When Fighting Group Zulu began encountering more persistent resistance another 2 fighting groups were created called X-ray and Orange.
One of the most intriguing elements that these forces encountered was the "Monster of Luso".
X-ray was to be a mobile column tasked with securing central and north east Angola.
Orange was tasked to occupy the Salazar Bridge over the Cuanza River, north of Mussende and to harass the Cuban forces at Quibala, to retain a Unita stronghold at Cariango.
X-ray, like the other columns had frequent skirmishes, but the resistance was fairly easily overcome and they made good progress towards Luso, the regional capital.
Capturing Luso was important to secure the airfield and the Benguela railway line.
Bellow follows two soldiers account of the battle and the "Monster of Luso".
We fought a 3-day pitched battle, which included infantry assaults and artillery duels. The most unusual battle was fought with a huge, converted bulldozer, known as the Monster of Luso. It had recoiless rifles and many machine guns built into the blade, which was welded into a fixed position. It came towards us, firing. Our armoured cars engaged it, and we saw at least 4 shells strike home, but the bulldozer just kept on coming, though it had ceased firing. We kept up withering fire, but it seemed impervious. Just as it seemed we would have to abandon our position, it ground to a halt. Once we had secured the city and airport, we found that the first couple of 90 mm rounds from the armoured cars had killed the crew, but missed the motor entirely. The bulldozer then simply continued forward, until it got stuck in a ditch.
We remained at Luso for 5 days, secured the airport perimeter, and made that our base. It was a dreadful sight when we moved in. Hundreds of dead lying all over the airport, with shattered vehicles and aircraft, a testament to the destructive power of artillery, even if antiquated. However, most of the runways and buildings remained intact.
Another described their experience so.
A heavy rain squall had forced us away from the airport buildings and onto the runway where we sat invisible in the pouring rain. The bulldozer had led their counter attack using the rain as cover. The flashes from it’s canon fire had illuminated it against the skyline as a perfect target. I had fired four hundred rounds from my machine gun into the bull dozer. One tracer bullet then four lead bullets, leaving my machine gun barrel every half second.
The three armored cars to my right had seen the red glow of my tracer bullets striking the bull dozer and used this for their aim. The shells from their 90mm cannons had completed the kill. Still, the four hundred enemies advancing, despite losing the bulldozer, were too many for us. The Captain of the artillery sitting in the armored car with me recognized our dire situation at once. Using his radio he commanded all eight of his guns to fire at the runway.
It took mere seconds, for they had only to select the settings prepared the night before. I heard the multiple distant thumps as the shells from the 140mm guns were launched towards us. I heard the unique whistle of the incoming shells. Would we catch the enemy in the open?
This was the ultimate in high stakes gambling.
The Battle of Luso and the mop up of the surrounding areas was fought at the roughly the same time as the Battle of Bridge 14.
Other posts in this series
The piece of the cold war nobody told you about - Africa's forgotten war
The Air Battles
The SA Fighter Aircraft
The SA Bomber Aircraft
The conflicts deep roots and start
Regional Tensions
Africa's forgotten cold war - Angolan War of Independence.
Africa's forgotten cold war - Mozambican War of Independence.
Africa's forgotten cold war - Rhodesian Bush War
Africa's forgotten cold war - The Angolan War of Independence transitions to the Angolan Civil War
The South African Border War - The start of Operation Savannah and Large scale South African involvement.
The South African Border War - Operation Savannah - the wheels start coming off.
The South African Border War - Operation Savannah - Battle of Quifangondo
The South African Border War - Operation Savannah - Battle of Ebo
The South African Border War - Operation Savannah - Battle of Bridge 14