A Colonel's Search For His Brother Missing in Action
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- čas přidán 27. 07. 2024
- #mia #war #military
In this video, we are introduced to Leon Lombard (Colonel Ret), who embarked on a personal journey following the footsteps of his older brother Neil, who was killed and went missing in action during Operation Savannah in the Angolan Bush War. "Missing in Action" is a deeply personal and poignant account of grief, highlighting the tragic consequences of war.
Leon made the decision to join the same unit as his brother and continued to fight on behalf of Neil. The video delves into the profound grief Leon experienced over the years and his determination to recover his brother's remains and bring them home. It is a story of immense human courage, conveyed through the perspectives of real soldiers, showcasing the heroism and sacrifices made as they defend their country against overwhelming odds.
The story is narrated by Colonel Leon Lombard himself, sharing his emotional journey to search for his missing brother Neil, who went missing in action during the Angolan Bush War in 1975, specifically at Ebo during Operation Savannah. This powerful narrative sheds light on the grief endured by the Lombard family and their resolute quest to bring their loved one home.
The video is dedicated to all those who have lost friends and family members in times of war, with the intention of providing solace and support to those struggling with the challenges and difficulties of losing a loved one. It is a reminder that they are not alone in their experiences, and that the grief can still be overwhelming even after many years.
Colonel Leon Lombard's account reveals the profound impact Neil's death had on him and his determination to honour his brother's memory by serving as the best officer he could be. His extraordinary and successful career in serving his country is a testament to Neil's legacy. The video aims to provide comfort and peace to all the families who have lost loved ones in war, with the hope that Neil Lombard's story can offer solace to those who have experienced similar losses.
This deeply personal and emotional narrative offers a glimpse into the complexities of war, the enduring bond between brothers, and the indomitable spirit of those who continue to remember and honour their fallen loved ones.
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South African Armour of the Border War 1975-89 (New Vanguard Book 243)
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South African Armoured Fighting Vehicles: A History of Innovation and Excellence, 1960-2020
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Combat: South Africa at War Along the Angolan Frontier
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The SADF in the Border War: 1966-1989
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0:00 Introduction
01:07 To Fallen Soldiers
03:29 Dedication to Neil Lombard Missing In Action
05:08 Searching for my brother missing in action
16:04 SABC New Bulletin of memorial service
18:28 The Last Post
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them”.
"Lest we forget"
With thanks to SABC for clip of the News Bulletin.
If you liked what you heard, subscribe to the show to receive notifications of future shows. If you would like to get more information on any of the topics or tell your military story, reach out to Mark Palavestra or John Sinclair on LinkedIn.
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A sad story of a brother in search of his older brother who was missing in action.
I was in the intake of 1974 and signed up for an extra year. So this is with a heavy heart I post this to day. I knew a few of the guys that passed away in 1975 from B squadron. Salute 🫡 to u guys. You will never be forgotten.
Thanks for watching
Leon Lombard, jy mag met Reg emosionele raak oor jou broer wat sy lewe neergelê het in Angola. Dankie vir die pragtige gebaar wat jy gemaak het om sy oorskot te herwin uit ñ vreemde land.
As mede soldaat wat in dieselfde oorlog betrokke was in 1979 en 1980, is èk trots op mense soos jy, wat broederliefde tot op so ñ hoë vlak demonstreer. Voorspoed.
Dankie Johan
Watched this and felt a brother's loss. Am glad he was given a burial, albeit by a stranger. This stranger granted him his dignity as a human being. Although the one who buried him passed on, I am sure he wasn't the only one who knew about the burial. I pray, knew means to discover shallow graves may be found.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this tribute to the young men who served and died in a war that was essentially pointless. My father served in the same armored division. I am proud to be the son of a veteran but even more grateful that he made it home. May the Lord give peace to the families who's sons never came back.
Thanks Fanie for watching and the feedback about your father.
Please don`t think it was pointless...because of your father and all the other brave men that served I had a gloriously free and safe childhood in the suburbs of Jhb in the 1980`s...they kept us all safe from what SA eventually became, because of your father and his service we had great childhoods, so please kind Sir, don`t ever look back on the war as pointless...at the time it was very very necessary and i`m sure there are many South Africans who grew up in that time that feel the same...
@C A Thank you. I agree whole heartedly. As a Rhodie I am forever grateful to the young men who served in our Bush War. Especially to those who died or were crippled during their service. Their sacrifices were not pointless or in vain. They gave a whole generation of Rhodesians, black, white and coloured, years of safety and happiness. I completed my schooling in safety, my mother and three sisters lived happy and safe lives for decades only because of the young men who served, sweated, persevered and refused to give up.
It was a war against Communist tyranny, so not pointless at all...the Bush War kept the Communists out in order for the Democracies that followed. The Communists are still around but not nearly as powerful as during the days of the USSR, also the countries are not shot to pieces & the local people can now vote for whom they think will govern best and build in stead of break.
