
MEET YOUR PAL (From the pen of Mike Kiwi....eh, Curry)
Anthony Hunter has given a fairly accurate description of the bewildering scenario that hit us ‘Arme Kaypies’ on arrival at Potch early in July 1976. Potch station, bloody cold, shouted commands, a sense of impending doom, at least 3 months without a beer, our first ‘Roofie Ride’ - what further horrors could possibly befall us that night?
Quite a few, if the truth be told…
There was a lengthy Roll Call in the semi-dark, and who could ever forget Big Joe van Greunen’s menacing smile above that enormous moustache as he surveyed each trembling conscript? I’ll swear that I saw saliva dripping from his mouth…. Then off through the tents, tripping over hidden guy ropes, trying to work out where the boundaries of this thing called ‘142 Battery’ lay, en route to pick up something called a Trommel. (Up until then, we ‘souties’ believed that Batteries were something that went into torches).
After a lengthy, freezing wait, outside a huge darkened tent, and numerous shouted commands, we had to pick up this seriously heavy ‘trommel’. Somehow, we then had to find our way back to wherever this 142 battery was situated.
In the near dark, one of our brethren, (let’s call him Gunner Bean to protect his true identity), spied a very tall figure who appeared to be the only fellow who wasn’t in this mad, panicked rush. Naively, and very politely, Gunner Bean asked him: ‘Hey Pal, where is 142 battery’? Unfortunately for this Gunner, this tall, gangly fellow happened to be none other than something known as an ‘RSM’. Big Mistake……
The verbal abuse inflicted upon the poor, unsuspecting Gunner Bean bellowed across the entire regiment. No-one within earshot knew quite what he had done wrong, but there was no doubt that it was, at the very minimum, a Capital Offence. The list of expletives that poured from his mouth, at a decibel level way beyond what us mere mortals could muster, would have made even the most hardened sailor turn in his grave. Welcome to army life…..
To keep this narrative decent, it is probably best to simply summarise this 60 second barrage. The RSM informed the poor unfortunate Gunner that:
(a) He was not his ‘Pal’ (b) He would never, ever be his ‘Pal’, and (c) There would be extremely serious consequences if this particular Gunner ever referred to him as his ‘Pal again.
I believe that our colleague, and everyone within a radius of 200 meters, received this message loud and clear. From then on, it was clear that the RSM was no ‘Pal’ of ours.
This is one of my all time favourites from Potch: Another classic about one of our Gunners who, although quiet, had an excellent sense of humour….
One day, we were out in the bush doing training of some sort. Then, for whatever reason (true to form, we never found out), we were instructed to separate into two groups – those with matric and those without matric.
As we duly obliged, Bom van der Berg slowly strode towards the squad of matriculants, casting his eye across the group very respectfully. (Quite possibly, he was gazing in awe at those who had attained a degree of education way beyond his wildest dreams…).
Suddenly, a look of total outrage crossed his face (which was not an uncommon expression, for him). His eyes nearly popped out of his head and he bellowed at the very top of his voice: ‘Olivier – Wat die Fok maak jy daar? Jy het nie a Fok Matriek nie’!!!
(This was little Ollie, about five foot zero, from the Free State. He had a great sense of humour, and this was an absolute classic).
Instantly, Ollie sprang to attention and answered as loud as he could: ‘Ja, Bombadier – Std 6 – Boere Matriek, ha, ha, ha, ha’. And with that he sprinted back to the other group while, we all pissed ourselves.
MORE ON CAPRIVI STORIE 2 Ok, the mysterious Gunner Smith who was manning the guard post with Delport was actually Frikkie Pienaar, who then also bravely went on to act as No3, instrumental in wiping out the enemy base.
Finally I can say it; 142 is going to Potch! And not all that many months away either. Yes, the cheap train was a major component of the original planning, but we simply had to fill a coach for various very good reasons, and when it became clear that the numbers were lacking, flying was the only remaining financially viable option. People and not trains or buildings created our history of 142, and likewise they will form the essence of this reunion. I raise my glass to all of you!
Many months of planning led to one quick battle in the Cape before the brave gunners of 142 Battery stormed North for another skirmish in Potch. Victory was ours and the enemy has been crushed. One huge thank you to all who played a part in making it a reality, and in time we'll elaborate and share how it all played out. Carel & Anthony, we all salute you.
I have started loading reunion pics as I receive them, and it will undoubtedly still carry on for quite a while. We'll not be able to load everything, and some may go on and some may get taken off again, but eventually everything, including all videos will be made available on dvd. If you have anything you want to share (especially video clips), please pop it onto a dvd or cd and get it to me. Thanks & enjoy!
I have received some feedback from Ernst Bester and Carel Barnard regarding your trip to Potch. I suppose one of the more positive things that happened is that nobody was locked up! I do apologize for not being able to meet up with you guys in Potch as we had to depart on Saturday morning back to OR to go home. We were at 4 Artillery Regiment on Thursday and Friday for the following: Do a presentation (Thursday) to our incoming General Officer Commanding (BrigGen Holtzhausen) on the status of Cape Field Artillery. On Friday morning he also laid a wreath at the Gunners Memorial, from there we went to the veld where he fired the 120mm mortar, 155mm GV5 gun as well as the Batteleur (rocket launcher). At 14:00 the official handing/taking over parade took place between Col Andy Oelofse and BrigGen Holtzhausen. This was an impressive parade and we have many photographs available, we can perhaps share this with you guys at some stage. At 19:00 we attended the annual Awards Ceremony where CFA was presented with a certificate of appreciation by being the first Artillery Reserve Regiment partaking in the national Exercise Ndlovu.Our efforts were infantry based and we were the "red forces" making things difficult for the SA Navy and Reccies from Langebaan. This exercise took place in the Laaiplek area.We also had 5 members of our CFA Pipe Band in attendance who provided some musical entertainment during the evening. Let me end off by saying that you guys are most welcome to visit CFA at Fort Ikapa on any Monday evening and especially the last Monday evening of the month. We have a short work session and then afterwards get social with a bring & braai (not forgetting the refreshments!!). My thanks and appreciation to Carel and Anthony as well. Now that you have reunited keep it going!! Kind regards Kees de Haan Officer Commanding Cape Field Artillery
CFA have been absolutely fantastic to our group and have excelled themselves on the many occasions they have hosted us. Friday, was special and many thanks to Kees and his staff, notably, Kenny Birch who did the catering and preparation of the venue.
