Great book, never seen so much detail.
One thing, photos generally poor, i know this was a charity deal and that is great, but maybe next time less i better?
Bushwar, provided the best overseas service i have ever seen.
Two Volumes Vol ISBN 978-0-620-83634-0 and 978-0-620-83636-4.
Irrespective of where readers might open the volumes, they will immediately get the feeling of having a great publication at hand.
In 2009 the team of seven people, whose lives had been linked to Ratel and to mechanised infantry over decades, commenced in-depth research in all earnest and, after almost eleven years, the book was published in 2020.
Researchers and other readers interested in technical specifications will find these and much more detail that has never been published before. The same applies for those interested in the tactical and operational history of Ratel. The story of “Ratel” captivates the reader from its development, production and deployment and most importantly, through to its major feats in battle.
The two volumes are best summarised by Genl. Constant Viljoen:” To a great degree Ratel epitomises more than just its role as an ICV, it also epitomises the South African can-do attitude and willingness to face up to and beat challenges.”
The first thing that draws the attention is the title of this two-volume work, which does not describe the Ratel as a subject, but just “Ratel”, as if the vehicle is a living being. The entire work gives the impression that it is Ratel writing its own autobiography,
This monumental work is a perfect tribute to the soldiers who saw combat in Ratel, a sentiment reinforced by the fact that the authors do not gain financially from this publication, with any profit from sales intended to assist South African war veterans.
The history of Ratel started during the late 1960s when the requirement for an ICV for the SA Army first surfaced. Although the two volumes can be read as separate entities, the reader will find more value by cross-referencing between both volumes, since the work, specifically in Volume II, does not always follow a rigid timeline. “In essence, Volume 1 is the heart of the Ratel Story while Volume 2 reflects its soul in the evolution of Ratel through the eyes of Ratel users.
The volumes are not a single narrative, but the authors succeed in the 44 chapters in weaving an interesting and captivating mesh, which facilitates a detailed understanding of the overall narrative. The bonding between the facts, reminiscences, tales, sketches, discussions and opinions facilitates both research and academic reference as well as providing an entertaining reading experience.
Volume 1 is the analysis and tracking of the genealogy of this warrior called Ratel. The authors provide a captivating reader experience by establishing a coherent environment in the development of Ratel and its variants, the operational and support environment, through to the most important component of the total system, the human component – soldiers of various positions, ranks, corps. This theme is maintained and supported throughout both volumes.
In comparison to the more technical nature of Volume I, the narrative style of Volume II makes for more relaxed reading. The author makes liberal use of authoritative literature from well-received books from the Border War which lends credibility to the narrative’s skilfully embroidered reminiscences of various users of Ratel.
Volume II follows two golden threads. Firstly the comparison between Ratel and its namesake in the animal world:” Ratel” - the Honey Badger, Secondly the author highlights eight watershed events on the pathway of Ratel and the significance of each of these on its development and application. Describing Ratel in these events rather than in individual battles provides the reader with an incremental frame of reference. The author did an excellent job on describing the shaping of the soul of Ratel from the initial development of the battle handling doctrine to its continuous evolution as the war escalated. The volume is rich in anecdotes on feats and contributions of commanders, junior leaders and rank and file soldiers.
The authors succeed in writing a monumental piece of history concerning Ratel, its users and its employment. Although some photos are low-resolution, this book was clearly never intended as a photo history.
The reviewer compared the volumes with similar works since World War I and could find no work in such minute detail as the Ratel Book. It is recommended for the future, though, that the authors compile a single page diagram of a timeline of some sort to make the story even more clear.
The reviewer highly recommends this work, which will fit equally well on the bookshelf of a researcher and of the enthusiastic military reader.
A Final Note: Reading RATEL – THE MAKING OF A LEGEND is an immense experience where one gets the feeling that Ratel is sentient. Ratel is able to perceive and feel things!!
I ordered and received the hardband personalised, signed copies of this magnificent book set!
This must surely rate as the most comprehensive and complete study of this legendary combat vehicle by far! It is well written and provides lots of new information on the thought process to create this IFV and how it came about that this was done in SA. It has in-depth and lots of not generally available history and interesting information and lots of photo's to support the written material.
