MR VAN STRAATEN
We were very poor, we grew up very poor.  As a young man, I never knew what I wanted or what the reasons were for all the various meaningless fights.   In standard eight I wanted to leave school to join the military.  I applied, I was accepted and I went into the army.   I was there for two weeks, but then I was informed that I was not old enough to be in the army, I wasn't 16 years old yet.   I then returned to school.    I completed standard nine and ten, and then started working at Owen and Chapman in Vereeniging.   I started working as an apprentice kettle maker.   I worked there for about six months, when I was called up for National Service.   I was called up to 8 SAI in Upington, which when I arrived there, in July 1979 I arrived there and started with my basic training.   I
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219	A VAN STRAATEN
completed my basic training after about five months and I was then transferred to Kimberley, where I followed a subsequent course in information, as well as a driver's course.   After completion of these courses, I was transferred to Second South African Battalion in Walvis Bay.  Upon arrival there, we received further information and training and we were then sent to Chavello(?), where we received a further four weeks of training in bush war, camouflage, etcetera.   From Chavello, we went to Poha(?) in the Kakoaland.   That was our zero base where we received instructions, received our provisions and then went to the base we were to man.