What a weekend! Going to this reunion was an absolute highlight and also a privilege to meet up with all of you, thankyou. After all these years to experience the camaradiere amongst us which has not diminished one bit. I look forward to the next one.
142 Battery of B's ; four Gun no 1's (Beneke, Berry, Beyers and Botha ), three TA Bdr's (Barr, Berkman, Bergasco), Signal Bdr ( Barnard) and Bester who went to Art School ending up as CO of CFA.
Was this some kind of plan or were you guys taking something.
GUNNERS GATHER FOR REUNION OUTSIDE POTCHEFSTROOM - 36 YEARS AFTER FIRST CALL-UP FOR NATIONAL SERVICE
Almost 36 years after arriving in Potchefstroom to endure the rigours of their compulsory National Service at 14th Field Regiment, one of South Africa’s top artillery units, 23 fifty-something year-olds made a once-in-a-lifetime trip down memory lane from February 18-20 to call back their past.
This is the story:
Instead of arriving by cramped train to be greeted by a bunch of foul-mouthed, angry NCO's threatening to rip their hearts out and do unspeakable things to their mothers, this group of Dad’s Army veterans came by plane, car and bus to reminisce about “the good old, bad old days.”
From Cape Town, PE, Springbok, Vredenburg, Vredenal, Rustenburg, Midrand, Joburg – and probably a few other places – they descended on Potchefstroom for a weekend of story-telling, drinking (just a bit) and finding out about the modern day artillery.
Most of the guys met up at Lanseria Airport, joining up with a bus and trailer for the trip to the Artillery School at Klipdrift, which used to be the medics base some years ago. After a bit of a party at Cape Field Artillery in Cape Town the night before, there were some bleary eyes and hazy heads, nothing that a few “regmaakers” couldn’t fix.
On the bus were the following suspects, some a lot more suspect than others: Donald Ayerst (Eastern Cape), Coen Basson, Carel Barnard (our organizer), Rex Berry, Emil Bosch (Vredendal), Reg Botha, Gerald “Hoender” Bressler, Neil Burgers and Piet Alberts (PE), Martin Delport, Alex Faddel, Leon Garisch, Henry Hornby (Midrand), Anthony Hunter, Frikkie Pienaar and the scribe of this memorable mission, Angus Macmillan (Joburg).
Those getting there by car included: Keith Barr, Mike Reynardt (Joburg) (who did basics at 14th Field), Willie Bouwer (Springbok), Johnny Shephard (Rustenburg), Les Benecke (Vredenburg), Ernst Bester (Bray), Francois Beyers (Pretoria) and Bdr Schoonwinkel.
After an uneventful bus journey, the majority of the crew arrived at Klipdrift, early on the Saturday afternoon. The first surprise was the attractive black female guard at the gate. Why could we not have had female gate guards in our day? On second thoughts, it’s a good thing we didn’t. The population of North West Province would be overflowing by now!
Then it was off to our dormitory, everyone grabbing a thin army bed, hoping they had not picked a spot next to the biggest snorer. No names will be mentioned, but some okes need to sleep with a bag over their heads.
As the camp had recently been subjected to an inspection by some General or other, it was remarkably clean and tidy. But that’s how it’s supposed to be, I suppose.
After settling in, it was off to the pub to meet our host, a Lieutenant-Colonel Steyn (Base 2/IC who was about to be posted to run an army detail on the Lesotho border) and find out more about the weekend’s programme.
A whip round of R100 each kept the booze flowing for many hours – not surprising when a double whisky only cost R13! Photos were taken, (war) stories were embellished and everyone got to know each other a little better. The years had been kind to some, not so kind to others – but what’s a few kilograms, bald patches, bits of silver in the hair, or creases and scars between old mates, some of whom had not laid eyes on each other since “klaaring out” in July 1977?
The Saturday night braai was bloody brilliant – in fact, all of the food was great. Made the stuff we got during National Service seem like pig swill. Ah yes, that’s right. It was the late “Piggy” Brown who used to prepare most of our dodgy grub back in the day. Maybe there’s a link?
Carel Barnard, who must be congratulated for making this whole event happen, then urged us all to wear our special reunion shirts and hats for the trip to the Gunners’ Memorial on Sunday morning.
There we had paid a moving tribute to those who had passed on over the past 36 years or so, with a message from Neil Burgers. The memorial site is very well looked after by a couple of good folk – not by the municipality, understand!
A wreath was laid and then each of us placed a flower beneath the spire as a sign of respect for individuals who have shuffled off this mortal coil, as we’ll all do at some stage.
Those remembered by this gesture included ex gunners Boucher, Bredenkamp, Breet, Brown, Groenewald, Horne, Linnow, Matthee, Michell, Phillips, van der Berg, van Vuuren, Watkins and Wakeham. Tributes were also paid to Major du Plessis, Sgt Major Jenkins and Staff Sergeant Kriek, to our departed family members and to those gunners who may have departed this world without us knowing.
The Last Post was played by a bugler, as well as a couple of other suitable tunes for the occasion.
Now it was time to head for the Ventersdorp Road and to find 14th Field Regiment where we had all spent a year of our lives in the 70s. Most of us recognized the road and the hills along the way, but when we got to where 14th Field used to be, all we saw were buildings.
Not a tent in sight. It was almost sad to see all the bricks and mortar that had replaced the sort of tent squatter camp the lads of 142 Battery (and the other batteries) had put up with all those years ago.
We had to seriously call up the brain and memory cells we still had left to say things like: “Shit, I reckon our tents were over there”, or “the mess tent was over there, maybe”, or “the parade ground must have been somewhere over here.”
Then we tried to work out the route of the “afkak” run we used to do – “I think it was over here,” “not a fuck, it was over there”.
Interestingly, our intake of around 135 (plus the intakes of 141, 143, 2Medium and Opsporings) was only the second intake of 14th Field Regiment. The first intake of July 1975 had been less fortunate than us. They had gone to the border/Angola and several didn’t make it back. Their names are on a plaque behind one of the guns we used to operate.
There was something special about our tents. Somehow, the new place just seems too grandiose – too much tar, too sophisticated, too easy. But maybe I’m just a stupid romantic!
Then it was back to Potch for a visit to the local Spar to stock up on newspapers and odds and ends before it was back to base for lunch. We had to swing back to the Spar to collect one of the guys who had gone “AWOL” in the shop – and it wasn’t Hoender!