I would however have liked more and better photo's and diagrams supporting the development process and the operational history, especially from a technical point of view. If considering the fact that this was not seen as a moneymaker (not for profit) book for its writers, then one can understand the lack of "glossiness" and grandeur this book actually deserved. Never the less, well done on an excellent book set!
Operation Savannah – the Troops’ Diaries Vol 1 & 2 Bookset Much has been written about Operation Savannah by politicians, historians, academics, generals, and senior officers. Those perspectives were not always shared by the very young men who were involved at the front. Many of Operation Savannah’s veterans have struggled to share their experience, even with family and friends. Most...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
"OVITA MOZONDUNDU" - War in the Mountains This is a compilation of stories of the men, women and children that spent time in Kaokoland during the South African Bush War, their trials and tribulations, the memories of their experiences whilst being there as soldiers, wives, children and civilians. Beating the heat, the dust, the stones, the mountains, the sweat, tears,...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
General Georg Meiring is the last of the BIG FIVE GENERALS of the Border War era – consisting of names that were commonly heard in South African households and often on the lips of many a young national serviceman of that time, Magnus Malan, Constand Viljoen, Jannie Geldenhuys, Kat Liebenberg, Georg Meiring. These were the leaders of the most powerful...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
True to the nature of Special Forces, the South African Recces started small but had a big impact. This iconic group went on to gain international renown as one of the world’s finest, focusing on counter-insurgency, strategic reconnaissance, sabotage and direct action. SASF SPECIAL FORCES provides a comprehensive account of the origins and history of this famous group as told...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
With roots going back to Cecil Rhodes’ buccaneering Pioneers, Stannard, like many of his countrymen, was born and bred to fight against the odds as a soldier defending a country at war with the world. Never frightened to lead, he tackled his foe with skill, incredible courage and almost unbelievable good cheer. Serving in both the SAS and the Selous...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Colonel Schalk Visagie’s book Under Fire in South Africa provides fascinating and important insights into the life of a policeman who was eyewitness to tumultuous events and dramatic developments, which continued to affect our world today. Coming from a police family, Schalk’s incredible life story includes the Border War in South West Africa/Angola, guarding President P.W. Botha, working in the Security Branch,...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Richard Freiherr von Rosen was a highly-decorated Wehrmacht soldier and outstanding panzer commander. His memoirs are richly illustrated with contemporary photographs, including key confrontations of World War II.After serving as a gunlayer on a Pz.Mk.III during Barbarossa, he led a Company of Tigers at Kursk. Later he led a company of King Tiger panzers at Normandy and in late 1944...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Until now little has been known about the Rhodesian contribution to the history of the SAS. Now at last the men themselves tell their own stories of the exploits of that Special Forces unit during the Bush War and the years before. SAS Rhodesia provides a comprehensive account of the origins and history of this famous Special Forces unit, as told...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
AFRICA@WAR SERIES: VOLUME 50 War of Intervention in Angola - Volume 3: Angolan and Cuban Air Forces 1975-1985 - Tom Cooper, Adrian Fontanellaz, Jose Augusto Matos Most accounts of the conflict known in the West as the ‘Border War’ barely mention the operations by the FAPA/DAA. A handful of published histories mention two MiG-21s claimed as shot down by Dassault Mirage F.1...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
‘The War for Africa: Conflict, Crime, Corruption and Foreign Interests’ is a hard-hitting account of the undeclared and invisible conflicts and wars that go almost unnoticed in the daily mainstream media. The impact of these economic, military, and political conflicts on the continent and its people is devastating. This book offers a personal, yet disturbing and behind-the-scenes glimpse of much...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Designed in response to a 1951 requirement, the C-130 Hercules is the most successful military airlifter ever built. Since it first flew in prototype form on 23 August 1954, more than 2,100 have been produced in over eighty different versions. Across its variants, the Hercules serves more than sixty air forces, as well as many civilian cargo operators, in a...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
AFRICA@WAR SERIES: VOLUME 51 RIPE FOR REBELLION: Political and Military Insurgency in the Congo, 1946-1964 - Stephen Rookes After many years of political struggle, the Belgian Congo was finally granted its independence in June 1960. Becoming the Republic of the Congo (and later the Democratic Republic of the Congo), what was supposed to be a momentous occasion in the country's history...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
