BAT CHAT DEDICATED TO 1 PARACHUTE BATALION 60th LETTERS / MESSAGES / ARTICLES / REPORTS / SNIPPETS THE RHODESIAN LIGHT INFANTRY / PARA MOST DECORATED PARATROOPER EVER NUUS VANAF ORAL / NEWS FROM ALL OVER UIT DIE VERLEDE / FROM THE PAST PRETORIA CANOPY QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER No 1/21 PRETORIA CANOPY BAT CHAT 2 / 2 1 Page 1 CANOPY KOMITEE WOORD VAN DIE REDAKSIE Voorsitter: Willoughby Brits WORD FROM THE EDITORIAL BOARD O/Voorsitter: Krige van Heerden This is surely one of the saddest newsletters we have had to compile. Sekretaris: Roche Vermaak The virus really has disrupted our brotherhood and brought tears in our eyes to read who left us. th Tesourier: Wynand Erasmus As it is the 60 Birthday of 1 PB, it is appropriate to dedicate this issue of Batchat to the Unit, by publishing a timeline and stories of Kommunikasie: Chris Pohl which some have already been published in books like Rooi Plaas, We Regskonsultant: Wynand Fourie conquer from above and on the internet. Credit to all writers of these stories and books. Gasvryheid: Johan Le Roex We, the editorial board and Bats all over the world, would like to thank the Pretoria Canopy Committee for the great evening that took Addisionele lid: Ashley Carr place on the 1st of April, that they organized. The zoom went well and was joined from all over the world. Thank you. It comes to mind that th this was the only known event that celebrated the 60 year of 1 Para Bn. To Chris Pohl, for the zoom presentation, Willoughby Brits and Annelize for the get-together arrangements, Herman and Seugnet Coetzee for the cake, Ashley Carr for the water bottles, Krige van Heerden for all his photos and Paul J. Els for making a video. This was INDEX / INHOUD supported by the rest of the committee. Word from the editor 2 Thank you and EX ALTO VINCIMUS Admin 3 INDEMNITY Correspondance 4 We know readers will smile about certain strange events they read or Articles & reports 7 see in this newsletter. We also know readers will not hold the editorial 1 Para Bn story 8 board responsible for every statement! This newsletter is filled with Articals 21 very different personal opinions of military veterans who write mainly News from all over 42 just on their own behalf. So, they say what they like. Uit die verlede 57 Final 63 VRYWARING Ons weet lesers sal glimlag oor sekere vreemde gebeure wat hulle in hierdie nuusbrief lees en sien. Ons weet ook lesers sal die redaksie nie vir elke uitspraak verantwoordelik hou nie! Hierdie nuusbrief is propvol uiteenlopende persoonlike menings van militêre veterane wat veral net namens hulleself skryf. So, hulle sê wat hulle wil. NEXT PTA CANOPY MEETINGS 16 APL / 14 MAY / 11 JUN Ma y no Soldier go unloved May no Soldier walk alone May no Soldier be forgotten May no Soldier be left behind when they return home! PRETORIA CANOPY BAT CHAT 2 / 2 1 Page 2 PVO APP The PVO website MEMBER BENEFITS www.parabat.org.za is there to give you all the Emergency/Panic button - Get Paratroopers in information you need on the organisation. Please your vicinity to assist when you have an visit it regularly. Any paratrooper who needs to emergency. know where his nearest PVO Canopy is will be Access to the Parabat Heritage Channel - News, helped from this website. New members are Videos, sound clips, pictures and much more. welcome and existing members who are unsure of An ever-growing repository with old and new any of the benefits on offer can make enquiries media recordings there. • PVO Projects - Status, news and updates PVO APP • Access to Employment opportunities Go onto the Android or Apple store, search for • PVO Enablement Fund Parabat Veterans Organisation and download the Die PVO beleid is om alle Parabats in te sluit - PVO app on your mobile device. Paid-up PVO members have access to premium information “ELKE MAN TEL!” and additional benefits. Ons is almal deel van 'n uitsonderlike groep “volunteers - with the guts to step out of the # Neem asseblief kennis dat die finansiële aircraft door". state beskikbaar is vir enige opbetaalde lede Alle Paratroopers word aangemoedig om vir besigtiging en vrae. Ons het strukture en die APP af te laai en benut. ouditeure in plek om verantwoording te doen Vir enige tegniese probleme kontak - [email protected] vir elke sent wat ge-in of spandeer word. Marked Order from Pretoria Canopy a variety of books, THE PVO ENABLEMENT FUND CD‟s and DVD‟s Essentially, the wellbeing of all Parabats and their families is our primary concern. Many of us are reaching the age where retirement and redundancy become threats to our continued welfare. Some of us have been suffering from the strain of wounds and disabilities sustained during our years as soldiers