platoon 13

Jan. 1983 to Dec. 1984

 Training:

  • Capt. Jon Stroebel

  • Lt. Patrick Devy

  • Sgt. J J Ueckermann

  • Sgt. F Jones

  • Cpl. Scholtz

Operations:

  • Lt. Van As Platoon Commander – got very comfortable at Ogongo and made no effort to visit the  sections at Ruacana or Okatope

  • Cpl. van Niekerk — Platoon Sgt. -- got very comfortable at Ogongo and made no effort to visit the  sections at Ruacana or Okatope

Section 1:

  • Based at Okatope

  • Cpl. Pieter Hanekom — Section Leader

  • L/Cpl. Riaan Hennig — Ryan?

  • Aubrey Kavanagh

  • Erik Funke

  • Mike Nel

  • Frank Alberts

  • Tony Foster

  • Vorster

  • Jonker

  • Andre Roos

  • 'Plakkies' van Rensburg

  • Kevin John de Klerck

Section 2:

  • Based at Ogongo                    

  • Cpl. Colin Bull — Section Leader

  • L/Cpl. Hendrik Maas                                           

  • Glenn Kieser

  • Gerrie Myburg — aka ‘Eier’ – rode into a neck-height  trip wire whilst returning from patrol to  Ogongo in Nov/Dec 1984,  just before klaaring out. Severely injured around  face/mouth/neck, lucky to have survived

  • Graydon Ilderton 

  • Mike Sonderup 

  • David Hope-Poole

  • ‘Bailey’ Beyleveld

  • ‘Kat’ Matthews — the ‘Knight Rider’ from VanderBijl Park

  • Van Niekerk

Other crew at Ogongo:

  • A dog called ‘Choppy’

  • A dog called ‘Prolink’

  • A goat with a pink tail and ears 

  • A nagapie that caused chaos and shat all over our tent in January 1984

  • Lt. Lester Moss 

  • Sgt. J 'Fires' van Vuuren — These two were Recces assigned to the Ogongo bike squad section in the latter half of 1984. This was in the absence of Lt. van As and Cpl. van Niekerk, perhaps after they’d klaared out. We worked extremely well together as they were not 'kop-toe' or authoritative, and they led the Ogongo section on some interesting night foot patrols and bike patrols deep into Angola. 'Fires' was an excellent shot with a rifle and bow & arrow and always keen to blow up something with PE4 or a grenade.

Section 3:

  • Based at Ruacana

  • Cpl. Glen Els — Section leader

  • L/Cpl. Hansie Bronkhorst                                

  • Jeff van Pletzen

  • Steve Young

  • ‘Rassie’ Erasmus                                    

  • Greyling

  • Swart

  • Ben Neumann — aka ‘Alfred E’

  • Marius Luus

  • Michael Bahnhof

  • Schoemann

Not Ops or Bike Squad:

  • Dave Inglis — dropped out of bike squad due to medical issues with legs and became a clerk – definitely NOT Ops clerk at Potch

  • Taylor — dropped out of bike squad and got married during training after girlfriend fell pregnant - became a clerk – definitely NOT Ops

  • SWASPES Adjutant Lt. Kevin Robinson — RIP Never heard of this person – definitely NOT platoon 13/14 bike squad whatsoever, but may have been in Otavi HQ. 

From Yuri Maree: Correct, I knew Kevin well, he was at Oudtshoorn with me in 1980 and briefly at Berede until at March 1981, then went to SWASPES because he was from SWA. I remember it as Walvis Bay, his toppie was a Sgt. Major at 2 SAI as I recall but JB Cloete says Tsumeb. Either way, he had family all over SWA. When I saw him at SWASPES in 1982 he was the Adjudant, he was never in any ops platoon. Killed in a car crash in 1984 or 85.

The terrain west of Ruacana is very different from the open shonas of Ovamboland.

The terrain west of Ruacana is very different from the open shonas of Ovamboland.

Platoon 13 section based at Ruacana. Far left is Ben Neumann, 3rd left Mike Bahnhoff.

Platoon 13 section based at Ruacana. Far left is Ben Neumann, 3rd left Mike Bahnhoff.

Okatope base.

Okatope base.

The wide open shonas of Ovamboland turned into shallow lakes with the summer rains.

The wide open shonas of Ovamboland turned into shallow lakes with the summer rains.

Tar road wheelying.

Tar road wheelying.

Tony Foster's certificate of qualification as a civvy parabat.

