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4 unusual facts about 1 Parachute Battalion


1 Parachute Battalion

The first large airborne exercise of the Parachute Battalion Group took place in 1987 in the Northwestern Transvaal (now North West Province).

The two platoons withdrew in February/March (not sure anymore)Operation Savannah during the Angolan Civil War In July of 1975 when 1 string of 1 Parachute Battalion were flown to Ondangwa and travel by Unimog to Ruancana on the northern border of SWA at Ruacana and Santa Clara in Angola to relieve two Portuguese communities trapped by the MPLA.

In 1974 and 1975 1 Parachute Battalion operated along the Angolan border with S.W.A; along the Caprivi Strip; a platoon jumped near Luiana (September 1975), Angola to relieve a group of "Bushmen" trapped by a SWAPO force; and 3 platoons Joined operation Savannah at Sa Da Bandeira the day after the airport was taken (October 1975).

The first paratroopers were Permanent Force men, but soon the training of Citizen Force (similar to the National Guard of the United States) paratroopers commenced.



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