Whisper in the Reeds

2nd Edition - Published by the author.32 Battalion is one of the most extraordinary army units in post-World War II military history. The battered remnants of a beaten guerrilla army, the unit began as a ragtag outfit conducting covert, anti-guerrilla missions behind enemy lines before transforming itself into what became one of the best anti-guerrilla army battalions in the world. By the wars end, the battalion had again transformed itself into a highly effective, conventional, fully mechanised battle group.The realities of life during the Apartheid days in South Africa resulted in the call up for National Military Service during the 1970's and '80's. On completing his training, Justin Taylor graduated as a Signals Officer and volunteered for Border Duty in the operational area of the Angolan-Namibian border and to join the ranks of the then little known 32 Battalion ... the Portuguese speaking soldiers of whom were so feared by their enemies they were known as &quote;Os Terriveis&quote;...&quote;The Terrible Ones&quote;. Drawn from the remnants of an Angolan rebel movement, 32 Battalion conducted secretive, clandestine operations into Angola at a time when South Africa was officially not at war with Angola. Taylor takes you through his 'baptism of fire' on arrival where he was thrust into offensive operations as an inexperienced junior officer responsible for the battalions communications. In pursuit of elusive guerrilla fighters, he details life as an anti-guerilla fighter on missions in the harsh and unforgiving conditions of the African bush and the intricacies of ground-to-air & ground-to-ground radio communications.Most notable is his account of the Battle of Savate where, heavily outnumbered, the battalion attacked an enemy brigade deep in enemy territory with the odds stacked against them. Told from the perspective of his role as a junior officer in the HQ, he vividly recounts the horrors of battle with the turmoil of the killing and the loss of close friends and comrades, intertwined with the challenges of maintaining communications with the command and control difficulties of an HQ caught up in the heat of battle.His following deployments into the bush were as a seasoned Signals Officer, culminating with his training of the replacement troops at the end of his service, arming them with the skills they would need to meet the standards required of a 32 Battalion Signaller. On completing his military service, he found it difficult adjusting to civilian life back in South Africa having returned from a unique army battalion that knew no colour &quote;When the shooting starts, it's not about the colour of a man's skin next to you that counts, it's what he is capable of&quote;. And then the disbanding of the battalion with South Africa's transformation to a democratic society in 1994, and with it the promise of a Rainbow Nation ... it was as if the batten of racial integration had been passed from the unit to the country as a whole.What set 32 Battalion apart is that it embraced racial and cultural diversity, which when combined with a culture of mutual trust and respect empowered the battalion to overcome insurmountable odds on the battlefield. As a result, the battalion was rated as the South African Army's best combat unit since World War II.&quote;First and foremost a soldier's story, it is told without self-aggrandisement and with a balance of sensitivity together with the harsh realities of war. While the factual and detailed insights into the legendary 32 battalion are both intriguing and historically significant, it is in essence a human story. The anguish and emotions experienced by the author are honestly portrayed, which coupled with his wry sense of humour, makes it an easy read and easy to relate to.&quote;