AFRICA@WAR SERIES: VOLUME 52 FOR GOD AND THE CIA: Cuban Exile Forces in the Congo and Beyond c.1961-1967 - Stephen Rookes As the United Nations armed forces found themselves struggling to quell a series of armed rebellions, towards the end of 1962 the United States increased its military role in the Congo Crisis by providing the Congolese government with a small air...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Alan Brough is a writer and historian who grew up in Rhodesia. During those turbulent years he heard the whispered stories of Jack Malloch, an amazing flyer who many credited with the very survival of the breakaway country. Yet on the surface Jack seemed to be nothing but a hard-working entrepreneur who owned a nondescript little cargo operation serviced by...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
By August 1974 the Portuguese had all but abandoned Angola, its erstwhile colony, and there was a fear in both the Intelligence services of South Africa and America that the country was likely to fall the hands of the MPLA, generally regarded as a Soviet surrogate. It was that fear that triggered the training by South Africa of guerrilla groups...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
This book tells the story of the author’s three contracts as a mercenary in the ‘64-‘65 Congo conflict. It is a vivid account of his personal experiences, from his first contract as a raw recruit to his last contract, when he was involved in the formation of the navy on Lake Tanganyika and was the first C.O. Hugh started writing...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
AVAILABLE FROM 3 NOVEMBER 2020 A Brutal State of Affairs analyses the transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe and challenges Rhodesian mythology. The story of the BSAP, where white and black officers were forced into a situation not of their own making, is critically examined. The liberation war in Rhodesia might never have happened but for the ascendency of the Rhodesian...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
The Fading Light: Memories of a Professional Soldier's Five Decades of War and Conflict in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. An Australian former Special Forces soldier describes his experiences and recollections of war and civil disturbance across continents and areas of conflict, interspersed with insights into the nature and character of his various employers, and insightful analysis of the...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
An account which strives to place the war which South Africa fought in Angola in a historically meaningful perspective. Although the conflict initially centered on the opposing agendas of the SADF and People’s Liberation Army of Namibia of SWAPO, it was to escalate and take on an international Cold War character as Angolan, Cuban, and Soviet protagonists appeared on the...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
This work is a serious, non-fictional autobiography, which inter alia is an expose of the times and personalities involved during the thirty years the author spent in covert operations with the Nationalist Party government of South Africa from 1966. The author’s targets during this period included Soviet and Cuban political and military activity in Southern Africa and those of the...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
AFRICA@WAR SERIES: VOLUME 49 SOUTH AFRICAN ARMOURED VEHICLES: A History of Innovation and Excellence During the Cold War, Africa became a prime location for proxy wars between the East and the West. Against the backdrop of a steep rise in liberation movements backed by Eastern Bloc communist countries such as Cuba and the Soviet Union, southern Africa saw one of the most...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Al Venter's latest book on South Africa's 23-year Border War along the Angolan frontier offers a host of new perspectives. These include details about units like the South African Air Force 44 Squadron which converted Dakota aircraft into flying gun platforms similar to those used in America's war in South-East Asia. He also has American nuclear specialist David Albright -...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
Executive Outcomes was already well known to several governments and private corporations before it exploded into controversy in 1993 after entering into a contract with Angola’s FAA to train a brigade-level force to decisively end their decades-old conflict with UNITA. It was also well known to those involved in fermenting conflicts in order to topple African governments with a view...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
"YOU HAVE NOT LIVED TILL YOU HAVE ALMOST DIED, AND FOR THOSE WHO FIGHT FOR IT, LIFE HAS A FLAVOUR THE PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW" The South African Police Special Task Force is the Special Operation element of the South African Police. They are considered to be amongst the best of such Units in the world. They have a formidable reputation...
We will notify you when this product becomes available.
We will notify you when this product becomes available.