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The Saints – The Rhodesian Light Infantry
Alexandre Binda, compiled and edited by Chris Cocks
30° South Publishing, Johannesburg,
2007, £50, 544pp, 500+ illustrations,
ISBN:1 920143 07 7
The Saints, The Rhodesian Light Infantry by Alexandre Binda and Chris Cocks is a book that will give the reader an insight into the last vestiges of colonialism in Southern Africa. It will also give the reader an insight into one of the finest regiments to bear arms on the African Continent. On 11 November 1965 the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, Ian Smith, declared a Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain, principally to avoid a London-imposed majority black government in Rhodesia. The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland had collapsed in 1963 and Smith was keen to avoid the perceived anarchy and chaos of other former colonies antake a white-ruled, western-orientated, Rhodesia forward in to the post colonial era. The World did not like Smith’s concept for a modern Rhodesia. Economic sanctions are implemented, diplomatic relations cut. The now-former colony, founded by pioneers funded by Cecil Rhodes’ British South Africa Company in the 1890s, was now alone in the World. Only apartheid South Africa to the south, across the Limpopo River, remained on cordial terms.
These political setbacks did not deter the tenacious and resourceful Rhodesians. The economy was a good shape, the country had some resources and the [former Southern] Rhodesian Army was small but highly trained and well led. Rhodesians also maintained the twin pioneer attributes (least in the early days) of an unshakable self belief and a spirit of adventure which allowed the former colonists not to fear an uncertain future.
Books pertaining to the former units of the Rhodesian Army are few; many now command high prices on the second hand book market – if you can find them. This present volume is a coffee table history of one of the most successful of those Rhodesian Army units, The Rhodesian Light Infantry1 (RLI).
The RLI had it’s origins in a European ‘white’ infantry battalion raised in the former Federation in 1961; by it’s demise in 1980 it had forged a reputation in battle, second to none. This reputation, most of all to those Rhodesians now dotted about the World, remains legendary. The early operational experience for the Battalion came from deployment on the Northern Rhodesian/Congolese border during the Katanga crisis, but it was the defending of Rhodesia against the onslaught of communist armed insurgents2 during the 1970s that the soldiers of the RLI were really to earn their reputation. Aggressive and well motivated, these soldiers were never numerous. Indeed, the ranks were necessarily swelled by volunteers from over 30 countries who joined for the adventure and thrill of battle as well as to fight for a cause. The conventional nature of the RLI changed in 1964 when the Regiment was converted into a commando regiment, the companies becoming ‘commandos’, the soldiers became troopers or ‘Troopies’; the green beret was adopted by all ranks at this time. Parachute training of the Battalion began in 1975. The RLI is probably best known for the forging of the ‘Fire Force’ counter-insurgency strategy. This pre-emptive and highly aggressive method to counter-insurgency was fed by a well
informed intelligence-gathering network3 and required the RLI be to highly mobile (insertion was generally by helicopter) and to be operationally flexible enough to move quickly to a location when the ever-elusive terrorists (termed ‘terrs’ in Rhodesian parlance) were discovered operating. The Fire-Force tactic was simple and highly effective. Operating on information, four four-man fire-teams deployed as ‘stop groups’ to block the terrs, generally inserting by Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) Alouette helicopters. These stop groups carried formidable firepower; Troopies were armed with FN FALs and FN MAGs (termed GPMG in British use) and carried plenty
of ammunition. If required, these stop groups were backed up by helicopter and or parachute-deployed reinforcements. The ensuing fire fights in the African bush were fierce and generally ended with a high number of enemy dead. The book follows a logical format for unit histories by taking the chronological journey along the road of the regiment’s annals from 1961 to 1980. Through a blend of historical narrative and personal recollections by former members of the Regiment, each chapter is a window of time; the reader easily gets to grips with the personalities and events that shaped the character and development of the RLI. Those unfamiliar with the topography of Rhodesia will appreciate the numerous high quality maps that the book contains. The feel for the escalation in the Rhodesian Bush War is established as these windows of time get smaller as the conflict intensified. For example, the chapter dealing with the period 1961/2 occupies 13 pages, 1978 takes 69 pages. Each chapter is enhanced by an assortment of pictures, reproductions of newspaper cuttings and other illustrations; many of the paintings are by the Zimbabwean artist, Craig Bone. The full Roll of Honour is included as are listings of senior personal, biographical notes on former Commanding Officers and Regimental Sergeants Major and listings and citations for the Honours and Awards received by members of the Regiment.
The inclusion of this material makes this book an extremely valuable research source for historians of Rhodesia and the Rhodesian security forces. Because of the lack of published works about the Rhodesian
Army, this is a significant book. A clear labour of love by the author and compiler to chronicle the history of a remarkable regiment, the book is skilfully written and very well illustrated. It also represents the most detailed account yet of the RLI’s significant contribution to Rhodesia’s ill-fated fight for survival.
The publication of The Saints now allows the RLI’s story to be far more accessible to the wider reading public. The book is a welcome addition to one’s bookshelf. As is rather the norm for such books recently emanating from South Africa, this book comes with a 90 minute DVD about the Rhodesian Light Infantry. Marketed as containing ‘previously unseen combat footage’, this medium gives an overview history of the RLI and allows one to actually see and hear the men of the RLI. If you are interested in adding this book to your library, the DVD will serve to enhance your knowledge of this now long-gone regiment.
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