Courtesy of SOFREP.com…..

BY D.R. Tharp

We explored the historical background of Rhodesia’s SAS ‘C’ Squadron. Now it is time to focus on a few of the missions that they undertook during the Rhodesian Bush War, a war that threatened to destroy the government of Rhodesia, take the land and evict those of European descent.

There are resources available (though hard to find) that follow the actions of the SAS over a decade of constant contact with the enemy. Given the long period, it would be impossible in this article to do justice to all of the actions taken by the SAS. Yet, little by little, more of the men who served are putting pen to their experiences and letting us delve into a piece of military history that is not widely studied.

Rhodesia Against The World

Just as Britain had carved up the Federation, it also made demands on the people of Rhodesia: The British wanted to govern from London a people that had carved out its living from the wilderness of Africa.

Although no formal form of Apartheid existed in Rhodesia, the British declared that Rhodesia must immediately give up white Majority rule. Unlike South Africa at the time, Native Africans were part of the Ian Smith government and the Rhodesians themselves were working towards further integrating the blacks into politics and the economy. Furthermore, the Tribal Trust Lands were administered and provided for by the government. Yet, Smith believed it would be disastrous to completely turn over the government to a people not yet integrated into the work or education necessary to govern a nation.

Ironically, the Bush War would take a higher toll on the Black Rhodesians than on the Whites Population as the Communist Terrorists slaughtered thousands of Shona and Matebele men, women, and children.

The demands from Britain led to the Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. Rhodesia declared itself free from being ruled as a colony and would go it alone. The British immediately retaliated with sanctions on oil and other commodities in an attempt to strangle Rhodesia into submission. Fortunately, there were a few allies that defied the United Nations and helped Rhodesia in its struggle: South Africa was a stalwart ally, along with Israel and a few other Middle Eastern countries.

Much of the desire for independence revolved around the communist influences making headway into Africa. A western worldview was incompatible with altogether allowing Communist African Nationalists to run the government.

Rhodesia would have to go to war alone against communism. On a personal note, as I have discussed the war with several veterans of Rhodesia and South Africa, I have marveled at the amount of time they were deployed. In many ways it is different than the current War on Terror, in that, they had no place to rotate home to: Many veterans spent over 10 or more years on active duty, enduring hundreds and hundreds of firefights. The answer is always the same, ‘We had no choice, it was our home and we had nowhere to go.”

Immediately after the break from Britain, Rhodesia took matters into its own hands at stopping the Communist Insurgency on its borders. It was no longer worried about the British Overlords condemning its military actions nor would it suffer outright the murders of its citizens. Thus, it was decided that rather than catch the crook in his home, they would hunt him down on his own territory and prevent him from ever getting into Rhodesia.

Pursuit Into the Safe Havens

The Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), supported and trained by the Communist Chinese, had begun infiltrating from Zambia. Crossing the mighty Zambezi River and Valley, they were getting deeper and deeper into Rhodesia. A horrifying event finally unleashed the furor of the country and caused it to use its finest tool of war: In May of 1966, Johannes and Barbara Viljoen, farmers with children, answered a knock at the door. They were shot dead and mutilated. The anger of the nation turned on these terrorists.

Six years of preparation by the SAS were put into action. (Prior to 1966, SAS were involved in Border Interdiction and tracking down small bands of terrorists which were causing mayhem; this was an underutilization of the SAS’ capabilities.) A plan was formed to travel to Lusaka in Zambia and blow up the ZANU headquarters. Up until this mission, only senior NCOs were involved in any type of cross border activity.

The plan proceeded in October and ended in disaster. The explosives the SAS took with them malfunctioned, before they were able to infiltrate Zambia killing several of the NCOs and the specialized training along with it. The Alouette sent to recover the bodies also suffered a malfunction and crash-landed.

Trials and Tribulation

After reviewing the failure, a better plan was formulated and became the first of many external operations to come. It was called Operation Sculpture and its mission was the same: Infiltrate ZANU’s headquarters and destroy documents and anything else vital to the organization. SAS would infiltrate by light aircraft, meet an agent who would take them into Lusaka, drop them off, and pick them up afterward.

After weeks of rehearsing, it was a go. The men gathered their explosives and small arms, dressed in civilian clothing, and flew into Lusaka’s airport. The pilot taxied down the runway and when it turned to take off again, the operators jumped out and fled into the bushes. The agent showed up and drove them into town and into an unforeseen problem: Outside of the headquarters, several factions of ZANU were fighting in the streets. Not having eyes on the target before the mission was an intelligence failure. Nevertheless, the men decided to give try exited the vehicle.

They hoped that the chaos outside the HQ would allow them to secretly enter the building while the guards were watching the fighting in the streets. The leader of the team made every effort possible to find a way into the building but it was airtight. At that point, they decided to abort and fly home. The agent picked them up on time and drove them to the fence of the airport. Nerves set in badly as the pilot was late. When he finally showed up, they frantically flashed penlights at him. Once aboard and returned to Rhodesia, a series of changes were made to external operations.

