Travelling from point to point in Rhodesia was not even safe while in convoy as this newspaper headline relates.
Comments from those who were there:-
Myself, Basil Shay and others reacted to that particular incident. Mrs Holland's Merc had left the road and was approx 100 yards into very thick bush. The two grandchildren were still with the vehicle when we arrived. We escorted the children to the road and they were taken to the Police camp. We then recovered the body of Mrs Holland who had been shot in the head. The family were travelling to South Africa for a holiday.
Brian
I was a convoy commander at the time but was not on that one.
Our vet, Dr Kai Boye (deceased, heart attack not long after when he had moved to Bulawayo) was the machine gunner
on the rear escort vehicle & he swept the bush from whence the rocket came on the right (West), wounding one of the gooks.
The elderly Merc involved veered off the road to the left (East) & disappeared into the bush.
The convoy did not stop.
I can't remember whether the survivors, who made their way to the road were picked up by an unescorted vehicle or the sweep group, which went out after the convoy reached town.
The sweep group followed the blood spoor & found the dead (or severely wounded?) gook.
Regards
Mike L
I was in UK when Anne's ambush was published in the newspapers there, and as Anne's husband (Geoff) was my godfather we were obviously very close to the family. It was this news that made my mind up to return to Rhodesia and join the Security Forces.
ReplyDeleteNick Skipworth-Michell (formerly Nick Winch)