Episode 44 – The Recces kayak to Savate as 32 Battalion preps for Operation Sceptic aka Smokeshell

This is episode 44 – it’s the run up to Operation Sceptic in 1980 – or what many folks call Ops Smokeshell. That’s because the main target – Chifufua was code-named Smokeshell or QFL depending on what report you read, but there were other targets too. Before that operation there were a few other incidents across the fighting front. One involved a formation of Impala’s armed with rockets that ended up strafing what they thought was a SWAPO position in Ovamboland – however when they were debriefed, it was clear that they’d entered into Angolan territory and shot up an unknown location inside the territory. Then in 1980 UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi decided his men would capture the towns and hold them. So on 14th April UNITA took Cuangar on the Cubango River – literally on the border. This marked the beginning of a new phase in UNITAs strategy where they planned to hold the entire southern Angolan region if possible. Savimbi approached the SADF and asked for assistance in attacking Savate to drive FAPLA further north west. It was one of their main bases 75 kilometers inside Angola. As you’re going to hear, the South Africans were led to believe it was lightly defended - but that was totally incorrect.