as well as suffered after our military service ended. Others have been made redundant by retrenchments or affirmative action. All these people need help and support in their daily lives. BOOKS The 2019 and 2020 Batchat is The book We fear naught but God on Special Forces is available @ R200 (Normal price R500) while stocks last. available from Pretoria Canopy. A must in all Bats PelsA Boeke book collection. Contact Paul J. Els for his books Order from [email protected] or order from [email protected] [email protected] PRETORIA CANOPY BAT CHAT 2 / 2 1 Page 3 BATCHAT 18/01/2021 A BIG SALUTE to Paul J. Els and all those involved with this excellent news letter. A huge What a terrible beginning to a new year. amount of work is required to get a document Our brothers in arms, Gavin Moultrie, such as this together. I, and I‟m sure that I write Paul Troll and Dave Harris all died within days on behalf of the Parabat Brotherhood, express our of one another. sincere thanks and appreciation for this great The PVO management and membership have all been affected by the passing of these newsletter. Salute. great men and will keep their memories alive Peter Laubscher 10/12/2020 whenever we raise a glass to those that did VALSKERMOPLEIDING not beat the clock. We wish their families peace and hope Ek was nie een van die wat voor genl WP en sy our deep condolences convey the worth in manne gekwalifiseer het nie. Inteendeel. which we held these fine men. In Jun 1962 is ek na die "US Army Infantry With great sadness, School" te Fort Benning vir 'n kursus gestuur. Mike McWilliams. Terwul ek die kursus gedoen het, het ek aansoek President, Parabat Veteran Organisation gedoen om die Amerikaanse valskerm kursus (wat ook te Fort Benning aangebied is) by te Dear Chris, woon. Dit is, tot my verbasing, goedgekeur en het I trust this communication reaches you and all ek, na my aanvanklike kursus in Jun 1963 die fellow paratroopers in good health Covid-19 vierweek valskermkursus bygewoon en vir my free and healthy. VSA vlerkies gekwalifiseer. I have just spent the last hour reading the In 1964, terwyl ek op die personeel van die latest Veterans News Bulletin which I look Infanterieskool te Oudtshoorn gedien het, het ek forward to with great anticipation every month. 'n omskeppingskursus by die destydse Happy to read about the life and lives of Valskermopleidingssentrum in Bloemfontein the veterans and their events and remarkable bygewoon - Louis van den Berg was achievements. Sad to acknowledge the Bevelvoerder, Nick Visser 'n offisierinstrukteur en passing of many a great influence and leader Johnny Kieser my instrukteur. of the various branches of the Military of South Nog 'n Tweede Wereldoorlog gekwali- Africa. fiseerde was maj "Duke" Wellington van 1 SAI Great to reminisce over events and Opl Bn te Oudtshoorn. Hy het "Special Air operations that Paratroopers played, pivotal in Service" vleuels op die bors gedra wat volgens 'n the history of our wonderful country, during boek in my besit drie operasionele spronge those difficult years of the bush war. vereis het (voor dit is die vleuels op die arm Capt. Charles Carulei 01/02/2021 gedra). Ek weet hy het aan operasies in Griekeland deelgeneem, waar hy 'n MC toegeken NEW ZEALAND CANOPY is. Ek dink hy was 'n lid van 'n eenheid genoem A new international canopy has been "Raider Support Regiment" wat ek nog nooit van established as a Facebook page. South gelees het nie. African Paratroopers in New Zealand are Groete, regrouping at: Deon Mortimer https://www.facebook.com/groups/251883319 640076/?multi_permalinks=25305633285610 8&notif_id=1613445377153749&notif_t=grou p_activity&ref=notif Pay them a visit and sign up to expand the brotherhood. Mike McWilliams. 16/02/2021 President, Parabat Veteran Organisation. PRETORIA CANOPY BAT CHAT 2 / 2 1 Page 4 SKILLIE PROJECT REPORT THE PVO ENABLEMENT FUND As you all know, our expedition to Cassinga last The PVO are happy to have supported Mike year was delayed by the Corona Virus.After an Cronje and "In His Honor" over the years. exhaustive exercise in co-ordinating our visit with In the last six months, the PVO has Angolan government officials to meet us at contributed R26,850.00 to this worthwhile Cassinga and the further task of assembling a cause. Mikes needs are constant and pressing priest , district commissioner and mayor to meet and we are always a call away to offer all the simultaneously at Cassinga, we have to do it all help we can. over again. In His Honour supports a children's home We are hoping to go to Angola in April or as well as Paratroopers in need and we thank early May, weather and border controls and all our Parabat members for their wholehearted requirements allowing.