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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
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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 and
take 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 coffeetable
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.
To Purchase the book click here>>
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