Episode 52 - Operation Protea D+1, Xangongo falls and the attention shifts to Ongiva

As we heard last episode, By 6pm on the 24th August 1981, Battle Group 20 was in control of its objectives, having destroyed at least four tanks and capturing vehicles, guns and ammunition. The fort and water tower, key targets in the town, were eventually reached and taken. The bridge was reached by the combat teams by 17h30 and was immediately prepared with demolition charges by the engineers. It was found later that FAPLA and PLAN officer and their Soviet advisors had hurriedly fled the town while the FAPLA and SWAPO soldiers held their positions and fought furiously. And so the sun had set on a long day’s fighting, but Battle Group 20s rest was going to be interrupted in the early hours of the morning. I was part of that group dug in overlooking the river alongside a road out of Xangongo. Before dawn, we began to hear the sound of tanks approaching, the first sound you hear is the deep bellow of the powerful engine, then the squeaking of the tracks. There were T34’s approaching. Little did we know that there was another incident that took place in the north when a convoy tried to leave Xangongo and drove into Captain Jan Hougaard’s combat team ambushed the troop carriers. Now it was onwards to Ongiva and the commanders once again caucused in the main HQ tent that night. This was going to be another tough nut to crack. The town was defended by two battalions protected by 23mm AA guns, a tank squadron of T34s, as well as an armoured car company with BTR-23s and an artillery battery with both 82m and 76mm field guns. Dippenaars 20 Battle Group was going to spearhead the attack, assaulting from the northwest. He’d then hold the areas taken an allow Serfontein to continue phase two of the attack – swinging past 20 alongside and also striking from the north west.