This is some interesting stuff on Rhodesia see the You tube interview with Ian Smith prior to his death at the end of the attached blog
Ian Douglas Smith: Your Shouts!
Ian Douglas Smith: Your Shouts!
About Me
- Beaver Shaw
- 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
Monday, May 5, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
THE YELLOW SUBMARINE
In 1975 The Rhodesian Air Force operated an Alouette 3 helicopter in Mocambique around the Malvernia and Troposcater area in the "Russian Front".
This Alouette was painted the same colour Yellow as a similar helicopter which was flown by the Mocambiquans and was dubbed The Yellow submarine.
I know that JR Blythe Wood and Dick Paxton flew missions in this helicopter.
I would be grateful for more information on this helicopter and its role and basically anything that is of interest.
Beaver
Sunday, April 27, 2008
THE RUSSIAN FRONT
I am interested in hearing from anyone who operated in the so-called Russian Front of the South East border of Rhodesia from 1976 until the termination of the bush war.
I am interested in the Operations which were carried out externally into Mocambique and along the main road and railway line.
Members of the SAS,RLI, Selous Scouts and Independant Companies carried out various missions from snatching civillians and soldiers to mining the main roads and railway.
Many recon patrols and follow up missions were also carried out in this area.
As a member of Seven Sqadron Rhodesian Air Force I flew many missions into Mocambique from Mabalahuta, Palfreys Store or Grootvlei and sometimes from Boli.
On some operations we went in high level and others very low level even flying under the Caborra Bassa power lines (which were an important landmark in the area).
We also were on constant standby with our Pegasus "Hot extraction gear" in Chiredzi's Buffalo Range Airport in case troops operating in Freddieland ran into trouble.
I would like to highlight these external operations and thier results in my book and would be grateful for any personal accounts of the operations and the Airforce input.
I do recall that the Dakota used to take off at last light from Buffalo Range airfield at night to drop off water and supplies to the troops operating in this harsh area of Msimbiti and ironwood scrub.
I also recount having to fly into Mocambique from Palfreys Store on a few occasions to search for troops who had been separated froM thier sticks and were being pursued by Freddies (FRELIMO)
I am also interested in any operations along the Nuanetsi River and along the minefield into the Sengwe TTL and from Grootvlei.
Here is some text from an unknown Support Cdo soldier who operated in this area:-
In 1978 it was concieved that each RLI Commando would spend an entire bush trip attached to the SAS.
It would be better use of RLI instead of Strikeforce operations. I was Support Commandos MA3 and here are some of the ops we did. Firstly we went to the SAS camp on Lake MacLlwane for Klepper canoe and landmine training. The fancy new anti-vehicle landmine with anti lift/detection features was covered with dark brown plastic hence the name "chocolate cake". Sadly some SAS personnel wisecracked RLI would blow themselves up with this mine which caused lingering bad feelings between the two units that were on the same side. I still went over and chatted to my SAS mates I had known from various courses trying to learn how thier war was going. One told me that he had laid a mine 100 meters from the front gate of a gook camp and he was nervous as hell planting it.
First op was a joint land mine job by the SAS and Support Commando deployed from Mabalahuta Camp. Each stick member carried an anti vehicle landmine as we laid them in sets of four. First a Russian TM mine then a kilometer down the road a chocolate cake, another kilometer a chocolate cake, then a Russian TM mine a further kilometer. SAS were deployed by parachute via Dakota to thier AO, we by chopper. Being the MA3 I went to the stick that had the deepest penetration of Mozambique. To enable a G Car to fly to our area of operations and back on one tank of gas it could only carry two soldiers thus we went in two choppers. When we landed deep in the area known as the Russian front and we could smell the sea from the Indian Ocean. We were to mine one road, get re-supplied and do another road the following night. The area was very sandy and we wore sandbags over our feet to help disguise our tracks. While hiking to our road we disturbed one of the biggest herds of wildlife I have ever seen, hundreds of wildebeest and zebra ran past us for quite a while. When we finally reached the road it had 4-foot high elephant grass growing in the middle. Wrong road! We were dropped in the wrong location so had a very long hike to the target road. We only ended up mining one road. I did security up the road each time while the sergeant did the planting of all four mines.
Returning to Rhodesia the next day I was seated by the door across from the Tech enjoying the long chopper ride at treetop level watching giraffe and other game below. Suddenly the Tech's eyes bulged out of his head and he screamed into his mouthpiece. Our Chopper pulled up as sharp as possible. Those huge power lines that ran down the Mocambiquan side of the border were in our face. We just barely flew over the top strand in slow motion. It was right there! Right bloody there! I could easily have stepped out of the Chopper on to it! The chopper wheels must have missed it by a milimeter seriously! I looked over at the tech, his eyes rolled upward than closed and his body sagged, I honestly thought he fainted. He than opened them several seconds later and had a few more gray hairs. SAS told us later that our joint campaign had caused about 200 casualties including 12 FRELIMO sapper teams RENAMO probably got the official credit for it.
I am interested in the Operations which were carried out externally into Mocambique and along the main road and railway line.
Members of the SAS,RLI, Selous Scouts and Independant Companies carried out various missions from snatching civillians and soldiers to mining the main roads and railway.
