We Dared to Win

In his own words Andre Scheepers describes his childhood on a farm, learning about the bush from his African friends, and becoming a soldier. The family had to leave the farm after being ambushed by terrorists. A quiet, introspective, deep thinker Andre started out as a trooper in the Rhodesian Light Infantry commandos and was hectically engaged in Fire-Force combat operations before leaving for the SAS. Wounded 12 times, his operational record is exceptional even by the high standards that existed at the time and he really emerges as the quintessential SAS officer displaying extraordinary calmness and audacious cunning in the course of a host of extremely dangerous operations. Loved by his men Andre, writes very eruditely about his mental and emotional condition during the war and reflects very candidly on what he learned and how war has shaped his life since. Offered a commission in the British SAS after the conflict he decided to stop soldiering and entered a seminary whereupon he became a minister. In addition to Andre-s personal story the book also reveals more about the other men who were distinguished operators in other celebrated SAS operations. This is the story of soldiers, the hardships, the battles they fought and the challenges they faced.

Hannes Wessels was born in 1956 in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) but grew up in Umtali on the Mozambican border. As a boy, holidays were spent with Game Department rangers; time on safari in Mozambique with the late Wally Johnson was a big influence on him. Wessels also grew to know Robert Ruark whose love of Africa, its people, politics and the written word left a lasting impression. He saw action in the Rhodesian bush war before acquiring a law degree which he chose not to use. He has hunted big game in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania in a 20-year career. In 1994 he was severely gored by a wounded buffalo which almost cost him his life. While no longer directly involved in hunting, he is part-owner of a lodge and game ranch in Zambia on the Zambezi and remains keenly interested in all matters relating to African wildlife and conservation. He has published Strange Tales from Africa in the USA, a collection of anecdotes from his hunting days. He is also a syndicated writer for Outdoor Life in the United States and is currently writing a history on the Rhodesian SAS. He is married to Mandy and has two daughters, Hope and Jana, and lives in Darling in the Western Cape of South Africa.