As most fledgling and isolated organizations do, Rhodesian SAS had to learn from experience. The first thing that needed to be enhanced was intelligence. Had a man been in Lusaka, they would never have risked going in knowing that fighting was taking place outside their target. Secondly, they were without high-frequency communications. They were blind and deaf, relying on trust for each person to be on time where they were supposed to be. Thirdly, they had no SHTF plan. If they had to go into escape and evasion mode, what would they have done to safely reach Rhodesia? The SAS were bold men but they needed to be operationally sound to attempt cross border operations in the future.

The SAS continued to focus on the Zambian border area. ZANU, and later the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), would use Zambia as a platform to stage incursions into Rhodesia. Being remote and sparsely populated, Zambia was an ideal place, in theory, to cross over from. The problem with this was the terrain itself. The Zambezi Valley is hot, dusty, sparse in water and vegetation. Often times, the Valley did the work of the soldiers: nature simply killed terrorists off before they could inflict harm.

The SAS with the help of the Rhodesian Light Infantry and the Air Force’s Alouette Helicopters began to own the battlespace. On constant rotations in and out of the area, operators became adept at using the Valley to their advantage. The art of tracking again became a foundational skill of the SAS trooper. Those that excelled at it formed Tracking Teams that would continue to be useful throughout the war.

When on patrol or following a call out, the troopers could be resupplied with water and food, whereas, the terrorists could not. The Valley was mapped in detail and every water hole and known footpath that could be used by the terrorists was located. Many ZANU men would be lain to rest by ambushes that lay waiting for them at water holes. In essence, the SAS neutralized the terrorists by harnessing the Zambezi Valley’s harshness and leading their quarry to slaughter.

Part 2 Next…

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Test

As a lover of history, I see it as vital to keep our history, both good and bad alive and in the collective memory. Erasing the things that we consider as wrong or even evil is a mistake. Even now, you can see that the failure to teach things such as the failures Marxism through history is wrong. The things we disagree with the most should be studied in a way that is equally balance with things we believe in a collective society, or used to. Without information on the past and it’s results/ramifications is a route to disaster.

Famed South African, Mr. Eeban Barlow of the famed and now relaunched Private Military Company , Executive Outcomes eloquently discussed this on his Facebook page. With his permission, I will repost it here. From Ancient wisdom to today, people have not changed, only the technology. We are a species who easily forget yesterday.

PRESERVING HISTORY IN A TIME OF MADNESS As a country that has become focused on destroying and negating its history, there are still some who work hard at trying to preserve it. As Cicero (106BC to 43BC) taught us “History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity.” The good and the bad should never simply be swept under the carpet and changed to suit agendas as it shapes our future—and those who remain stuck in the past are destined to miss their future. Two men (Robert Forsythe and Mark Klein—their contact numbers are at the end of the posting), along with their team deserve a massive hat tip as they strive to make sure that our military history along with that of the Anglo Boer War is never forgotten nor simply ignored.

They are also great hosts and story tellers. A new developing facility known as Regiments is in the process of being created. Situated to the west of Pretoria in the Broederstroom area, Regiments will give a home to South African military and police forces that have been forgotten or neglected. Situated on an area where many Brit-Boer battles took place, it will give a home to these units that upheld constitutions and past members will be able to visit this facility to view their histories, see memorabilia, and attend functions that have now long passed. Talks and lectures will be presented by noted historians on these units and themed menus will be offered.

For more information, please contact Mark Klein directly. Kedar Heritage Lodge (https://kedar.co.za/) is a place where South African history and nature collide. It is built on a portion of Boekenhoutfontein, the historic farm that once belonged to President Paul Kruger and offers much more than just a venue for functions, weddings and conferences, or a day or weekend break-away. The land around Kedar is game fenced and populated with a wide variety of game, including eland, blesbok, impala, bushbuck, nyala, kudu, zebra, blue wildebeest, giraffe, and sable – making it a dream destination for nature lovers. It offers 66 African-themed stone and thatched rooms and suites, all of which are decorated with vibrant, hand-painted ethnic print fabrics and African artworks – reflecting many of Africa’s treasures. But the jewel in Kedar’s crown is not the renowned Paul Kruger Country House Museum, Kedar Spa in the Country, themed restaurants, a large swimming pool and private game drives where even black impala can be seen, but the incredible Boer War Museum.

It is a museum unlike any other and it was here that I learned a lot I never knew: There were many black people who fought with the ‘Boere’; there was a black Boer general; the Boere were saved by black people when they were attempting to withdraw from a larger British force; the British and Boere Freemasons would meet, discuss their masonry issues, and them shoot at one another the following day; the first South African athletes to partake in the Olympic Games were black men who fought alongside the Boere; the impact of the Russian involvement—along with others—on the side of the Boere, and more. Packed with uniforms, weapons, flags and histories of those partaking forces, the museum includes incredible metal sculptures made by Robert and Mark’s team. For anyone who wants to learn about the ‘forgotten history’ of the Boer War, Kedar is definitely the place to visit. It will be time well spent, and an experience never to be forgotten. After all, as Cicero taught us, it will bring us tidings of antiquity. For more information, please contact Robert Forsythe (+27 83 251 4448) or Mark Klein (+27 82 7770810). You won’t regret it.

