AS THE CROW FLIES: My Bushman experience with 31 Battalion

287pp., b/w & colour illus., maps, paperback, Protea Book House, Pretoria, 2015

ISBN: 9781485302681

Preface by General Constand Viljoen. Introduction by Al Venter.

Colonel Delville Linford's account of training Combat Group Alpha, and of his career in the SADF.

Linford was the South African Army's last liaison officer at Serpa Pinto, from April 1973 to July 1974. Because of his knowledge of Angola and its people, he was tasked by Brigadier Constand Viljoen to establish a base in the western Caprivi to accommodate, equip and train a group of Bushman soldiers. Under his command, they fought as Battle Group Alpha during Operation Savannah from October 1975 to January 1976, after which the company was named 31 Battalion and operated in south-east Angola and Zambia. 

"Few SADF officers have written their memoirs. Delville's work is a down-to-earth, Hard-hitting contribution to the Savannah history, but also a humoristic and deeply human account written by a man described by one of his men as '...very strict and soldier-like, the truly professional military man...'" Brigadier Willem van der Waals

"As skilful soldier Delville never followed the rules in a strictly military way and was always looking for ways to exploit the unexpected." Colonel Jan Breytenbach

Colonel Delville Linford SM, MMM (1930-2015) joined the South African Defence Force in 1952. After attending a senior artillery course in Britain, he was appointed artillery specialist at the SA army College.  In 1977 he established 41 Battalion in Windhoek and in 1980 was promoted to commander of 91 Brigade. After his return to Pretoria he was tasked with special projects until his retirement. in 1985.