By Jon Goetzsche
Dogtag Memories is a raw, darkly humorous memoir that follows one conscript’s chaotic journey through South Africa’s military machine during the border war.
Drafted into the Defence Force in 1977 as a carefree seventeen-year-old, Jon Goetzsche saw his tranquil schooldays abruptly replaced by the brutal regimentation of army life. What began as naïve indifference soon spiralled into a struggle against authority, misfortune and the absurdities of war. As Dogtag Memories reveals, this transition marked the start of a deeply challenging journey.
A raw and darkly humorous account of war
After surviving gruelling training to become a parabat, Jon faced another setback. Authorities court-martialled him for assaulting a fellow soldier and sent him to Detention Barracks. Later, they reassigned him to an ordinary infantry battalion. There, he completed five months of training before deployment to the border for the remainder of his two years of national service. Afterwards, he attended several camps and eventually became a platoon sergeant.
Throughout this period, Jon encountered laughable rules, harsh punishment, and grinding boredom. At the same time, he faced fatal accidents and firefights with enemy guerrillas. Despite these conditions, he endured with wit, irony and stubborn rebelliousness. In Dogtag Memories, these experiences unfold with both intensity and dark humour.
Told with unflinching honesty, gripping immediacy, and biting humour, Dogtag Memories transcends the typical border war narrative. Decades later, Jon reflects on how those formative years shaped him. As a result, he offers a poignant, irreverent, and deeply human account of camaraderie, hardship, and resilience.
About the author
Jon Goetzsche was born in Harare, Zimbabwe. He spent most of his life in Johannesburg and now calls Cape Town home. After a career in the financial world, Jon changed direction. He swapped spreadsheets for scuba tanks and now works as a diving staff instructor. Dogtag Memories is his first book.
- PUBLISHER | Penguin Random House SA |
- ISBN | 9781776392711 |
- Recommended Retail Price | R290.00 |
- Classification | History, Memoir |