The Sunday afternoon saw most of the motley crew taking a nap before an early dinner (a very tasty curry) at around 5.30pm (that’s when babies eat, isn’t it). Thereafter, it was time to make a serious dent in the accumulated booze supply (there had been a late Saturday night collection to store some refreshments away for Sunday) and to hear some stories.
Frikkie Pienaar has to get the grand story-teller prize, although Piet Alberts and “Hoender” can also tell some fine tales. Frikkie was in his element telling us about his exploits on various camps (he should still be in DB for impersonating an officer and doing a range of other imaginative things to make his life easier while away from home) and unfolding a few great yarns that had most of us in stitches.
While Leon Garish (a part time lecturer these days) had the foresight to find himself a proper room with a door, the rest of us headed back to the dormitory for what some hoped might be a good night’s sleep. Not a chance! This is when 50-something year-olds became teenagers again, sliding down the passage on container lids and generally re-enacting that cult movie, Animal House (John Belushi, remember him). Alas, this was not good news for those seeking to push some zzzzzs, but eventually everyone crashed – perhaps it was the guava and brandy mixture that did it!
On the Monday morning, after a decent breakfast in the Warrior Mess (draft, no varkpanne or dixies in there) it was off to find out how the artillery goes about its business today.
Now we are talking serious chalk and cheese stuff here. The basics are still the same. Know where you are shooting and try not to cause too much collateral damage. But these days it’s all GPS and data transmissions from laptops etc. It makes it much easier to run a whole battery of guns, that’s for sure.
Really bringing the difference home was the big screen on which the modern day artillery plays war games. Send in some helicopters, “gooi” in a few tanks, now let’s see if we can plot the right coordinates to blow the bastards up. If you’ve got technology, you may as well use it.
After checking out all this IT type stuff, which can get a bit dull, it was off to the transport and gun park to check out the real equipment.
A big thrill for the gunners was to see how artillery has been mechanized. No longer does the gun crew have to move the damn gun legs into place. It’s got its own freaking engine and levers that do all the work for you. The guns can even be driven short distances. Crap, our guns were pretty effective, but they were using pretty much the same technology as our fathers used, back in the day.
The biggest thrill was meeting the G6. What a great vehicle/ artillery machine! With a crew of six, including the driver, this beauty can reach up to 100km, so is hugely mobile. It can fire up to 38km (or around 50km with the special booster injection its ammo can be given). Some of us got the joy to drive it, while we all got to ride on top of this exceptional war wagon. We could definitely have done with these back in the 70s, but maybe it would have made things too easy for us!
After awarding a few gifts to our hosts, it was time for a final lunch and to say our goodbyes before some guys hopped in their cars and other climbed back on the bus for the trip back to Lanseria and then off the Cape Town and PE.
To say that this reunion was a success, would be a massive understatement. It was a great opportunity to get together for a proper chinwag about the old days and to find out how life has treated the guys over three and a half decades.
It was also good to see that the artillery is still in good hands and that we’re training other African countries’ armies. We just mustn’t let them get too good or we old farts might just get called up again.
To everyone who made it to Potch, I salute you. To those of you who didn’t, you missed something very special.
ANGUS MACMILLAN, CLASS OF 76/77, 14TH FIELD REGIMENT
Alan Berkman has got hold of us via Facebook ( Francois Beyers to be precise ) and sends his regards to all. We are all hope to see Alan at the next reunion.
Just now loaded a page from the latest Art School newsletter (see Gallery Potch General). It was written and placed by Chaplain Japie Jordaan, whom we've also met at our Potch functions.
Hoender passed away this morning. A sad day for all who knew and served with the man. What a privilege to once again share a joke with this unique gunner at the reunion. All that remains is to celebrate his life and recognize that he is an integral part of the 142 legend. Bravo, old friend.
Brain you are one of the missing links. We need your contact detail. Gunners please contact us if you have contact detail of the people on our list (without numbers)
Gunner Greg Moore reporting for duty ( later Lance Bombardier in Cape Field Artillery Brass Band. Is there anybody out there? Anthony Hunter? 4/11/2022 UK
Barries called me on Friday 22 July 2011, and I went to my first meeting last night. It was also my first visit to the Cape Field Artillery HQ in 20+ plus years, and my first visit to the regiment's new home. Barries, Tony & Coen didn't recognise me, so that hurt a bit because I recognised them. I also met with other ghosts from the past; gentlemen then known as Maj De Haan and RSM Boltman. They couldn't remember me either. Anyway, we had a few dops, laughed some, talked some, and hatched a plan. Gather the troops!
ReplyDeleteOk, the fuse has been lit. A couple of emails slipped in and also that KZN call to book a place on the train. And Barries is expanding his view beyond the land of email, currently freefloating in cyberspace. Barries?!
ReplyDeleteHi Rex, great to see you the other night and fantastic blog. The only reason we did not recognise you was because you somehow got better looking. The marvels of modern science. I have made contact with quite a few victims; Prof. Robert Cameron, Martin Delport, Neil Burgers, Brett Fuller, Gregory Yamouyanis and Leroy Ross. The response has been overwhelming. Barries told me that he managed to get hold of MC Botha who lectures at Univ. of Stellenbosch (his number was given to us by Robert). I have also managed to chat with Colin Hogg and 'Joker' Hornby.
ReplyDeleteWe're desperately trying to locate all old gunners - if you can fill in a missing name or phone number, please help us. Even those in North America and Europe - if we know who's out there, we can stop searching!
ReplyDeleteIs this blog still open. I was a 1975-1976 intake in 142. Nic Lesar
Deleteyes we are still alive
DeleteRobert Patton from 142 Battery, but much later than you guys. 1981 intake
DeleteFrom a forum covering the Angolan war, and this one specifically about the battle at Brug 14;
ReplyDelete"I get emotional when I look back, especially at what your lot, our roofies at 14 Field, had to endure. Can't believe how young Joffel van der Westhuizen looks, yet remember him so well as the clean-cut super warrior who used the skull and crossed gun barrels motif for the regimental badges. Can't remember who designed it. One of my makkers."
