Omauni was started when no roads were running west to east. When the initial reconnaissance was done with a Landrover and two Unimogs they did not find the 17h30 cutline as it was not clear where it converged with the border fence. They continued east and found the 18h00 cutline thinking it was the 17h30 and proceeded south until they found cattle tracks passing towards the west and followed them until they came to the watering point at Omauni. It was just a natural water hole. Then they drilled for water and built a pump station. Then the base was built, then the roads were built. Later the airstrip was built. No one was settled there before the SADF built the base. It wasn’t like Nkongo and some of the other places where there was already a village.
In December 1979 the 32 Bn Reconnaissance Wing took over the base as their home. During 1978 the OC 32 Bn Gert Nel realised 32 Bn needed their own reconnaissance element. After receiving Chief of Army approval, training began in earnest by Recce Commando. Omauni Base had been supported logistically from Sector 10. When 32 Bn took over with their HQ at Rundu which fell under the support umbrella of Sector 20, Omauni Base flourished with permanent members in the base. A new entrance and a proper pub, a mess hall and a swimming pool were added. 32 Bn had always deployed into the bush with vehicles, initially with Bedford and Unimogs. Due to a personality clash between the OC of 32 Bn and the 'Bossman' of the Recce Wing, the 32 Bn OC decided to disband the Recce Wing. He encouraged all the members to return to Buffalo Base and be integrated into the companies. Some of the more junior members returned to 32 Bn at Buffalo Base. However, a very interesting unit under SWA Territorial Force was formed and 1 SWA Reconnaissance Regiment took over Omauni. The 32 Bn Recce wing had a total of 126 operators from December 1978 to 1984.
