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Nairobi, Kenya
I an ex member of both 7 and 8 Squadron's of the Rhodesian war spending most of my operational time on Seven Squadron as a K Car gunner. I was credited for shooting down a fixed wing aircraft from a K Car on the 9 August 1979. This blog is from articles for research on a book which I HAVE HANDED THIS MANUSCRIPT OVER TO MIMI CAWOOD WHO WILL BE HANDLING THE PUBLICATION OF THE BOOK OF WHICH THERE WILL BE VERY LIMITED COPIES AVAILABLE Contact her on yebomimi@gmail.com The latest news is that the Editing is now done and we can expect to start sales and deliveries by the end of April 2011

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Sunday, June 21, 2009

Rhodesian Convoy Ambush



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

1 comment:

  1. 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.

    Nick Skipworth-Michell (formerly Nick Winch)

    ReplyDelete

I welcome comments from everyone on my book Choppertech.
I am interested especially on hearing from former ZANLA and ZIPRA combatants who also have thier story to tell.