Across the border: Surviving the secret war in Angola

Norman McFarlane’s book about his participation in the first incursion by the South African Defence Force (SADF) into Angola (1975–1976) adds to the growing list of memoires and reminiscences of the so-called ‘Border War’ that took place in Namibia and Angola from 1966–1989. Little was published on this war in the first two decades after its conclusion, but fortunately for historians of the future, this has changed since the middle of the 2000s with a steady stream of titles finding their way to the shelves of bookstores and libraries. The majority of these books published by mainstream publishers deals with the experiences of ex-members of the special forces, 32 Battalion, and the last phases of the war mostly seen through the eyes of former soldiers of 61 Mechanised Battalion. McFarlane’s memoire is a valuable addition to the literature on the Border War as he was one of hundreds of thousands of ordinary national servicemen who were not part of one these units but who participated in the longest war in South African history – not because they wanted to but because some of them felt they had no other choice. It also adds to the (as yet) meagre list of books on Operation Savannah, as the SADF’s operation in Angola in 1975–1976 was dubbed.