Hardcover, azure blue cloth cover, with dust jacket, entitled "Cross of Honour" by Ian Uys, First Published in 1992 by Uys Publishers of Germiston, Republic of South Africa, the book design by Insight Graphics of Pretoria, printed by Galvin & Sales of Cape Town, ISBN 0-9583173-2-1. The front cover of the dust jacket illustrates the Honoris Crux Gold decoration and the original series Honoris Crux, while the back illustrates the South African Police Cross for Bravery and the South African Police Star for Distinguished Service. The inside front and back covers have a map of Angola, while the title page is signed in black ink by the author and dated "20.9.93" (September 20, 1993). As described by the author on the dust jacket: "During the past 30 years the South African security forces' border operations and anti-terrorist actions often had them fighting insurgents and conventional forces in patched battles. Their bravery in contacts and fire-fights, in rescues and various hazardous duties such as bomb disposal is worthy of the highest praise. One reads of an SAAF helicopter pilot who noticed that a friend's helicopter was under heavy fire, so he switched his lights on to attract fire away from his comrade. The same pilot was later to land in an enemy camp to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter, who were being chased by a patrol. A jet pilot whose Buccaneer was out of ammunition dive-bombed enemy tanks to keep them from overrunning his forces. The heroism of the Special Forces, or Recces, became legendary. We read the unbelievable but true stories of two-man teams who crept into enemy camps, sometimes hundreds of miles from their bases, to gather vital information. Some were discovered and had to extricate themselves from impossible situations, such as the frogman team which attacked an enemy bridge then fought their way out - in some cases against crocodiles with knives! The Naval heroes range from the seaman who remained inside the sinking SAS President Hruger to rescue friends, to the frogmen who went inside the sinking MV Oceanos to ensure that no passengers remained in the cabins. Through these pages one realises what incredible valour our young men of all races have displayed. Their example should act as inspiration to all South Africans in these difficult times." It begins with an Acknowledgements, followed by a Foreword, a Prologue, a Map of Angola and is divided into ten chapters: 1 - 1961-74 Insurgency and Police actions; 2 - 1975 Operation Savannah; 3 - 1976 Beginning of the Border War; 4 - 1977-80 Retaliation over the Border; 5 - 1981 The return to Angola; 6 - 1982 - A series of disasters; 7 - 1983-85 Fighting intensifies as Cubans increase; 8 - 1986-87 Operations Modular and Coolidge; 9 - 1988-90 Prelude to peace; 10 - 1991 The Oceanos saga. In each of the dated chapters, historical information, plus in-depth descriptive biographies are provided of the recipients, along with the circumstances and the actions that they took in order to receive their awards, be they the Honoris Crux, the South African Police Cross for Bravery or the South African Police Star for Distinguished Service. The book concludes with a List of Decorated Servicemen and Policemen, a List of Honoris Crux Awards, a List of Abbreviations, a Bibliography and a three page Index. The book contains 206 pages, enhanced with multiple photographs that complement the detailed text, printed in black ink, on a bright white paper stock, measuring 167 mm (w) x 240 mm (h) x 18 mm (d). It is accompanied by an independent Addendum to the Index (excluding appendices) that lists Decorated Men printed in black ink on a 65 mm (w) x 210 mm (h) folded bookmark-style light blue cardstock. The back exhibits a hole at the mid-point on the right side that passes through the dust jacket to the back cover at the crease fold, with light wear at the base at the spine, however, the pages within remain unaffected. Better than very fine.
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