An incredible story.... family and friends in war are the closest ever...bless you and your family xxx
Thanks for watching Keith
We honor your brother and his service
Bless his soul
Thanks for the feedback
A great tribute! The Last Post deserves to be heard without commentary.
Vlerkies thanks for watching and giving feedback. We will discuss with the team.
@@HistoricMilitaryInterviews Hi, you may want to check out Koos's youtube channel. He is doing a fantastic job of documenting forgotten history of the bush war. He very well may have access to people directly involved in that specific contact that could assist.
His channel details below, with email link.
czcams.com/users/LegacyConversationsabout
czcams.com/users/LegacyConversationsvideos
@@Vlerkies Thanks vlerkies, Koos has reached out to us and we will contact him. Thanks
Much respect Leon.
I can only imagine how this feels.
I served for 15 years RASigs and RAAF.
A handful of my friends passed during Service.
Sometimes I ask them for advice, and from the stillness and in the quietness I get the awareness of what they would do in the situation. It's a nice connection to the memory of their spirit/manner/personality.
Much empathy Leon.
Thank you for your service especially standing against communism.
Thank you for the comment.
Salute.
I also klaared-in at 2SSB and went to School of Armour on JL's.
I'm sorry we were never told of this incident, as it would have been good to remember Trooper Lombards memory, especially on 11 November.
Salute. RIP.
Thanks Marius for sharing
Ek salueer jou, Leon!
U was Majoor Lombard in B eskadron 1993. Ek het basies onder u gedoen. Jammer om te hoor van u broer.
Thanks for watching Nick and your message. We will pass it on to Leon.
I really hope you and you family find peace.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
Thanks for watching.
I remember this period very well. The thing that disgusted me was that the government-controlled SABC blamed the increasing death toll they were announcing on the news every night on SWAPO increasing its activity under cover of the chaos in Angola. The government had not the decency to let the country know that they were invading Angola. It eventually became an open secret in the country as troops returned home and the SABC then changed its tune and started bragging about how "well" the South African troops had performed in Angola. This is burned into my memory because I was called up for a military camp in December 1975 and it could have easily turned into a one-way trip to Angola.
Thanks for the comment.
I remember reading the 'official' line about how successful our troops were, and that they could have taken Luanda, but were called back because of international pressure...
No one ever mentioned that our troops had been turned back in a fight or that there were deaths.
@@robert-trading-as-Bob69 Back then the government controlled the narrative. The SABC was the mouthpiece of the National Party. Newspaper editors they didn't like, such as Donald Woods, got banned.
Respect!
Thanks for watching Deon
I wonder if ground penetrating radar today could uncover more accurate reading.? So heart wrenching. Brothers for ever
Thanks for sharing.
Salute!
Thanks for watching.
All the fallen soldiers are the cost of all wars and irrespective of who is fighting who.
Thanks for watching
of course those are black sentiments not shared by whites
@@tutotutot5193 No idea on what you base that claim. Or do you believe that whites somehow die differently to blacks when the get killed in war?
South Africa had no business being in Namibia and Angola. The Apartheid government oppressed us in SA and wanted to extend their oppression to Namibia. Learn your history before investing your emotions
@@johnzuma4688 these were not soldiers but racist imperialist who were spreading apartheid ideology deep into the heart of africa and deserved worse than what happened. Black people always feel sorry when people die but whites have zero tolerance and will rubbish any injustice they encounter. No german family goes looking for lost ones during second world wars.
Salute / Saluut
Thanks for watching, much appreciated.
Salute
Thanks for commenting.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee
In life, in death, o Lord, abide with me
Abide with me, abide with me.
Hazards of combat bound to be deaths and missings
Sad to lose friends and relatives!
Happens in all walks of life
Road deaths claim many!
Lest we forget....#341 Battlegroup Beaver...Ops Savannah
Thanks for sharing.
@@HistoricMilitaryInterviews that was a lifetime ago, but the memories are still vividly real today. Bridge 14, Cela, Nova Redondo, Lobito etc
@@WorkingforGODglobal Some of the memories are not quite as sharp as they once were.
Dankie vir julle diens en opofferings! Respek 🫡
Thanks for watching.
PF at 1SSB as a Tiffy
Who did this involve
FAPLA, PLAN, Cuba, Russia, CIA, Unita and South African forces.
There is no Ebo province in Angola sorry
Thanks for the feedback. You are correct Ebo is a town in Cuanza Sul Province and is not a province itself.
I am looking for Rene Perez he is American
Do you know what unit he served in and which year?
In 1975 Angola paratropper
@@danielepavan3663 You can try this organisation parabat.org.za/ We have done a video on the unit but a couple of years later czcams.com/video/v0YrF2vURmI/video.html I hope that helps.
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