A Year Late and a Border Short Book

We grew up in the ’80s — in that strange, twitchy South Africa where the world felt small, the rules felt fixed, and most of us didn’t ask too many questions. We had Top 20 on the radio, rugby on Saturdays, and this uneasy sense that the grown-ups knew something we didn’t — and didn’t want to tell us. Then came conscription. And suddenly, we were in uniform, shoved into situations we barely understood, surrounded by heat, silence, and the steady hum of things falling apart.

A Year Late and a Border Short is the result of sitting with those memories for a few decades. It’s not a war book in the traditional sense. It’s about what happens to young men raised in a closed system when the cracks finally start to show. It’s about the narrowness of our lives back then — and the disorientation that followed once we stepped beyond it. I wrote it for anyone who lived through those years or grew up around those who did, and mostly for anyone curious about what it really felt like — not the strategy, not the speeches, but the trapped feeling, the boredom, the confusion, and the moments that never quite went away. You can find it here: Amazon Kindle & Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCDJ51GC

A MEDIC’S PERSPECTIVE ON ARMY NATIONAL SERVICE

There’s a common saying regarding Army National Service conscription: “It was the best time of my life that I never want to do over again”. Which may sound a little conflictory (first pun already?). Or how about “sien jy daai boom?” (“do you see that tree over there?”) as an expression we would come to know and hate very well. If you have been there it will sound familiar, if you haven’t you’ll understand as we go along. Welcome to the South African Medical Service.

A Medic’s perspective

I am also attempting to shed some light on a subject that most of the ex-SADF members have strong opinions on, as we take a look at what life was like for an army medic. Medics caught a lot of flak from the other armed services and had some rather scathing opinions thrown at them, mostly negative. If you are curious as to how it went for us in our maroon berets, then read on, and I have tried to keep the facts as correct as possible. Forgive me, however, if after three decades or so I may have misinterpreted or incorrectly described something – memories fade, which is the reason I am writing this down. As I said, hindsight can be selective, so we’re walking a fine line here, but I think it is mostly there, and I hope you will join me as I compress two years into a couple of pages.

Most of these memories will be seen through a lighthearted slant, because South Africans, more than most, can relate to adversity by injecting some humour into proceedings. This doesn’t mean we didn’t have it rough; I mean, fifty push-ups in thirty-degree heat, wearing thick overalls and stiff leather boots is no joke. And standing there during an ‘uitkak’ with spittle flying in your face, being called every form of vulgar bodily function while trying to comprehend what you had, in fact, done wrong is rather exhausting. Especially when you knew there was more physical torture to come so you could pay for your indiscretions to the corporals’ satisfaction (or dissatisfaction).

This is the story of our little world that started in Potchefstroom and ended up mainly in Pietersburg. To us, at the time, it was a frustrating, boring, exciting, carefree, imprisoned, sheltered time, and we did our best to colour just outside of the lines, but not too far or there would be trouble. Or at least that was the spin according to legend and the consistent warning from the higher-ups.

LINK: Check it out on AMAZON (Kindle & Paperback)

For those who haven’t experienced the army, in particular conscription, I hope it may be informative and entertaining. For those who have, maybe you’ll recognise some of the stuff here, shake your head and chuckle at others, or maybe it will trigger a memory or two. It’s a story of resilience, contrasts, growing up and responsibility. But also boredom, exuberance and youthful abandon, and along the way we learned a few things.

There’s a bit of politics to set the scene, but mostly, we focus on the day-to-day existence of these young lads who are ultimately oblivious to the big picture. It might not have all the action and adventure of a Hollywood production, but everything in here happened and is true to the best of my ability to recall it. I also don’t want to dilute or embellish anything but keep it factual, on topic and to serve as a snapshot of those times. We’ll keep it light and I hope my writing style is entertaining enough while sticking to the facts.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this short time travel to life in national service, and maybe you have picked up something from in between my words (reading between the lines).😎