In hindsight it has amazed me how trusting the Rh security force establishment was of foreign soldiers and how surprised some seemed that they turned out to be working for other parties.
The RhSFs were pretty well infiltrated. I hear that a Lt in the RhSAS and Silver Cross holder was working for one if not two outside intelligence agencies. His father worked for the CIO post Independence and was quietly awarded Zimbabwe's highest medal for protecting Mugabe during an assasination attempt. In 1978 two of the three SAS Squadron commanders were foreigners, one American and one a New Zealander.
And then we come to the CIO where it's war time head Ken Flower has been exposed as a double agent working for UK (and other) intelligence services.
It's well known Nkomo was requested to attend an urgent meeting shortly before the SAS attacked his Lusaka home and that an attempt of kill Mugabe in Maputo failed when he was found not to be at home.
Even in their old age these people should be identified and skinned alive, a brutal and cruel enemy I can deal with but a traitor is the lowest form of human s**t, a breed that always needs to be euthanised.
Even in their old age these people should be identified and skinned alive, a brutal and cruel enemy I can deal with but a traitor is the lowest form of human s**t, a breed that always needs to be euthanised.
I could not agree more... hang 'em from the nearest street lamp!
Even in their old age these people should be identified and skinned alive, a brutal and cruel enemy I can deal with but a traitor is the lowest form of human s**t, a breed that always needs to be euthanised.[/quote]
Amen to that bro.....I'm sure they are going to answer to a higher being, unless they ever have the misfortune of bumping into me...
Zim insider info
I thought that there might be a few of you guy's who may be interested in the following passage...written by Cathy Buckle (still resident in Zimbabwe) - in it she give a brief detail of some of the trials and tribulations currently being experienced in that country.
If there were ever a "WORLDS MOST WANTED" list - Robert Gabriel Mugabe would be right at the top.
Read on... there is a link to Cathy's blog at the base of the script for those that would like to learn more.
Dear Family and Friends, (Oct 18 2008)
This week the word being used to describe the government of national unity
is 'deadlocked' and it couldn't be more apt. We are locked in a death grip
and things are falling apart at a dramatic pace.
For the benefit of people not in Zimbabwe, let me put a face to deadlock.
This morning I went shopping and this is what I saw. In one locally owned
supermarket which has branches all over the country they are selling goods in Zimbabwe dollars. On their shelves they had: light bulbs, cayenne pepper and soya mince, a few vegetables which were distinctly past their best and a few packets
of meat which didn't look too safe. More than half of the supermarket is
completely empty and closed off with strings of white plastic tape.
In another local supermarket which has branches all over the country they
are also operating in Zimbabwe dollars. Half of the shop is empty and
barricaded off. Spread out on a couple of shelves were the few goods they had for sale: tea leaves, condoms, cabbages and onions. Against one wall stood some crates of fizzy drinks and in a rack a handful of unaffordable imported magazines gave colour to this most dismal scene.
For Zimbabweans who have no access to foreign currency, these two
supermarkets offer the full extent of food available to buy in our deadlocked country.
The vast majority of Zimbabweans do not have foreign currency or if they do it is one single, precious note hidden away in a safe place - not anywhere near enough to buy food with every week.
The third supermarket I visited has just started selling goods in US
dollars and there, if you have foreign bank notes, you can buy sugar, cooking oil, biscuits, cereals, tea, coffee, pasta, tinned goods and a few toiletries.
On the wall near the check out tills is a poster announcing what the equivalent of 1 US dollar is in South African Rand, British Pounds and Botswana Pula - no mention of the dead Zimbabwe dollar.
Food shopping is the tip of the nightmare, then there are the bills. This
week I was advised that an account I have with an internet service has been terminated for non payment of 1.4 million Zimbabwe dollars. Paying the bill is almost impossible as Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono has banned inter account and electronic transfers and limited cash withdrawals to 50 thousand dollars a day. If I am to pay my bill of 1.4 million dollars in cash I must queue
for 2 - 3 hours a day for 28 days by which time the bill will have gone up at a rate I cannot calculate as inflation stands at 231 million percent. The internet provider have said I can pay the bill with a cheque, but because of inflation the cheque should be for 6.5 BILLION dollars.
When Mr Gono banned electronic transfers and inter account transfers he
closed business down in one quick and deadly blow. The rich and connected have got dramatically richer as they and their dealers have poured out onto our streets to buy up all those preciously saved single notes at obscenely low rates.
