The Battle for Smokeshell 10 June 1980
Author: Compiled and edited by Willem Steenkamp
Publisher: 61 Mechanised Battalion Group Veterans Association
Edition: First 2025
ISBN: 978-0-620-94290-4
Language: English.
Condition: Excellent. Clean copy with tight binding.
Binding: Softcover with illustrated cover boards.
Pages: 334. Print with images and maps
Additional Information
During Ops Sceptic, Ratel IFVs attacked an enemy base called "Smokeshell" on 10 June 1980. Three vehicles were shot out almost immediately and a running battle for survival started. Two medals for bravery were awarded. One posthumously. But there were many unrecognised acts of valour that day.
It was a career-long desire for Maj Genl (Ret) Johann Dippenaar to find the exact area where the Battle for Smokeshell took place on 10 June 1980. This was to be the start of a dedicated tour of Smokeshell veterans that would have taken place to arrive at the exact coordinates on 10 June 2020 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of that day.
Genl Dippenaar asked well know author - and also someone that was at the Battle for Smokeshell - Willem Steenkamp to put together a condensed document which could be given to each participant of the tour on the day they would have reached the coordinates. Due to the Covid Pandemic the 2020 tour had to be cancelled.
Willem Steenkamp worked his magic! This request for a condensed document grew into a fully-fledged book which is a narrative commemorating the 40th anniversary of 61 Mechanised Battalion Group's first battle, during Operation Sceptic, excerpted and edited from the regimental history.
The book - THE BATTLE FOR SMOKESHELL - 10 June 1980 is made up of 334 pages illustrated with specific maps drawn up by Camille Burger and some photos taken during and after the battle. The names of all 130 soldiers who took part in Operation Sceptic are mentioned in this book.
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