This is a great but not widely viewed video of Selous Scouts selection training and operations

God and the RLI ….

A tremendous post about a chaplain in the RLI posted by Mark Adams. It originally was posted in Cheetah in 1980. I will be blogging and writing some articles on the RLI in the upcoming weeks and months

“Come on Padre, how come you are talking to us about God when we have to go out and kill’?”

By Major (The Rev) Bill Blakeway

“Padre, do you want to go on Fire Force.” That question put to me by Lt Col Pat Armstrong, then O.C. of Support Commando, started my understanding and appreciation of what the RLI was all about.

I nearly had a heart attack when I looked at the stick board that evening and saw there in first wave, stop one – Padre! It was quite a serious stick – Cpl ‘Dutch’ de Klerk, ‘Ticky’ Millet, ‘Buzzard’ Dalgerous and yours truly. Fortunately, the only contact we made that day was with ‘Buff Beans’. But I shall never forget the almost paralysing fear as the chopper circled the target area. For me the moment of truth. I have recalled that “heavy war story” because that experience helped me to know something of what the members of the Battalion had to go through every time the siren went off. I don’t think it is possible for a Padre to begin to communicate with the Troopie unless he has been frightened with him.

My association with the Battalion started during 1974, whilst I was still a T.A. Right from the beginning, to me, there was something “special” about the Unit. It also became clear to me that there was a tremendous pride in the Unit by its members and like all regular army units, it was a “closed shop” to anyone on the outside. 1 soon realised that 1 would have to become a regular if I was to stand any hope of being accepted. It was during the first half of 1976 that the Chaplain General said “You are now officially Chaplain to the RLI get on and know them.”

It would take far more than this article and would be impossible to recall and record everything I would like to of these last six years. The Padre’s Hour for instance. You know that exciting period during the week when most of the ouens catch up on their gonk! I recall a few anxious moments when difficult questions have come up, like . . “Come on Padre, how come you are talking to us about God when we have to go out and kill’?” If anyone thinks there is an easy answer to that one – good luck. All I could do was to help the troopie to see that the country had the right to both rule and defend itself, and that the Christian had a moral obligation to be involved in both. I would also like to say that during the whole of my association with the Battalion, I have not come across one man who claimed categorically that he is an atheist. They might not have been Church-goers, but they accepted the fact that there was “someone up there” looking after them.

My trips to the bush to visit the different Commandos – few Chaplains had the privileges that I had in this respect. To be accepted as part of the Unit. I remember incidents like Forbes Border Post with 2 Commando, hot extraction demonstration with 3 Commando – with me hanging from that bar and the chopper circling a couple of hundred feet up – when I could have been back home sitting having tea with the old ladies of the Church! Being one of six sticks, total 24, and being told by the O.C. that 75 to 100 enemy had been sighted – I didn’t stop shaking for an hour.

The occasional patrol clinging hopefully to the promises of the Log Enslins and Charlie Warrens of: “Dont worry, Padre, we will look after you.” Another moment that aged me twenty years was when the present CO Lt-Col Aust was 2IC. We were discussing the various para courses and he said: “Do you want to be para-trained?” As I was still stumbling over my answer he picked up the phone, spoke to the para school and asked them if the Padre could get on a course. I sat completely speechless as I heard him say: “Right, thanks, — three weeks’ time.” Once again, however, what a privilege to be accepted as one who has jumped with the Battalion – even if they were only fun jumps.

There have been the sad times …. having to go and visit N.O.K. of members of the Battalion and giving them the one message they were dreading. The happy times at the get-togethers and marriages. The proud moments. There is no doubt that to me, personally, the supreme moment of pride was on the 1st February, 1979 when the Statue of the Troopie was unveiled. To have been part of that magnificent ceremony will always be the most treasured memory that I will have.

And who of those who were there will ever be able to forget the Memorial Service on 12th September, 1979, and the funeral service for Major Bruce Snelgar, held at the foot of the statue. Or that final Wreath-Laying. Possibly there will be those who will read this and say “the Padre’s being carried away again.” All I know is that those who have served in the Battalion will know exactly what I am saying. They will understand the fierce feeling of pride that the men in the Unit, and its achievement, coupled with the memory of those of their number who did not return from the op area.
As the Padre remembers, he would also like to say “Thank You”. Thank you to the men of the green and silver, for your professionalism as soldiers, for your courage, for your loyalty to the cause for which you fought. And I thank you for your personal friendship.

Remember this, we’re going to be in that number when the SAINTS GO MARCHING IN!

From the October 1980 Cheetah magazine.