When the Ship Comes In: Luanda 31 October 1975




'Vietnam Heroico' arrives in Luanda

 FLASH MESSAGE FROM LUANDA STATION

CUBAN REGISTERED VESSEL VIETNAM HEROICO DOCKED AT 1700 HOURS LOCAL TIME STOP

SOURCE AT DOCKS INFORMS THAT CARGO INCLUDES HEAVY WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION STOP

RECOILESS RIFLES MORTARS AND BM 21 MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHERS IDENTIFIED STOP

AT LEAST SIX BM 21 LAUNCHERS HAVE BEEN UNLOADED STOP

ENDS

'Flash from Peel in Luanda sir, seems a Cuban ship has arrived with some heavy weapons.'

'No sir, no reports of personnel but I'd be suprised if they wouldn't be sending people to operate this stuff...oh, there are BM-21s as well as some anti tank recoiless rifles and mortars.'

'Yes sir, I realise the South Africans have encountered recoiless rifles and mortars but that was Soviet supplied equipment. My concern is that Moscow will use Cuban supplied arms and troops as proxies in the fight to impose a communist regime in Luanda.'

'The cousins sir? No sir. I can call him straight away and arrange a meeting. This afternoon? Yes sir'

'Moscow say "no" Comrade'

'Do they? Well, the Cuban people say "yes!"'