Willem Steenkamp is a South African author, journalist, historian, military analyst and citizen soldier. He has published a number of books and consults widely in military affairs.
Cited in 1967 and 1968 in United Press International's annual selection of its best news feature articles worldwide.
Awarded the Settlers' Prize for Enterprising Journalism in 1982.
Awarded the Maskew Miller Prize (co-winner with James Ambrose Brown) in 1983 for the Anglo-Boer War novel "The Blockhouse".
Awarded the Lady Usher Memorial Prize in 1985 for the historical novel "The Horse Thief".
Awarded the Barcom Prize for Professional Military Writing in 1988 for an essay on future amphibious assault personnel requirements.
Justice of the Peace (appointed 1993).
UN international election observer (appointed 1994).
Member of the Ceremonial Staff Board (advisory body to the SANDF's Director of Ceremonial and Military Music) up to 2004.
Member of the VOC Foundation.
List of postings and tasks
1958: Called up for Active Citizen Force service: Study deferment.
1961 – 1965: Routine non-continuous regimental service.
1966 – 1969: On inactive reserve.
1969 – 1979: Regimental service (training and operational).
1980 – 1983: Seconded to 71 Motorised Brigade staff.
1984 – 1990: Regimental service (training and operational).
1990 – 1992: Seconded to 75 Motorised Brigade/9 SA Division staff.
1993 – to date: Regimental service, in various capacities: inter alia officer in charge of designing and implementing the wreath-laying at Woltemade Cemetery by HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1995.
Extra-regimental/staff employment:
Secondments to 71 Motorised Brigade and 75 Motorised Brigade/9 SA Division, as noted.
Observer on three external operations, 1979 – 1985.
Minute-taker/diarist: Operation Sclera (1984 South African-Angolan Joint Monitoring Commission).
Member/scriba of official SADF delegation sent to attend national convention of United States Reserve Officers' Association at Nashville, Tennessee, July 1993; also visited ROA head office in Washington DC for confidential briefing to convey to SA Minister of Defence.
1997 – 1998: Member of the SA National Defence Force's Education, Training and Development Team (with Lt Col A. M. Marriner ) revising Reserve Force training
Military Merit Medal (MMM)
Chief of the Army's Commendation
Pro Patria Medal
Southern Africa Medal
General Service Medal
John Chard Decoration (JCD)
John Chard Medal
Badge for Reserve Voluntary Service
Ngami! (1971). Fictionalised re-telling in Afrikaans, for mid-teenagers, of explorer Charles John Andersson's epic mid-19th-Century trek from Walvis Bay to Lake Ngami.
Land of the Thirst King (1975 – reprinted 1979). Historical/contemporary travel book about Namaqualand (North-West Cape Province).
Adeus Angola (1976). First account of the initial South African military incursion into Angola (now a standard reference work).
The Soldiers (1978). Short interlinked biographies of Generals Christiaan de Wet, Koos de la Rey, Sir Henry Timson Lukin, Sir Jaap van Deventer, Dan Pienaar and Evered Poole
Poor Man's Bioscope (1979). Historical/contemporary travel book about Cape Town
Moedverloor (1980). Historical novel, in Afrikaans, about Great Namaqualand (now Namibia) in the 19th Century
Sê vir Leonardo (1980). Contemporary action novel, in Afrikaans, set in Cape Town
Aircraft of the South African Air Force (1981). Illustrated survey of contemporary SAAF aircraft; later reprinted as Jane's Book of the SAAF (now a standard reference work)
Borderstrike! (1983). First detailed account of early South African military incursions into Angola, 1978–1980 (now a standard reference work). Expanded/re-edited edition 2003
Namakwalandse Oustories (1983). Re-telling, in Afrikaans, of traditional Namaqualand folk-tales
Christmas Story/Kersverhaal (1984). Re-telling of the Nativity, in separate English and Afrikaans versions, from the viewpoint of the animals in the stable
The Horse Thief (1985). Historical novel set in Namaqualand in the 1870s (winner of 1985 Lady Usher Memorial Prize, and later staged at Nico Malan Theatre, Cape Town)
Blake's Woman (1986). Historical novel set in 19th-Century Great Namaqualand (now Namibia)
The Blockhouse (1987). Historical novel set at the end of the Second Anglo-Boer War (co-winner of Maskew Miller Prize)
South Africa's Border War, 1966–1989 (1989). Illustrated history of the SWA/Namibian border war (now a standard reference work); due for facsimile reprint in 2014
Jim Zulu (2006). Historical novel set in the Kimberley diamond diggings area of the 1880s, inspired by South Africa's only known case of public lynching
Assegais, Drums and Dragoons (2012). The early military and social history of the Cape of Good Hope, 1510–1806
The Black Beret: the history of the SA Armoured Corps, Volume 1 (early beginnings up to 842 Madagascar campaign) 2016)
SA's Border War 1966-1989 (revised and updated edition) (2016)
SA se Grensoorlog 1966-1989 (revised and updated edition) (2016)
Mobility Conquers: The Story Of 61 Mechanised Battalion Group 1978–2005, with Helmoed-Römer Heitman (September 2016)
Work in progress: Volume 2 of SAAC history (the Italian campaign)(scheduled for publication in 2017)