THE POKER TENT
ReplyDelete"Roll up roll up! Poker School is open" - Rex
"Ek se maat, gee bietjie aan my kaarte" - Piet Alberts
"Delport, I promise you, my R1 is loaded" - Joker
"Who made up these rules? I'm a professional gambler and this is shit" - Gunner Gilmour
"Ek sweer dis my eie vuurhoutjies" - Delport
"Nou ja ek is alweer uit, wie wil toasted cheese and tomato he?" - Greens
"Ag nee kerels, waar's my vuurhoutjies?" - RJ
"Gee my jou Ace dan organise ek vir jou 'n rang" - Les
"Jou ou ma rook buskaartjies" - Hoener
"Het jy nie vir my 10c nie?" - Jukebox
"Click-clack-click-clack" - Joker (the typewriter)
"Luister maat, Frikkie gaan so bietjie in my plek speel, ek moet gou toilet-toe gaan" - Piet
"Ek belowe julle, ek's te stupid om te kroek" - Pine
"These rules are shit" - Gunner Gilmour
"Kerels, iemand gooi halwe vuurhoutjies in die kitty" - RJ
"Ek sweer al my my vuurhoutjies is heel" - Delport
"Where's my teeth?" - Joker
FROM THE PARADE GROUND
ReplyDelete"Af-Af se fokken p...!" - Bdr van Greunen
"Where is the Poppadeer?" - Gunner Archer
"Cane, TV en dog style; almal kyk die movie en is fokken happy" - Staf Kriek
"Jou ma se sussie se poppie se hart se p... hang in die kak" - Lt Campher
"Sal daai vroue luitenant agter die parade asseblief haar fokken ore toedruk want ek gaan nou lelik praat" - RSM Venter
"Ander sammajoor het my gestuur" - Piet Alberts
"Hey man" - Gunner Marks
"Grrr" - BSM Jenkins
EVEN IN THE 21st CENTURY, IN PARLIAMENT
ReplyDeleteApparently politician Tony Leon was a reporter for the army mouthpiece "Paratus" at the time we were eating dust in 14 Field, and remarking on this in the debate on The State Of The Nation on 13 Feb 2002, Dr Essop Pahad, MP and Minister, quoted Leon as follows;
"When Paramount Chief Kaiser Matanzima, the Transkei's first Prime Minister, addressed the country from the stadium's podium shortly after the ochre, white and green Transkeian flag had been hoisted and eight 25-pounder guns of 142 Battery, 14th Field Regiment, Potchefstroom, had fired the 101-gun salute..." (I stop there because the rest is just the normal rethorical bull)
We are meeting at CFA's new HQ on Monday, email Carel, Rex or myself for directions.
ReplyDeleteI received a nice email from Patrick Scodeller who lives in Singapore via Hong Kong and London. I also went to see Max Raath and we too had a nice chat. Garth Clifford now lives in Port Elizabeth. It has been great to chat to Martin Delport, Ian Glen, Leroy Ross, Roger Viola, Colin Hogg, and Selwyn Gillmer who recognised my voice immediately and of course Henry-John "Joker" Hornby who has assured us that he will travel from Midrand to be at the reunion.
If anybody has any news regarding Stuart "Piggy" Browne please let us know as we have been told he passed away a few years ago.
Please email us with any contact details!!
How about we start a second picture gallery with before and after photos?! Haha!
ReplyDeleteFROM THE BOOK "TALE GUNNER" BY AJ BROOKS;
ReplyDelete“Anyone who went there will tell you that 14th Field Regiment Potchefstroom was a hell-hole. Basic training in the Defence Force was ostensibly the same wherever you went but because ours was a tented camp a little way out of town, our instructors had been seduced by a sense of isolation. As a result, they believed they could run the place as they saw fit. This didn't bode well for us...”
More from the same work;
ReplyDelete“The noise of the explosion was horrendous and I lay on my back and gazed at my shredded shirt. When will the pain start? I thought, or will I die before that? I think I’d prefer to die than have the agony. I wiped my stomach and expected to see copious quantities of blood. There was none, so I sat up. Van was already sitting. He too studied his body for mortal wounds and found none. We looked at each other and grinned. It was so silly. But where was Samil Venter? We stood and began dusting ourselves off as a groan caught my attention. Then we saw him: Sergeant-Major Venter was stalking around clutching his one hand. His thumb had been blown clean off, but so too had his trousers and underpants. His shirt was shredded and bits of material that used to be his combat pants hung from his webbing belt. Then there were his bare, long sinewy legs and finally his boots. The tops of his socks were also gone.
“He looked up at me, his face full of anguish, his teeth AWOL. His mouth was once again a maw: 'Brookth, jou poeth! Kom hier!' I went to him immediately. 'Yes, sergeant-major,' I stammered.'Ith my jewels nog daar? Ith my fokken jewels nog daar?' I lifted my hand and felt, probably the way a doctor does when he asks you to cough. His genitalia were burnt black as were his inner thighs, also his leg hairs, but his precious jewels were there, intact. I smiled up at him. 'Hulle is a bietjie gebrand, sa’majoor, maar hulle is nog daar.'”
Contacted both Lawrence Marks and Gerald "Hoender" Bresler (Rex, thanks for the detective work).
ReplyDeleteWhen I phoned Lawrence he kindly reminded me that he finished his army commitments quite some time ago. I had to tell him that I was only phoning to organise a reunion and not part of any call-up.
Well, here is Hoender's joke of the year:
He told me he took part in a blind wanking competition - but as yet still does not know where he came....I am still laughing.
Just now uploaded the rest of Henry's pics; man, some pure Africana there. How about those suiping parties in the lyne!
ReplyDeleteThanks Guys! Last night's meeting added plenty of detail to the address list; just makes the search so much easier. But many names and info still missing - the Free State & Gauteng still in the shadows, so we need more new faces at the next meeting, scratching away at the rust. Did I say meeting? It was as if time stood still; that first camp, Piggy's jacuzzi, the Rand Easter Show, the Mini & the 2 pistols, the cheese in the toilets, Staf Kriek, Hoender and the cow...
ReplyDeleteFantastic to see everybody last night and to laugh with friends. Guys, you must try and make the next meeting as we had a great time.
ReplyDeleteGilly, Hoender, Frikkie, Andrew, OD, Robert, Rex, Carel and myself shared some great stories and had a good laugh.
Chappie, Tommy, Leon Garisch, Brett Fuller, Roger, Leroy, Delly and the rest - do you want us to send a bus to collect you guys!!
Just now finished loading MC Botha's pics. Includes more Transkei ones, and a couple of action scenes - check the cool double exposure shot! But my favourite without any doubt is the one with the forlorn OK Sales - man, there's only one title that fits here; The Lonely Gunner...
ReplyDeleteWe got hold of Derek Shapiro, Angus Macmillan and Keith Barr. Angus is in JHB, but will attend our meetings when he is in CPT. Both Derek and Keith were very enthusiastic about the reunion and we hope to see you guys at our meetings.
