Episode 53 – Soviet officers die and one is captured at Ongiva as Operation Protea enters DDay+5.

Operation Protea has entered its fifth day and the town of Ongiva had been bombed by the Air Force, and bombarded by artillery. Battle Group 10 had managed to sort out the area immediately west of the town, now 20 and 30 were going to bypass the town between the airport and the CBD, and strike at targets from the north West. 30 was heading directly for the airport which was going to prove a difficult target. This aerial assault was in support of the ground assault you heard about last episode, Task Force Alpha was well on its way to seizing Ongiva. Given how stiff the FAPLA resistance had been in places, surely they’d fight for their town with even more gusto? IT was an uneasy night and I must admit I didn’t sleep a wink. We were all in foxholes taking turns to guard the battle group – every bush or movement kept us on our toes. The sense of smell and hearing becomes crucial in these hours, and we sniffed the air like foxes. If anyone had tried to light a cigarette they would have been shot on the spot – and not even by the officers. Thirteen Russians died on the 28th August, one was captured – all had tried to escape using the convoy instead of surreptitiously departing which was the worst way to try and leave a town that had been attacked by conventional forces. Three of the Russians were Lieutenant Colonels, three were majors, one was a captain, another senior lieutenant, and a sergeant major. All the others were civilians and according to documents on their bodies, were advisors to both PLAN and FAPLA. There was a political commissar and a translator amongst these unfortunate souls.