Troepie Snapshots. A Pictorial Recollection of the South African Border War

Title: Troepie Snapshots
Subtitle: A Pictorial Recollection of the South African Border War
Author: Cameron Blake
Genre: War memoirs
Publisher: 30 Degrees South Publishers (Pty) Ltd
Pinetown, South Africa 2011
ISBN 9781920143466 / ISBN 978-1-920143-46-6
Softcover, 22 x 25 cm, 320 pages, countless b/w and colour photos

About: Troepie Snapshots. A Pictorial Recollection of the South African Border War

Troepie Snapshots A Pictorial Recollection of the South African Border War is a compilation of photos obtained by the author from veterans of the former South African Defence Force in the times of bush war. It was illegal to take photos; however, there were inevitably those conscripts who ignored the rules, aiming their cheap, disposable cameras at whatever they could, but usually among comrades or when it was considered safe to do so. Inevitably certain images are poor in quality, often blurred and off-centre. But that is the reality—hastily-taken amateur snapshots.

Even so, many are remarkably clear, serving to illustrate a period when over 600,000 white South African males, between 1951 and 1993, were ordered to join the South African Defence Force for service mainly ‘on the border’, or the ‘Operational Area ’—South West Africa (Namibia) and Angola. It is of note that all the photos, apart from Operation Protea, were taken by non-professional soldiers; young men some would call boys. Some patriotically embraced their call-ups as an opportunity to serve their country, while most stoically accepted their unsought-for lot —the law, and a war to protect South Africa from the spread of communism, the Red Tide.

Content: Troepie Snapshots. A Pictorial Recollection of the South African Border War

Author's note
Glossary of terms and abbreviations
Introduction
The South African Defence Force
The Border War
Police patrol
The border years: 1974-1980
Operation Protea: 1981
Where it all began
Basic training
Bush phase
Second phase
The border years: 1982-1989
The townships
Base life
The Parabats
Clearing out
Camps
Medals
Border campaign memorial services
Fort Klapperkop
The End Conscription Campaign
Appendices
SWAPO documents found during Operation Protea, Ongiva 1981
Minister discloses links with UNITA
Threat and response
Parachute Battalions' Code of Honour
Award of the Southern Africa Medal
SADF cross-border operations 1977-1985
Completion of 6th Cycle
The MOTH credo
Declarations to end conscription
Selected bibliography