ReplyDeleteOk, so tonight I loaded the Chippendale pics - hope we're not offending anyone out there. Yes, of course there's a story behind them, and it's every bit as good as the story about the gunner who went up the hill with a full projectile case and came down again with an empty one. Or when Hoender flew over Potch (yes, that's what I said, the Chicken flew over Potchefstroom). Did you hear about the night Dellie set a new record for reporting Gun Ready in the Caprivi? How about time Joker hitch-hiked through Namibia to get to the Border?
ReplyDeleteis it possible to put names to the people in the photo's - age is creeping up and memory not what it used to be.
ReplyDeleteNow you're putting me on the spot! Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteOk, Derek. Started adding names to pictures, but then I suffered a severe bout of Spikemilliganosis, so you're to blame for all the bull that no-one asked for...
ReplyDeleteWho remembers arriving at 14th Field and then having to stand in a long queue alongside the store's fence whilst waiting to collect a trommel and bedding, and then looking for a tent in the dark.
ReplyDeleteThat night we all almost froze to death, especially those from the coast. I somehow knew from that moment that this was going to be fun, lots of ;&^*( fun.
At our first roll call I was standing in the middle row and this chap (Saayman) tapped me on the shoulder and asked "Hoezit lange, gee my 'n paar kappe van jou skyf", I had to stop myself from giving him the whole packet.
Then the next day it all got better and we met this wonderful,kind and understanding chap....L/Bdr Jones
We all have funny moments, well here is mine - During our TA course Bdr. van Greunen was lecturing, probably on Trigonometry, anyway during his lecture Mike Curry fell asleep. I sat next to Mike.
ReplyDeleteBdr van Greunen then asked Mike a question related to his lecture. I nudged Mike in the ribs, waking him, and whispered "Durban" to him. Mike jumped up and proudly answered "Durban", van Greunen went berserk and shouted at Curry "Wat is die f&*^ antwoord", I again whispered "Durban" which Mike again answered.
I almost pissed in my pants. So Mike, if you read this my humblest apologies.
Come, let's hear some of the stories.
Ok, maybe I'll keep my 142 stories for later; hopefully you won't mind one or two Lohathla/Caprivi tales?!
ReplyDeleteDRUMS IN THE NIGHT(NOVA BASE, CAPRIVI)
We've been in the Caprivi Strip for less than a week. The first night in the guard post started out on a slightly nervous note. We've been staring into the darkness of the bush for quite a while, too afraid to make a noise or strike a match, almost too scared to breath or wink an eyelid. The noise started suddenly - it sounded like someone was hitting a dead tree trunk with a hammer. Rythmic and non-stop. We immediately decided it was the locals "talking" with a drum. I vividly remembered old Tarzan movies where tribesmen "talked" to each other, talked to the monkeys, to the birds, to Tantor the elephant.... What was the drum saying? Kill the soldiers, obviously. Only when Dellie lit a cigarette did we see the dung beetle in the corner, hammering away against a pole.
A few nights later, same story, but this time it had a metallic sound. Drums, we decided. No, we were told, these were the gunner ghosts in the old Golf Base trying to get out from underneath the corrugated sheeting and sandbags - gunners who died during a mortar attack on Katima. Eventually we learnt that it was local farmers patrolling their fields at night, beating on a tin to drive away wild buck raiding their harvest.
When weeks later the real drums eventually started talking in their hurried and feverish African way, no-one gave a shit.
CAPRIVI STORIE 2
ReplyDeleteWe've been drinking since lunchtime. Another fine day in Africa - beautiful sun, no clouds, no wind. We've been on the Border for more than a month, and we've already lost our No1, Sgt Schenk. Our gun, Sun City, was leaderless. To give you proper perspective; I was now given command of this mighty gun, but seeing that I was pissed most of the time, the role of leader passed onto the shoulders of whoever happened to be closest to the gun position at any given moment.
So, like I've said, we've been hitting the bottle since 12pm, but we eventually did retire before the clock hit 12 again. What happened then ranks right up there with the likes of Churchill, Rommel and Montgomery. It wasn't their turn, but Delport and I-cant-remember-who (Gunner Smith?) offered to take the next guard shift because they wanted to continue drinking.
Round about 12h30 the shit hit the fan. Storming in from the guard post, Delport and Smith came through our sleeping quarters like a tornado, screaming and turning over everything in their path. They headed straight for the gun and and started prepping for fire orders. Delport hit the tannoy and by the time the rest of us stumbled onto the gun position, half asleep, half drunk, he was shouting at the duty room that "Sun City" was ready and waiting for fire orders. Obviously whoever happened to be in the duty room at that stage was as stunned as we were.
At this stage let's just look at the normal process. Kenneth Kaunda decides to attack all water towers in Katima or Pretoria decides that we should blast the feathers off all the chickens in Kenneth's backyard. Either way, a qualified electrician from the Genie Korps would then hit the button to activate a siren perched on top of some radio mast in the centre of Katima. Next to this tower was a bungalow which contained a signaller and his radio, and this fine soldier would then contact Nova Base (that was us) requesting a supreme state of artillery readiness. The Nova duty room would in turn call all gunners to their posts, and as soon a the first gun has been brought into action, Nova would report to Katima that we were ready. Normally Katima would by then have the target bearing ready, this would be relayed to the waiting gun, and soon enough serious battle would commence.
Now normally you would not hear the siren in Katima, but on this particular night the air was still and the night was quiet, so the sound carried. Dellies and Smith were making love to their bottle, they heard the siren and stormed off. The Nova duty room was still arguing with Delport when Katima came through on the radio. The conversation went something like this;
KATIMA: Nova Base, this is Katima. Berig. Oor.
NOVA (into the tannoy): Delport, hou 'n slag jou fokken bek. Katima is op die lug.
NOVA: Katima, this is Nova. Send. Over.
KATIMA: Nova, enemy in moonlight. Prep guns and await fire orders. Over.
NOVA: Eh...Katima, we're ready. What's the orders? Over
KATIMA (after a stunned silence of three seconds): Nova, wat de fok gaan daar by julle aan? I've just now informed you of the activity, so how the hell can you be ready?!! Over.
NOVA: Katima, I also don't know what's going on, but Sun City is ready and waiting. Over.
The fire orders eventually came through, and I can't remember the numbers, but let's say the old record was 11 minutes and we bettered it to something like 4 minutes. I don't for a moment doubt that this was the best ever reaction time for a 5.5 inch field gun under operational conditions.
