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The Saints – The Rhodesian Light Infantry
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| – 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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