Four Ball, One Tracer: Commanding Executive Outcomes in Angola and Sierra Leone

by Andrew Hudson, Roelf van Heerden

Overview

Brutally honest and devoid of hyperbole, this is Roelf van Heerden's Executive Outcomes. / Unapologetic, unassuming and forthright, the combat exploits of Executive Outcomes (EO) in Angola and Sierra Leone are recounted for the first time by a battlefield commander who was physically on the ground during all their major combat operations. From fighting UNITA for the critical oil installations and diamond fields of Angola to the offensive against the RUF in Sierra Leone to capture the Kono diamond fields and the palace coup which ousted Captain Valentine Strasser, van Heerden was at the forefront. He tells of the tragedy of child soldiers, illegal diamond mining and the curse of government soldiers who turn on their own people; he tells of RUF atrocities, the harrowing attempt to rescue a downed EO pilot and the poignant efforts to recover the remains of EO soldiers killed in action. Coupled with van Heerden's gripping exposé, hitherto unpublished photographs, order of battle charts and battle maps offer unprecedented access to the major actions as they took place on the ground during the heydays of EO.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781908916792
Publisher:	Helion and Company
Publication date:	07/19/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Andrew Hudson majored in military history at the South Africa Military Academy and after two decades as an infantry officer in the South African Defence Force moved into the private sector. Still a soldier at heart he divides his time between earning an income, indulging his passion for collecting books on conflict in Africa, and road running in weird and wonderful locations.
Roelf van Heerden is a veteran and author specializing inmilitary history.

Table of Contents

Illustrations 9

Author's note 13

Preface 15

Glossary 16

Roots 24

Part 1 Angola: Helping a Former Enemy Against a Former Ally 27

Soyo and the birth of a new type of African soldier, March 1993 29

Background 29

Recruitment 31

Mercenary or what? 34

Preparation and training 36

Heliborne assalut on Quefiquena 41

Seaborne landing 44

Consolidating our gains 47

The occupation of Soyo 50

Reflections 52

The 1994 offensive in Angola to oust UNITA from Cafunfu 54

Preparation and training 54

The deployment at Saurimo 59

Rapid Deployment Force operations 61

UNITA attacks Saurimo and EO bleeds again 66

Final preparations 72

Taking Cacolo 75

Cafunfu-the advance and attack 80

The tragic loss of Laurens Bosch 94

Reflections 99

Locating fallen colleagues in Cafunfu 101

Sojourn at Saurimo 104

Retaking the strategic town of Cacolo 113

Preparations 113

The advance 114

The occupation of Cacolo 119

The Angolan contract ends 124

A tantalizing offer 127

Part 2 Sierra Leone: Defeating the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), 1995-96 131

Winning the contract 133

Politics in Sierra Leone 133

The coup d'état, the RUF and the civil war 134

The death of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert MacKenzie 136

Low-profile preparations 139

Gearing up 144

EO arrives in Sierra Leone 149

Taking Kono 153

Operation Waterloo 153

Hendri's Waterloo 156

The advance proper 163

Securing and defending the Kono district 175

Meeting the people of Koidu 175

Birth of the Kono Consultative Committee (KCC) 177

Gaddafi earns his flak jacket 181

The defence of Baiama 184

Administering the Kono district 189

A new concept of operations 189

The Gandorhun attack 190

Strange visitors 192

War children 195

Soldier, sobel, rebel, Bicycle 198

Fort Pega-The House of Pain 204

The hunt for the 530-carat diamond 207

So true 211

Pamela and the tusk 212

The palace coup, 16 January 1996 214

A new horizon for Sierra Leone, 1966 218

Stepping up before the election 218

Kay's curse 221

TT recalls road movement losses 222

Mi-24 action in the Kangari hills 225

Sobels at Njaiama 226

Preparing for the cessation of hostilities 227

Chief Sam Hinga Norman visits the Eastern Province 229

Keeping the presidents safe 230

Operation Zenith, October 1996 234

The concept of operations 234

Operation Joru 234

Operation Golf Romeo 134 235

Operation Levuma 238

The end in Sierra Leone 241

Reflections 242

Further reading 245

Index 247

What People are Saying About This

John Brabazon

A unique and valuable account of the tactics and objectives of Africa's most famous - and infamous - mercenary army. Roelf van Heerden tells his story with clarity and precision, as he unfolds EO's defining campaigns. A must read for any serious student of the private military paradigm.
—James Brabazon, author of My Friend the Mercenary

James Brabazon

A unique and valuable account of the tactics and objectives of Africa's most famous - and infamous - mercenary army. Roelf van Heerden tells his story with clarity and precision, as he unfolds EO's defining campaigns. A must read for any serious student of the private military paradigm.
—James Brabazon, author of My Friend the Mercenary

Editorial Reviews

I was keen to lay my hands on Ruff’s book and when I finally managed to get a copy, - its title is “Four Ball One Tracer” - I was enthralled. Roelf tells the story of EO from the day he signed up to join the company, the nightmare that was Soyo and until the end of the Sierra Leone campaign. Roelf discusses a lot of things – the training, the tactics, the hardships and the laughs. He tells his story as he lived it – straight and to the point. He also pays tribute to the many good men who served in EO and used their skills and knowledge to bring about positive change in war torn countries. I do not want to spoil anyone’s anticipation but I would recommend Roelf’s book to anyone who is interested in a lot more detail about EO’s operations.

Eeben Barlow

"A unique and valuable account of the tactics and objectives of Africa's most famous - and infamous - mercenary army. Roelf van Heerden tells his story with clarity and precision, as he unfolds EO's defining campaigns. A must read for any serious student of the private military paradigm."

author of My Friend the Mercenary James Brabazon

"At times harrowing, sometime humorous, this book provides a fascinating and eye-opening insight into the murky world of private military companies."

Warfare Magazine