Dellie and Smith were the heroes of the day, and right there aqnd then we celebrated the magnificence of these supreme soldiers.
[Apologies to "Smith" - I simply couldn't remember your name. Sorry, sorry, sorry]
I can echo what Tony said about meeting ‘this wonderful, kind and understanding chap....L/Bdr Jones’.
ReplyDeleteBeing a ‘Kapie’, I obviously didn’t know too much of what went in Joburg at the time. L/Bdr Jones must have picked this up, and endeavoured to enlighten me about how things worked up there. One night, after he returned from the Beer Garden, he proudly informed me, in this very serious tone: ‘Me and my Boeties – we Rule Joburg!’. What a man……
Great evening last night and fantastic to see more new faces, Leon Garisch, Tommy van Vlaanderen, Leroy Ross, Alex Faddel (who came all the way from Riversdale) , Stuart Page , Johan "Jaffles" Vermeulen and Andries Breedt. Also, thanks to those who sent in apologies.
ReplyDeleteI took some pictures and it is quite amazing how many extra chins our group has grown...The only one that looks reasonably young is Frikkie Pienaar, actually I am not sure it was Frikkie, perhaps it was the other Pienaar...sorry boet!!
I think it is fair to say that we do not do justice to the phrase "When we were young and pretty and now we are just pretty"..aish
MEET YOUR PAL
ReplyDelete(From the pen of Mike Kiwi....eh, Curry)
Anthony Hunter has given a fairly accurate description of the bewildering scenario that hit us ‘Arme Kaypies’ on arrival at Potch early in July 1976. Potch station, bloody cold, shouted commands, a sense of impending doom, at least 3 months without a beer, our first ‘Roofie Ride’ - what further horrors could possibly befall us that night?
Quite a few, if the truth be told…
There was a lengthy Roll Call in the semi-dark, and who could ever forget Big Joe van Greunen’s menacing smile above that enormous moustache as he surveyed each trembling conscript? I’ll swear that I saw saliva dripping from his mouth…. Then off through the tents, tripping over hidden guy ropes, trying to work out where the boundaries of this thing called ‘142 Battery’ lay, en route to pick up something called a Trommel. (Up until then, we ‘souties’ believed that Batteries were something that went into torches).
After a lengthy, freezing wait, outside a huge darkened tent, and numerous shouted commands, we had to pick up this seriously heavy ‘trommel’. Somehow, we then had to find our way back to wherever this 142 battery was situated.
In the near dark, one of our brethren, (let’s call him Gunner Bean to protect his true identity), spied a very tall figure who appeared to be the only fellow who wasn’t in this mad, panicked rush. Naively, and very politely, Gunner Bean asked him: ‘Hey Pal, where is 142 battery’? Unfortunately for this Gunner, this tall, gangly fellow happened to be none other than something known as an ‘RSM’. Big Mistake……
The verbal abuse inflicted upon the poor, unsuspecting Gunner Bean bellowed across the entire regiment. No-one within earshot knew quite what he had done wrong, but there was no doubt that it was, at the very minimum, a Capital Offence. The list of expletives that poured from his mouth, at a decibel level way beyond what us mere mortals could muster, would have made even the most hardened sailor turn in his grave. Welcome to army life…..
To keep this narrative decent, it is probably best to simply summarise this 60 second barrage. The RSM informed the poor unfortunate Gunner that:
(a) He was not his ‘Pal’
(b) He would never, ever be his ‘Pal’, and
(c) There would be extremely serious consequences if this particular Gunner ever referred to him as his ‘Pal again.
I believe that our colleague, and everyone within a radius of 200 meters, received this message loud and clear. From then on, it was clear that the RSM was no ‘Pal’ of ours.
SHOW YOUR PAPERS (Mike Currey)
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my all time favourites from Potch:
Another classic about one of our Gunners who, although quiet, had an excellent sense of humour….
One day, we were out in the bush doing training of some sort. Then, for whatever reason (true to form, we never found out), we were instructed to separate into two groups – those with matric and those without matric.
As we duly obliged, Bom van der Berg slowly strode towards the squad of matriculants, casting his eye across the group very respectfully. (Quite possibly, he was gazing in awe at those who had attained a degree of education way beyond his wildest dreams…).
Suddenly, a look of total outrage crossed his face (which was not an uncommon expression, for him). His eyes nearly popped out of his head and he bellowed at the very top of his voice: ‘Olivier – Wat die Fok maak jy daar? Jy het nie a Fok Matriek nie’!!!
(This was little Ollie, about five foot zero, from the Free State. He had a great sense of humour, and this was an absolute classic).
Instantly, Ollie sprang to attention and answered as loud as he could: ‘Ja, Bombadier – Std 6 – Boere Matriek, ha, ha, ha, ha’. And with that he sprinted back to the other group while, we all pissed ourselves.
Good on you, Ollie – Absolutely Brilliant!
MORE ON CAPRIVI STORIE 2
ReplyDeleteOk, the mysterious Gunner Smith who was manning the guard post with Delport was actually Frikkie Pienaar, who then also bravely went on to act as No3, instrumental in wiping out the enemy base.
Added a new page called Elder Statesmen. No names yet, so have some fun!
ReplyDeleteJa, pushed too many wrong buttons and this page slipped off the screen....but now it's back.
ReplyDeleteFinally I can say it; 142 is going to Potch! And not all that many months away either. Yes, the cheap train was a major component of the original planning, but we simply had to fill a coach for various very good reasons, and when it became clear that the numbers were lacking, flying was the only remaining financially viable option. People and not trains or buildings created our history of 142, and likewise they will form the essence of this reunion. I raise my glass to all of you!
ReplyDeleteMany months of planning led to one quick battle in the Cape before the brave gunners of 142 Battery stormed North for another skirmish in Potch. Victory was ours and the enemy has been crushed.
ReplyDeleteOne huge thank you to all who played a part in making it a reality, and in time we'll elaborate and share how it all played out.
Carel & Anthony, we all salute you.
I have started loading reunion pics as I receive them, and it will undoubtedly still carry on for quite a while. We'll not be able to load everything, and some may go on and some may get taken off again, but eventually everything, including all videos will be made available on dvd. If you have anything you want to share (especially video clips), please pop it onto a dvd or cd and get it to me. Thanks & enjoy!
ReplyDeleteFROM THE CFA HQ:
ReplyDeleteGreetings all you "142'ers"
I have received some feedback from Ernst Bester and Carel Barnard regarding your trip to Potch. I suppose one of the more positive things that happened is that nobody was locked up!
