Events

Monday, 09 Aug 1982
A SAAF Puma (#132) piloted by Capt.Twaddle is shot down by AAA and small arms fire 15km west of the Cuvelai-Techamutete road, killing all three SAAF crew members and twelve paratroopers aboard - Operation Meebos

Monday, 25 Apr 1983
On 25 April, Alpha, Echo and Golf companies, five of 32’s reconnaissance teams, a mortar group from the State President’s Guard and an engineer element were deployed in the Calolola area. A company from 44 Parachute Brigade was placed on standby. Radio intercepts had indicated a possible SWAPO base 20 km north of Cuvelai. If close reconnaissance confirmed this, it would be attacked on 5 May - Operation Dolfyn

Monday, 23 Jan 1984
32Bn Charlie Company engaged a group of SWAPO building a bunker 15 km east of Cassinga. In the absence of air support against SWAPO’s mortars and recoilless guns, the platoon was forced to break contact and withdraw fairly quickly, one member suffering serious wounds. On the same day, engineers operating with a company ten kilometres south-west of Cuvelai located a minefield and lifted 46 x TM 57 anti-tank mines. Operation Opsaal

Friday, 27 Jan 1984
On 27 January, while probing towards Cuvelai to determine if the enemy had reoccupied the town, 53Bn Alpha Company came upon a GAZ truck loaded with 23mm ammunition, probably abandoned by the task force responsible for clearing the town during Operation Askari. The truck was driven to Ionde and the cargo used to replenish 32Bn’s ammunition supplies. Operation Opsaal

Tuesday, 31 Mar 1987
The SWAPO force at Evale is attacked by 32 Battalion and the town is cleared, opening the logistics line between Mupa and Evale, denying the enemy logistics movements from Cuvelai to Ongiva

Friday, 30 Oct 1987
On 30 October, from 12:26 to 13:16 and again from 15:45 to 17:03, 8 x SAAF Impala aircraft carried out more air strikes, this time on a large FAPLA base which was situated at the town of Cuvelai, south of Indungo

Saturday, 14 Nov 1987
At 21:00 on 14 November, several SAAF Impala strike aircraft carried out an air strike on enemy targets at Cuvelai. Impala Mk.II (#1024) hit by AAA and hit ground during ground attack ops near Cuvelai. The pilot SAAF Cpt. Andre Stapa died in the crash