Tony Foster's certificate of qualification as a civvy parabat.

Platoon 13's Ruacana section, doing what bike squad does.

Platoon 13's Ruacana section, doing what bike squad does.

Jeff van Pletzen near Ruacana Dam

Jeff van Pletzen near Ruacana Dam

Platoon 13 servicing their bikes after a training ride at Potch. By 1983 the bike squad compound was well-organised.

Platoon 13 servicing their bikes after a training ride at Potch. By 1983 the bike squad compound was well-organised.

Pl. 13 section based at Okatope, somewhere in Ovanboland. At rear facing the camera is Aubrey Kavanaugh, 2nd from right 'Plakkies' van Rensburg.

Pl. 13 section based at Okatope, somewhere in Ovanboland. At rear facing the camera is Aubrey Kavanaugh, 2nd from right 'Plakkies' van Rensburg.

Obviously not Ovamboland..............west of Ruacana. Good terrain for an enduro.

Obviously not Ovamboland..............west of Ruacana. Good terrain for an enduro.

Platoon 13 was the first to do street training and get 'R' motorcycle licences. Before a training ride to Klerksdorp, some 50 km away. At right is Sgt. JJ Ueckermann, a horse type who became a bike squad instructor in 1983.

Platoon 13 was the first to do street training and get 'R' motorcycle licences. Before a training ride to Klerksdorp, some 50 km away. At right is Sgt. JJ Ueckermann, a horse type who became a bike squad instructor in 1983.

West of Ruacana.

West of Ruacana.

Jeff van Pletzen on the tar road to Ruacana Dam.

Jeff van Pletzen on the tar road to Ruacana Dam.

Lt. Devy decided chasing a ball or jogging were not worthwhile sporting pursuits for bike squad, and Platoon 13 took up skydiving in Klerksdorp during sports parades on Wednesdays.

Lt. Devy decided chasing a ball or jogging were not worthwhile sporting pursuits for bike squad, and Platoon 13 took up skydiving in Klerksdorp during sports parades on Wednesdays.

Dust, speed and large rocks don't mix, as 'Kat' Matthews learned on 'Operation VSA' (ref. Tony Foster) during training at Potch. Dave Inglis holding the bike.

Dust, speed and large rocks don't mix, as 'Kat' Matthews learned on 'Operation VSA' (ref. Tony Foster) during training at Potch. Dave Inglis holding the bike.

Jeff van Pletzen doing what is known as a "wheelie" in motorcycle circles.

Jeff van Pletzen doing what is known as a "wheelie" in motorcycle circles.

Training for 'R' licences on the street-legal Suzuki DR 500s, the first platoon to do so.

Training for 'R' licences on the street-legal Suzuki DR 500s, the first platoon to do so.

Ben Neumann, aka 'Alfred E'

Ben Neumann, aka 'Alfred E'

Excellent shot of a Platoon 13 bike and a Noddy Car on the tar road in the wet season.

Excellent shot of a Platoon 13 bike and a Noddy Car on the tar road in the wet season.

Tony Foster with Yati Spider's toy. 'Yati Spider' was Captain Barnard, a berede company commander who was in charge of Okatope at the time. How he got his nickname is explained elsewhere. It is not a heroic story.

Tony Foster with Yati Spider's toy. 'Yati Spider' was Captain Barnard, a berede company commander who was in charge of Okatope at the time. How he got his nickname is explained elsewhere. It is not a heroic story.

Jeff van Pletzen of the Ruacana section.

Jeff van Pletzen of the Ruacana section.

Some more wheelies on the tar road. ID, anyone?

Some more wheelies on the tar road. ID, anyone?

Platoon 13 in training at Potch. Rfn. Carl Barnard, a top national level trials rider, demonstrates how to ride a rocky downhill.

Platoon 13 in training at Potch. Rfn. Carl Barnard, a top national level trials rider, demonstrates how to ride a rocky downhill.

Ruacana section in real bush, not perfect bike terrain like Ovamboland.

Ruacana section in real bush, not perfect bike terrain like Ovamboland.

Miershoop base.

Miershoop base.

Unidentidied riders, terrain is clearly Ruacana and west, not Ovamboland.

Unidentidied riders, terrain is clearly Ruacana and west, not Ovamboland.

'Pad spook', bike squad style. Is that you Tony?

'Pad spook', bike squad style. Is that you Tony?

Lunch break on the Klerksdorp training ride.

Lunch break on the Klerksdorp training ride.

The Okatope section.

The Okatope section.