I do apologize for not being able to meet up with you guys in Potch as we had to depart on Saturday morning back to OR to go home. We were at 4 Artillery Regiment on Thursday and Friday for the following:
Do a presentation (Thursday) to our incoming General Officer Commanding (BrigGen Holtzhausen) on the status of Cape Field Artillery.
On Friday morning he also laid a wreath at the Gunners Memorial, from there we went to the veld where he fired the 120mm mortar, 155mm GV5 gun as well as the Batteleur (rocket launcher).
At 14:00 the official handing/taking over parade took place between Col Andy Oelofse and BrigGen Holtzhausen. This was an impressive parade and we have many photographs available, we can perhaps share this with you guys at some stage.
At 19:00 we attended the annual Awards Ceremony where CFA was presented with a certificate of appreciation by being the first Artillery Reserve Regiment partaking in the national Exercise Ndlovu.Our efforts were infantry based and we were the "red forces" making things difficult for the SA Navy and Reccies from Langebaan. This exercise took place in the Laaiplek area.We also had 5 members of our CFA Pipe Band in attendance who provided some musical entertainment during the evening.
Let me end off by saying that you guys are most welcome to visit CFA at Fort Ikapa on any Monday evening and especially the last Monday evening of the month. We have a short work session and then afterwards get social with a bring & braai (not forgetting the refreshments!!).
My thanks and appreciation to Carel and Anthony as well. Now that you have reunited keep it going!!
Kind regards
Kees de Haan
Officer Commanding
Cape Field Artillery
CFA have been absolutely fantastic to our group and have excelled themselves on the many occasions they have hosted us. Friday, was special and many thanks to Kees and his staff, notably, Kenny Birch who did the catering and preparation of the venue.
ReplyDeleteWhat a weekend! Going to this reunion was an absolute highlight and also a privilege to meet up with all of you, thankyou. After all these years to experience the camaradiere amongst us which has not diminished one bit. I look forward to the next one.
ReplyDelete142 Battery of B's ; four Gun no 1's (Beneke, Berry, Beyers and Botha ), three TA Bdr's (Barr, Berkman, Bergasco), Signal Bdr ( Barnard) and Bester who went to Art School ending up as CO of CFA.
Was this some kind of plan or were you guys taking something.
Artile written by Angus Macmillian
ReplyDeleteGUNNERS GATHER FOR REUNION OUTSIDE POTCHEFSTROOM - 36 YEARS AFTER FIRST CALL-UP FOR NATIONAL SERVICE
Almost 36 years after arriving in Potchefstroom to endure the rigours of their compulsory National Service at 14th Field Regiment, one of South Africa’s top artillery units, 23 fifty-something year-olds made a once-in-a-lifetime trip down memory lane from February 18-20 to call back their past.
This is the story:
Instead of arriving by cramped train to be greeted by a bunch of foul-mouthed, angry NCO's threatening to rip their hearts out and do unspeakable things to their mothers, this group of Dad’s Army veterans came by plane, car and bus to reminisce about “the good old, bad old days.”
From Cape Town, PE, Springbok, Vredenburg, Vredenal, Rustenburg, Midrand, Joburg – and probably a few other places – they descended on Potchefstroom for a weekend of story-telling, drinking (just a bit) and finding out about the modern day artillery.
Most of the guys met up at Lanseria Airport, joining up with a bus and trailer for the trip to the Artillery School at Klipdrift, which used to be the medics base some years ago. After a bit of a party at Cape Field Artillery in Cape Town the night before, there were some bleary eyes and hazy heads, nothing that a few “regmaakers” couldn’t fix.
On the bus were the following suspects, some a lot more suspect than others: Donald Ayerst (Eastern Cape), Coen Basson, Carel Barnard (our organizer), Rex Berry, Emil Bosch (Vredendal), Reg Botha, Gerald “Hoender” Bressler, Neil Burgers and Piet Alberts (PE), Martin Delport, Alex Faddel, Leon Garisch, Henry Hornby (Midrand), Anthony Hunter, Frikkie Pienaar and the scribe of this memorable mission, Angus Macmillan (Joburg).
Those getting there by car included: Keith Barr, Mike Reynardt (Joburg) (who did basics at 14th Field), Willie Bouwer (Springbok), Johnny Shephard (Rustenburg), Les Benecke (Vredenburg), Ernst Bester (Bray), Francois Beyers (Pretoria) and Bdr Schoonwinkel.
After an uneventful bus journey, the majority of the crew arrived at Klipdrift, early on the Saturday afternoon. The first surprise was the attractive black female guard at the gate. Why could we not have had female gate guards in our day? On second thoughts, it’s a good thing we didn’t. The population of North West Province would be overflowing by now!
Then it was off to our dormitory, everyone grabbing a thin army bed, hoping they had not picked a spot next to the biggest snorer. No names will be mentioned, but some okes need to sleep with a bag over their heads.
As the camp had recently been subjected to an inspection by some General or other, it was remarkably clean and tidy. But that’s how it’s supposed to be, I suppose.
After settling in, it was off to the pub to meet our host, a Lieutenant-Colonel Steyn (Base 2/IC who was about to be posted to run an army detail on the Lesotho border) and find out more about the weekend’s programme.
A whip round of R100 each kept the booze flowing for many hours – not surprising when a double whisky only cost R13! Photos were taken, (war) stories were embellished and everyone got to know each other a little better. The years had been kind to some, not so kind to others – but what’s a few kilograms, bald patches, bits of silver in the hair, or creases and scars between old mates, some of whom had not laid eyes on each other since “klaaring out” in July 1977?
The Saturday night braai was bloody brilliant – in fact, all of the food was great. Made the stuff we got during National Service seem like pig swill. Ah yes, that’s right. It was the late “Piggy” Brown who used to prepare most of our dodgy grub back in the day. Maybe there’s a link?
Cont.
Thanks, Angus! I greatly enjoyed reading the article / post. I, however, hail from Vredenburg (BURG) and not Vredendal.
DeleteKind regards to all!
Emil
Carel Barnard, who must be congratulated for making this whole event happen, then urged us all to wear our special reunion shirts and hats for the trip to the Gunners’ Memorial on Sunday morning.
ReplyDeleteThere we had paid a moving tribute to those who had passed on over the past 36 years or so, with a message from Neil Burgers. The memorial site is very well looked after by a couple of good folk – not by the municipality, understand!
