SADF SF gear designer Johann Niemoller.

 

If you have any interest in South African militaria or LBE you will have heard of the name Johann Niemoller. Johann was an officer in the SADF Reconnaissance Commandos, he designed some unique equipment for the Recce's based on his experience. Johann is a busy man and owns and operates several chrome, coal, and manganese mines. He very kindly took time out of his busy schedule to chat with me about his time designing gear.

I asked Johann how he got into designing gear.
"When I was in Special Forces many years ago, the army sent me to Mozambique up to the north of Tanzania, to train the Renamo army and then walk from the north to the south back to South Africa, about 1500km, which took me 4 months. Finally arriving back in South Africa, I bought a sewing machine and started making my clothing and webbing as I thought it should be. So I had to make it for everybody with me in the Recces, and so It became the standard. I am unchanged till today, I am making new designs but the collapse of the SA Army does not warrant manufacture on a larger scale. I have the original drawings, I will look for them and send you a copy."

Johann designed the light assault webbing to carry four mags. Another three would be carried in chest webbing that he designed and was made from a 350-gram nylon fabric with a coating. The rear pouch was for the roll up medical kit and a 1 litre drip. The small pouches on the yoke and the top of the side pouches were to give quick access for three bomb bandages. The two front pouches at the sides were for white phos or M26 grenades and the smaller front pouch was for a pocket knife. The two large side pouches could take a 2-litre water bottle a radio or extras. On the left front yoke strap was provision for a knife. 

Type one Niemoller Light Assault Webbing.

Johann also designed other items such as bags, including several medical bags, a set of Fire Force webbing, the hot  extraction harness, a pistol pocket and some clothing. Johann got his sewing machine around 1983. "It was a brother walking foot machine. I bought in Cape Town and transported to Phalaborwa 5 Recce Base and put it in my room next to my bed." The type two webbing was made for 4 recce and designed for sea operations.

Type two Niemoller Light Assault Webbing.

Hot extraction vest designed by Johann Niemoller and Mike Du Toit in 1987.

I asked Johann if he was involved in the Pathfinder/ 32 Battalion/ S2000 or the cabbage patch 90 webbing. He replied, "Even today governments takes your design and then give it to army contractors without asking or talking to you, and then the webbing has the same look but completely different, every officer in 32 or army is better than you and he is the commanding officer and so he wants a say as well, so I never intended if the requirement or price they offer was not acceptable."

I also asked how it felt knowing that his designs were so influential? They were still being used long after the introduction of the Pattern 90 webbing. "I never thought it would be so popular, the long walks in the Recces were quite memorable events." 

Rare Niemoller webbing designed for use with R1 magazines.

Johanns gear was very popular in the Recces and used for many years.  Andy from  Andys gasworks on IG passed on this from a discussion with an SF Operator.

“In essence he said he liked it and it was a popular webbing system. His use of pouches was driven by his position as a team leader. There was no water carried on his setup, which surprised me as it’s a very risky strategy in that part of Africa. I assume that although carried in his Bergen he would have had at least 1 2l container attached externally in a removable pouch that could be slung over his shoulders if he had to ditch his pack and go on the run."

"On the Niemoller the two 2L pouches were used for ground to air radio and ground to ground radio. Then a Tacbe was carried in a pouch on his left upper, while the Zip pocket on his right held more comms kit (pocket torch, heliograph, pencil flares and launcher)."

"The ‘flatpack’ zip pouch held a small but comprehensive med kit, saline drip and giving kit. Magazines were held in mag pouches, grenades, binoculars in other GP pouches. He also wore a chest rig beneath the Niemoller containing 2 more AK mags, an E&E kit, and his Sidearm.”

While Johann was not involved both the Pathfinders and 32 Battalion designed their own webbing inspired by his work.

Pathfinder webbing.

32 Battalion webbing.

Johanns webbing has been copied and modified many times.

A copy of the type two webbing made for the SANDF by Thorax in S2000 camo.

A set of webbing made for Backpacker by a Cut Make and Trim (CMT) contractor and used by Executive Outcomes.

A set of custom webbing designed to hold ten magazines.

Custom Niemoller webbing, most likely done as a one off.

Special thanks to Johann Niemoller, MJ and Andys gasworks.

British PLCE Assault Vest.

