Episode 54 – Operation Protea wraps up but the Russians and Cubans want revenge

Operation Protea was had wrapped up by 2nd September 1981 – Battle Group 10 had reverted to being 61 Mech, while Battle Group 20 was disbanded. As the SADF began to debrief, it was clear that this operation had been a tactical success, and operationally there was much to satisfy the purists who’d dreamed up the new mobile warfare doctrine. The final figure once all the counting was complete was 831 enemy killed, 25 taken prisoner whereas the SADF lost 10 men and 64 wounded. Around 4000 tonnes of military hardware was captured. So it all appeared a major victory for South Africans, except for one infinitely more important area. Strategy. FAPLA was now going to go on the offensive against the SADF whereas before they were responding mainly to UNITA further east. Much more important was the future role of the Cubans and the Russians. Partly because of the embarrassingly high number of casualties from both nations during Protea, Moscow could no longer tip-toe around the fact that it was fighting directly alongside the Angolans. The Cubans were now flying MiGs whereas previously mostly East Germans had been roped in to work with the Angolan Air Force. The Russians were on the ground in Ongiva, and died there. So, what of the future? Well, the documents captured during the operation were going to be very useful in the next few months. It was learned that SWAPOs main command and logistics bases were at Bambi and Chitequera east of Cassinga and Techamutete. This meant another quick raid was being planned to push further north. Operation Daisy would see a much smaller battle group heading 300 kilometers inside Angola, the furthest the SADF would ever advance after Savannah.