PUBLISHED INTERVIEW

During the 1950’s I was a fighter pilot with 2 Squadron SAAF, in Korea serving with the UN Forces. (See photo left.) We were in total 826 servicemen who served there while we suffered 36 fatal casualties. Later serving as flight commander, I was shot down over North Korea on 27th of September 1951. I bailed out of my burning fighter while they shot at me from the ground with 50 calibres; my canopy got hit several times however I landed safely. After a while I was captured and detained in the worst possible conditions – some of my fellow POW’s did not survive the harsh conditions.

I was released from the communist North Korean POW camp on 30th August 1953. I spent nearly two harrowing years in their camps – it was both a traumatic and tormenting experience. For this purpose, it is sufficed to say I learnt at first hand a lot from the communists! The soundest way to defeat any enemy is to know him and his language! I understood my enemy from personal experience and I devoted a large part of my life continuing to study and to understand him!

The communists sure give other meaning to words; take the word “peace” for instance there is no “peace”, even in Korea to-day! They also give different meanings to “Democracy” and to “Freedom” – take our own Freedom Park as an example – there is no freedom and there is no democracy in the party!