People have had no choice but to sell because they cannot get their own money out of the banks - thanks to Mr Gono's punitive policies and crippling limits.
When Mr Gono licensed some shops to sell in foreign currency his policy
wiped out Zimbabwe's own supermarkets in one quick and deadly blow - gone is the great propaganda line of Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans. This is what deadlock looks
like seven months after we voted for a change in government. Until next week, thanks for reading and thanks to my email service provider for helping me tell this story for so long, love cathy. c Copyright cathy buckle 18 October 2008.
www.cathybuckle.com . To subscribe/unsubscribe to this newsletter or for
information on my books, please write to:
cbuckle@mango.zw
This is a response to BloodDiamondPants request for personal info about the treasonous behaviour of a certain RhSAS member. Nzhou's last statement made me remember the exchange. As it was written....
BDP,
This was heard by myself some 29 years ago. I was preparing for job and a few lads were very quietly talking about Stannard. I didn't give it much credence at the time as I was prepping for an external. I thought he was a good guy, but then I never was that greatly involved with him. A few jobs here and there.
A lot of rumours were flying about at the end of the war, it was a very hectic time and the pace of intel coming in was tremendous, there was a lot of fighting to be done so if it did not involve me I didn't worry about it. After all he was white, and was doing much the same sort or work I was why should I believe that? Anyways, a few years ago I read Dennis Croukamps book and he clarified for the reader, or should I say provided the provenance for the rumours. I'm sure someone else who was closer to him may have had suspicions or knew the truth. I did not.
I have no reason to doubt what Dennis said or the other boys for that matter, so I take it as truth. Only Stannard and Mugabe as well as the bastards who supported him know the truth and the extent of his treachery. Yes, I am including the US Government in that statement too. They had/have a huge black population to pander to.
Cheers,
Flatdog
Last edited by flatdog; 11-26-2008 at 04:16 PM. Reason: clarification of statement
"Hill 31" Honde Valley, Eastern Highlands.
In November 1976 elements of 4RR, RLI and RAR killed 31 ZANLA after a 12 hour battle on Hill 31. Unfortunately 1 RLI Trooper was killed in the action.
ZANLA tried to secrete themselves on the hill after 4RR trackers initiated contact killing 3 ZANLA.
Operation Mardon - Attack by D Coy RAR on ZANLA's Mudzi Camp in Mozambique on 1st November 1976.
For a full account: http://www.jrtwood.com/article_mudzi.asp
Mercenaries for hire!
In today terminology "Blackwater"Originally Posted by YANKEEBOBB
I'll get to all that stuff later, but for now here's the famouse SOF add all the oldtimers will recognize!
Last edited by chefjavier; 11-29-2008 at 11:02 AM. Reason: Typo
I think what you mean is Blackwater. And not in this case as there were no Mercs in the Rhodesian Army. As Nzhou says don't believe everything you read in those books.
Yep, Rhodesia was an entirely different situation, and lots of people came and volunteered seeing it as a good cause, but served in the regular military forces. As someone else mentioned you did have farm guards and private security working farms and ranches, but no money in that, as I recall $10R a day or so. In no way can the situation be compared to other african wars, biafra, angola, congo, katanga.
Chris
I still have an origional poster in my farm office, the recruiting office 'phone number and address in the bottom right hand space.
South Africa also had loads of foreigners in the ranks, but they had to join the SA army! Why is that so hard to understand?
Gwelo School of Infantry
Did anyone work with or know an ex IRA guy "Des"
School if Infantry(photo) most were Greys Scouts/ Engineers
Yep, as I recall the RSA govt had a formal program allowing ex Rhod security force personnel into the RSA Army, whether they were Rhod. citizens or foreign volunteers. NOt sure they were always well received by SADF as many left after a brief stint but it certainly eased the transition out of Rhod security forces post zim indep.
Chris
I'm not sure this was a formal recruiting poster by the Rhod. security forces tho I do recall seeing it in pubs in Rhodesia during the war, SOF here in the US reprinted it in poster size. The Rhodesians did have a rather nice series of full color photo posters in large size showing different pics of the Army. The ones I recall, 1-european and african troopie walking across open ground, 2- a landmine removal, 3-RhACR Panhard armd car?, memory fails me for the others. They all had the statement "terrorism stops here" and "rhodesian army"
Chris
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