Gunship Over Angola describes the horrors of war

Steve Joubert had always wanted to be a pilot and the only way he could afford to do so, was to join the SA Air Force in the late 1970s.

As an adventurous young man with a wicked sense of humour, he tells of the many amusing escapades he had as a trainee pilot.

But soon he is sent to fight in the Border War in northern Namibia (then South West Africa) where he is exposed to the carnage of war.

The pilots of the Alouette helicopters were witness to some of the worst scenes of the Border War.

Often, they were the first to arrive after a deadly landmine accident. In the fiercest battles their gunships regularly supplied life-saving air cover to troops on the ground.

Joubert describes the horrors of war and talks openly about its impact on him, but also how he had to suppress his emotions to survive. He had several hair-raising experiences and was nearly shot down a few times.

A born maverick, he became increasingly disillusioned by the war effort and by what he saw as the mindless hierarchy of the army.

In essence a powerful anti-war plea, this book also aims to encourage veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to share their stories and seek help.

• Article provided by Jonathan Ball Publishers