SADF 32 Battalion books (in English); any suggestions?

**auscam** · 24-02-2010, 07:45

Piet Nortje's eponymously titled book looks to be well written; any recommendations for others?

**old_bloke** · 24-02-2010, 08:07

I found his book dull I must admit . Just a few new items I had never read about.

There a few other good ones on here . Mostly with 32 Bat in the title.

This is a good ref too.

The Silent War: South African Recce operations 1969 - 1994 - Peter Stiff

**auscam** · 24-02-2010, 08:31

Yes, I've got Covert War, which is a good read (despite the numerous typos). Thanks o_b.

**baboon6** · 24-02-2010, 14:28

32 Battalion's founding CO, Col Jan Breytenbach, wrote two books about the unit, Forged In Battle and They Live By The Sword. I would recommend both.

**Tarkwa** · 24-02-2010, 17:16

Greetings,
There is a small cottage industry in SADF memoirs, and some really good books have been produced recently. http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...rder-War-books
and here: http://www.goodbooks.co.za/SouthAfri...ialForces.html

The "big name" units (32 Bn. Recces, Parabats) are well represented but some of the "National Service" memoirs are interesting, and, on occasion very funny.

Anything written by Col J Breytenbach is pretty good. Not least of all because he is a guy who has "been there, done that, and got all the T-Shirts" (armour, RN-FAA, Suez, Biafra, Fort Benning, SF, Parabat, 32 etc. plus a string of gallantry medals), but also as he has an ironic, whimsical and amusing style of recounting events. Some of his bigger battles were within the system rather than the events in Angola etc.

The 32 VA has a useful website: http://www.32battalion.net/index.htm and for those of you with good speakers the "Fireplan" on this page is a treat! http://www.32battalion.net/32%20Batt...ch%20Songs.htm

Other useful SADF sites are the SADF Books Facebook pages http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100656872187 and Justdone Publications: http://justdone.co.za/shop/

CFN

**auscam** · 24-02-2010, 21:45

Thanks, there's a few sources there that I didn't know about. :D

**RP578** · 24-02-2010, 21:52

Originally Posted by Tarkwa

The "big name" units (32 Bn. Recces, Parabats) are well represented but some of the "National Service" memoirs are interesting, and, on occasion very funny.

My bold: Well worth checking out An Unpopular War: From Afkak to Bosbefok - Voices of South African National Servicemen

Incidentally Amazon UK are advertising on Buy 3 sale with James and the Duck: Tales of the Rhodesian Bush War (1964 - 1980) and Piet Nortje book on 32 Bn.