Malcolm Colley

Black Smoke Malcolm Colley

From 1965 to 1989 South Africa was involved in a war against the advance of Communism in Africa, slowly moving south. It actually kicked off before that with acts of terrorism in South Africa itself. The South African Defence Force from 1957 until 1994, consisted of the Permanent Force and The Active Citizens Force conscripted, able bodied men, 18 to 45 years of age. The Portuguese were officially involved militarily in Mozambique and Angola from 1961 to 1975 when a change in government in Portugal led to the withdrawal of troops. The Portuguese soldiers who fought in this war have been sadly forgotten. I saw a report and photos of their unattended and overgrown graves in Angola, very sad. The Rhodesian Bush War was also being fought during this time. South Africa became involved in all of these wars. Mercenaries also played a major role in Africa and some of them are still knocking around but are officially banned in South Africa. Some mercenary groups have renamed themselves as bodyguards and private security. My story takes place against the backdrop of these conflicts from 1961 onwards. If circumstances of my birth were different, I suppose that I could easily have been one of the terrorists. I did love the army, not killing people but the camaraderie and the adrenaline rush. I loved the African bush, still do. I don't think you ever get the bush out of your blood once it gets a hold. I have also always loved the mechanics of guns. Something that I will never get out of my head is the red dust in the mist at sunrise with the smell and sound of the diesel engines as the Ferret Scout cars pull out ahead of the armoured columns. The adrenaline rush as I pull back the rack on my machine-gun. There was a torture used among black Africans where they would place a tyre, filled with petrol, around a victim's neck and set it alight. It was called "necklacing" and produced Black Smoke which could be seen a long way away. If you don't agree with me, as they say in the classics, tough.