The British PLCE Ops vest evolved out of the Universal Specialist Equipment (USE) vests popular with British Special Forces in the 90's. USE was set up by a member of 22 SAS and located in Hereford. They were privately (or Squadron) purchased by members of the SBS, SAS and Pathfinder Platoon.

USE Vest.

Officially designated "Waistcoat Mans (General Ops Mans)." These vests come in two versions/ colours, DPM and Desert DPM. While some difference's are subtle others are more obvious. 

These vests were quite popular with both conventional troops and UKSF. They were eventually phased out with the widespread adoption of Osprey body armor.

Niemoller Light Assault Webbing.

 

Johan Niemoller was an Officer with 5 Recce he designed a belt kit specifically for the Recces unique missions. The unusual layout was because the webbing had to work with a large external framed ruck sack as well as carry the standard issue SADF 2l water bottle. This example is a commercial copy made for Backpacker by a Cut Make and Trim (CMT) contractor. The ladder lock closure on the mag pouches indicate that. This version was by used by Executive Outcomes.

Recce operator with large external frame ruck and type 1 Niemoller webbing. These packs could get up to 85-95kg on some missions.

Close up photos of the rig in the video.

Platatac Jungle Warfare chest rig.

The Platatac Jungle Warfare chest rig with Chicom Y harness.

I have had the JW rig for a while now and really like it. It works well under a pack. Decent amount of capacity without going overboard and the split front feature is nice.

MC Tropic looks cool but is too dark for most environments. Its probably good in the wet season but I'm not sure about the dry.

TT hydro pouch attached to the Y harness.

With the Helikon Tex Summit pack.

 

Original SOE AK/ M4 Chest Rig.

 

The Original SOE AK/ M4 chest rig is a classic design with some interesting features. I got this in 2012 and like it a lot although it is a bit heavy for what it is. The base rig can carry 8x mags, 2x radios and maps+ admin items. You can then add pouches as you need them.

Helikon Tex Chicom Rig

 

I recently picked up one of the new Helikon Tex Chicom rigs. Its a nice update of a classic, that has a lot of cool features. I have a mix of Helikon and TT pouches on it.

I did a review of it here, https://youtu.be/3urvktHRssc

Pouches Left - Right;

TT small utility pouch,

TT GPS/ strobe pouch,

Helikon competition 2x mag insert,

Helikon SERE pouch,

Easily holds 5x mags, LRF, GPS and survival gear.

The legendary Ian Yule soldier, mercenary, international movie star

Ian Yule as Cpl Fields in the film “Zulu Dawn” The former Soldier had 71 credits as an actor.

Ian was born an orphan before World War 2. When his adoptive parents were killed in the Blitz, he was taken in by Americans stationed in the UK. He joined the British Army as a boy soldier and served in the Artillery, Parachute Regiment and the SAS.

During his time in, he was deployed to the Korean war and took part in the Inchon attack on the West coast of Korea. He also fought fought at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir with the American Marines. This is where Yule was captured and taken prisoner, he was a POW of the North Koreans for two and half years.

At the end of the war, he was released from captivity and stayed in the Army. He served in Egypt, then Yemen and then back to Egypt for the Suez Crisis.

As if that wasn't enough he joined “Mad” Mike Hoare’s 5th Commando in the Congo as a mercenary. Yule introduced Col. "Mad" Mike Hoare to “Wild Geese” producer Euan Lloyd. Hoare was a soldier of fortune and had made a sound impression on Lloyd. He became the military advisor for the film with Ian playing the part of Sgt. Tosh Donaldson.

He also served in the Rhodesian Armed Forces during the Bush War and after that the SADF.

Ian became incapacitated in later life due to his numerous
wounds including a very bad gun shot wound to the abdomen. He was also suffering from very bad rheumatoid arthritis. He needed sticks to walk and was very hard of hearing, he also had degenerative eyesight and was suffering from on-set dementia.

He died in the UK on the 3rd of December 2020, he was assisted by the South African Legion and the SSAFA.

RIP Warrior.

Helikon Tex Training Mini Rig upgrade

 

I am a big fan of the Helikon Tex TMR. I mostly use it with .308 AICS mags. Its a great rig but the four pistol mag pouches are excessive for me so I added a utility pouch. This is an easy mod that doesn't damage the rig.

Heres a video on how to do it,