Rhodesia and South Africa

The Rhodies were bloody good fighters.

As an aside, if I remember correctly Rhodie SAS equipment went to 22 SAS when Mugabe took over.
 
There were small numbers of Rhodesians who emigrated to Australia after the fall of the country. I remember meeting some of them in the early 1980s when I was fresh out of high school and knew nothing of the Rhodesian situation. They were friends of one of my uncles

A number of them had military experience but once they got here, some of them didn't want to be involved in the military ever again. A damned shame in some ways because their experience would have been valuable but now that I am better versed in that particular conflict, I believe I understand their feelings now.
 
BritinAfrica said:
I thought it did, but I'm glad to hear it confirmed.

I know Mugabe would have destroyed the lot given the chance.
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I believe alot of the Selous Scouts, BSAP and RLI got out too, I had a neighbor in California that was with 2 Commando RLI.
 
KevinTheCynic said:
There were small numbers of Rhodesians who emigrated to Australia after the fall of the country. I remember meeting some of them in the early 1980s when I was fresh out of high school and knew nothing of the Rhodesian situation. They were friends of one of my uncles

A number of them had military experience but once they got here, some of them didn't want to be involved in the military ever again. A damned shame in some ways because their experience would have been valuable but now that I am better versed in that particular conflict, I believe I understand their feelings now.
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A vast number of people around the world didn't know (and still don't) the full facts of the Rhodesian conflict, it's only when people like your uncle who talk to them face to face they begin to understand. The same is happening today when people talk to South Africans around the world. The Rhodesian military were extremely well trained and very good soldiers. After fighting what was basically a Guerrilla war and all that's involved and the nastiness of such a conflict all the guys wanted was to live a life in peace. Mugabe put on a face of being a moderate leader to the world, but once the elections in South Africa took place he began to show his true colours. Mugabe is personally responsible for the murder of thousands of Matabelle, his wife's first husband suddenly disappeared in suspicious circumstances. He's a murderous bastard.

On many occasions when Ian Smith showed himself in public, the Matabelle would hoist him on their shoulders and beg him to take the country back from Mugabe.

03USMC said:
I believe alot of the Selous Scouts, BSAP and RLI got out too, I had a neighbor in California that was with 2 Commando RLI.
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Yes they did Gunny. As far as I can remember a number of the Rhodesian SAS troopers went to UK SAS. Many of the South African 32 Battalion also got out.
 
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I used to be on a South African military forum many years ago, some of the guys there talked of tales of Rhodesian soldiers driving across the border to South Africa with their equipment and vehicles.

While these tales are mostly just that, tales, there were a number of Rhodies who went to SA and joined the South African Defence Force. I'm pretty sure there was a particular unit of the SA Army that had many experienced former Rhodesians serving in it, I just can't recall the specifics.

A good many Rhodesians saw the war as one of atheistic communism against Christian capitalism and I believe a large number of them felt the fight was not yet done when Mugabe took over. When he did take over, the Selous Scouts were just shut down because he hated them so much. Unlike other units of the Rhodesian Army who were at least allowed a decommissioning parade, the Scouts just "ceased to be". I would not be surprised if a number of them went to South Africa to continue the fight against the "godless communists".

Interestingly enough, there's a few good vids on YouTube such as this one of a Rhodie Army Chaplain talking about the situation in the late 1970s
Rhodesia Unafraid part 1 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYL6aTK3k6Y"]Rhodesia Unafraid (Part 1/2) - newrhodesian.net - YouTube[/ame]
Rhodesia Unafraid part 2 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7YV_0XEY8U&feature=relmfu"]Rhodesia Unafraid (Part 2/2) - newrhodesian.net - YouTube[/ame]
 
There were also a number of former Rhodie troopers who joined the FFL in the late 8o´s, but most went to twenty-two. There´s not many left, but I´ve met one from twenty-one a few years ago. An old guy, but he could still kick ass.
 
You are right Kevin, a number of Rhodies joined 32 Battalion. My sons best mate, his dad is an ex Rhodie pongo, he joined the SA Army, really nice guy.
 
KevinTheCynic said:
Cheers Brit. I kept thinking 44 Battalion but that was the ParaBats if I remember rightly.
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44 Battalion were indeed parabats, South Africa along with Rhodesia had the best Armies in Africa South of the Sahara. 32 Battalion carried out some nasty stuff during the Border war with Angola, two of my mates were 32 battalion, one was a Captain stationed along the Caprivi Strip (he's now a Captain in the Cape Town Scottish weekend warriors) the another bloke ended up a a dog handler in the police, then jacked that in and did VIP protection in Iraq. Both blokes are as hard as nails. The copper said the only time he was really scared was when the Hind choppers were engaged.
 
As an aside but still within the topic, I have a 1979 Brassey's Infantry Weapons of the World and in it the editor (John Owen) gives thanks to "...Captain D.A. Scott-Donelan of the Rhodesian Army for some excellent pictures and technical data on a number of modern Soviet and Yugoslav weapons currently being supplied to, and used by, Zimbabwe guerilla forces. This material was judged to be of such interest that, although we received it after the bulk of the book had been set up in type, a special addenda section has now been included to accommodate it and also a few other last-minute items..."

I'll bet it was of "such interest" considering the lack of good information about some Soviet weapons in the 1970s!
 
If I remember correctly the US put a huge reward out for an example of the Draganov sniper rifle. I had one in my safe at work for safe keeping, a few years ago, I can't say I was impressed with it.
 
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