A wreath was laid and then each of us placed a flower beneath the spire as a sign of respect for individuals who have shuffled off this mortal coil, as we’ll all do at some stage.
Those remembered by this gesture included ex gunners Boucher, Bredenkamp, Breet, Brown, Groenewald, Horne, Linnow, Matthee, Michell, Phillips, van der Berg, van Vuuren, Watkins and Wakeham. Tributes were also paid to Major du Plessis, Sgt Major Jenkins and Staff Sergeant Kriek, to our departed family members and to those gunners who may have departed this world without us knowing.
The Last Post was played by a bugler, as well as a couple of other suitable tunes for the occasion.
Now it was time to head for the Ventersdorp Road and to find 14th Field Regiment where we had all spent a year of our lives in the 70s. Most of us recognized the road and the hills along the way, but when we got to where 14th Field used to be, all we saw were buildings.
Not a tent in sight. It was almost sad to see all the bricks and mortar that had replaced the sort of tent squatter camp the lads of 142 Battery (and the other batteries) had put up with all those years ago.
We had to seriously call up the brain and memory cells we still had left to say things like: “Shit, I reckon our tents were over there”, or “the mess tent was over there, maybe”, or “the parade ground must have been somewhere over here.”
Then we tried to work out the route of the “afkak” run we used to do – “I think it was over here,” “not a fuck, it was over there”.
Interestingly, our intake of around 135 (plus the intakes of 141, 143, 2Medium and Opsporings) was only the second intake of 14th Field Regiment. The first intake of July 1975 had been less fortunate than us. They had gone to the border/Angola and several didn’t make it back. Their names are on a plaque behind one of the guns we used to operate.
There was something special about our tents. Somehow, the new place just seems too grandiose – too much tar, too sophisticated, too easy. But maybe I’m just a stupid romantic!
Then it was back to Potch for a visit to the local Spar to stock up on newspapers and odds and ends before it was back to base for lunch. We had to swing back to the Spar to collect one of the guys who had gone “AWOL” in the shop – and it wasn’t Hoender!
The Sunday afternoon saw most of the motley crew taking a nap before an early dinner (a very tasty curry) at around 5.30pm (that’s when babies eat, isn’t it). Thereafter, it was time to make a serious dent in the accumulated booze supply (there had been a late Saturday night collection to store some refreshments away for Sunday) and to hear some stories.
ReplyDeleteFrikkie Pienaar has to get the grand story-teller prize, although Piet Alberts and “Hoender” can also tell some fine tales. Frikkie was in his element telling us about his exploits on various camps (he should still be in DB for impersonating an officer and doing a range of other imaginative things to make his life easier while away from home) and unfolding a few great yarns that had most of us in stitches.
While Leon Garish (a part time lecturer these days) had the foresight to find himself a proper room with a door, the rest of us headed back to the dormitory for what some hoped might be a good night’s sleep. Not a chance! This is when 50-something year-olds became teenagers again, sliding down the passage on container lids and generally re-enacting that cult movie, Animal House (John Belushi, remember him). Alas, this was not good news for those seeking to push some zzzzzs, but eventually everyone crashed – perhaps it was the guava and brandy mixture that did it!
On the Monday morning, after a decent breakfast in the Warrior Mess (draft, no varkpanne or dixies in there) it was off to find out how the artillery goes about its business today.
Now we are talking serious chalk and cheese stuff here. The basics are still the same. Know where you are shooting and try not to cause too much collateral damage. But these days it’s all GPS and data transmissions from laptops etc. It makes it much easier to run a whole battery of guns, that’s for sure.
Really bringing the difference home was the big screen on which the modern day artillery plays war games. Send in some helicopters, “gooi” in a few tanks, now let’s see if we can plot the right coordinates to blow the bastards up. If you’ve got technology, you may as well use it.
After checking out all this IT type stuff, which can get a bit dull, it was off to the transport and gun park to check out the real equipment.
A big thrill for the gunners was to see how artillery has been mechanized. No longer does the gun crew have to move the damn gun legs into place. It’s got its own freaking engine and levers that do all the work for you. The guns can even be driven short distances. Crap, our guns were pretty effective, but they were using pretty much the same technology as our fathers used, back in the day.
The biggest thrill was meeting the G6. What a great vehicle/ artillery machine! With a crew of six, including the driver, this beauty can reach up to 100km, so is hugely mobile. It can fire up to 38km (or around 50km with the special booster injection its ammo can be given). Some of us got the joy to drive it, while we all got to ride on top of this exceptional war wagon. We could definitely have done with these back in the 70s, but maybe it would have made things too easy for us!
After awarding a few gifts to our hosts, it was time for a final lunch and to say our goodbyes before some guys hopped in their cars and other climbed back on the bus for the trip back to Lanseria and then off the Cape Town and PE.
To say that this reunion was a success, would be a massive understatement. It was a great opportunity to get together for a proper chinwag about the old days and to find out how life has treated the guys over three and a half decades.
It was also good to see that the artillery is still in good hands and that we’re training other African countries’ armies. We just mustn’t let them get too good or we old farts might just get called up again.
To everyone who made it to Potch, I salute you. To those of you who didn’t, you missed something very special.
ANGUS MACMILLAN, CLASS OF 76/77, 14TH FIELD REGIMENT
Brilliant piece, Angus! Thanks for that, and don't stop your contributions.
DeleteAlan Berkman has got hold of us via Facebook ( Francois Beyers to be precise ) and sends his regards to all. We are all hope to see Alan at the next reunion.
ReplyDeleteJust now loaded a page from the latest Art School newsletter (see Gallery Potch General). It was written and placed by Chaplain Japie Jordaan, whom we've also met at our Potch functions.
ReplyDeleteHoender passed away this morning. A sad day for all who knew and served with the man. What a privilege to once again share a joke with this unique gunner at the reunion. All that remains is to celebrate his life and recognize that he is an integral part of the 142 legend.
ReplyDeleteBravo, old friend.
after 36 years,a long trip down memory lane of all the guys,that hell-hole..
ReplyDeletegreat reading...
Brian Brand
Brain you are one of the missing links. We need your contact detail. Gunners please contact us if you have contact detail of the people on our list (without numbers)
DeleteGunner Greg Moore reporting for duty ( later Lance Bombardier in Cape Field Artillery Brass Band. Is there anybody out there? Anthony Hunter? 4/11/2022 UK
DeleteCan anyone remember the name of Maj Du Plessis?
ReplyDelete