Many recon patrols and follow up missions were also carried out in this area.
As a member of Seven Sqadron Rhodesian Air Force I flew many missions into Mocambique from Mabalahuta, Palfreys Store or Grootvlei and sometimes from Boli.
On some operations we went in high level and others very low level even flying under the Caborra Bassa power lines (which were an important landmark in the area).
We also were on constant standby with our Pegasus "Hot extraction gear" in Chiredzi's Buffalo Range Airport in case troops operating in Freddieland ran into trouble.
I would like to highlight these external operations and thier results in my book and would be grateful for any personal accounts of the operations and the Airforce input.
I do recall that the Dakota used to take off at last light from Buffalo Range airfield at night to drop off water and supplies to the troops operating in this harsh area of Msimbiti and ironwood scrub.
I also recount having to fly into Mocambique from Palfreys Store on a few occasions to search for troops who had been separated froM thier sticks and were being pursued by Freddies (FRELIMO)
I am also interested in any operations along the Nuanetsi River and along the minefield into the Sengwe TTL and from Grootvlei.
Here is some text from an unknown Support Cdo soldier who operated in this area:-
In 1978 it was concieved that each RLI Commando would spend an entire bush trip attached to the SAS.
It would be better use of RLI instead of Strikeforce operations. I was Support Commandos MA3 and here are some of the ops we did. Firstly we went to the SAS camp on Lake MacLlwane for Klepper canoe and landmine training. The fancy new anti-vehicle landmine with anti lift/detection features was covered with dark brown plastic hence the name "chocolate cake". Sadly some SAS personnel wisecracked RLI would blow themselves up with this mine which caused lingering bad feelings between the two units that were on the same side. I still went over and chatted to my SAS mates I had known from various courses trying to learn how thier war was going. One told me that he had laid a mine 100 meters from the front gate of a gook camp and he was nervous as hell planting it.
First op was a joint land mine job by the SAS and Support Commando deployed from Mabalahuta Camp. Each stick member carried an anti vehicle landmine as we laid them in sets of four. First a Russian TM mine then a kilometer down the road a chocolate cake, another kilometer a chocolate cake, then a Russian TM mine a further kilometer. SAS were deployed by parachute via Dakota to thier AO, we by chopper. Being the MA3 I went to the stick that had the deepest penetration of Mozambique. To enable a G Car to fly to our area of operations and back on one tank of gas it could only carry two soldiers thus we went in two choppers. When we landed deep in the area known as the Russian front and we could smell the sea from the Indian Ocean. We were to mine one road, get re-supplied and do another road the following night. The area was very sandy and we wore sandbags over our feet to help disguise our tracks. While hiking to our road we disturbed one of the biggest herds of wildlife I have ever seen, hundreds of wildebeest and zebra ran past us for quite a while. When we finally reached the road it had 4-foot high elephant grass growing in the middle. Wrong road! We were dropped in the wrong location so had a very long hike to the target road. We only ended up mining one road. I did security up the road each time while the sergeant did the planting of all four mines.
Returning to Rhodesia the next day I was seated by the door across from the Tech enjoying the long chopper ride at treetop level watching giraffe and other game below. Suddenly the Tech's eyes bulged out of his head and he screamed into his mouthpiece. Our Chopper pulled up as sharp as possible. Those huge power lines that ran down the Mocambiquan side of the border were in our face. We just barely flew over the top strand in slow motion. It was right there! Right bloody there! I could easily have stepped out of the Chopper on to it! The chopper wheels must have missed it by a milimeter seriously! I looked over at the tech, his eyes rolled upward than closed and his body sagged, I honestly thought he fainted. He than opened them several seconds later and had a few more gray hairs. SAS told us later that our joint campaign had caused about 200 casualties including 12 FRELIMO sapper teams RENAMO probably got the official credit for it.
MISSIONARIES AND MURDER
As 1976 drew closer Missionaries were seen to be vunreable to Terrorist atrocities as they were soft targets as they carried out thier religious duties in the remote Tribal Trust Lands of Rhodesia.
ZANLA and ZIPRA terrorists had openly let thier anti -religious views be known to the Rhodesian population and in one incident where a bridge was demolished the terrorists left a note saying "Down with Christ" and in another incident a terrorist commander stated that "If the Jews had not killed Christ, I would have done it myself".
Terrorists told missionaries to refrain from mentioning Christ and his resurrection when they preached at the same time similar impositions were being placed on the Church in Russia.
The terrorists viewed the Church as representing capatilism.
Terrorists would also attack mission stations which they considered were not giving them enough assistance.
Many if not all missio stations provided some type of assistance to terrorist groups and individual cadres from time to time, this was probably in the belief that they would be able to continue thier work after black majority rule had been established in the country.
White missionaries were targetted by the terrorists because in some way they thougt thier murders would affect the white population in Rhodesia, these missionaries were not killed brcause of thier faith or religion but for the mere fact that they were soft targets and easy to murder.
Father Jeorger 42 from Switzerland was one of the first missionaries to be murdered in November 1976 in the Mshawasha African Purchase Area. He was abducted and tried by a kangaroo court prior to the terrorists murdering him. Evidence of his murder was found in documentation found on a captured terrorist by the name of Taurai. The document said that the Priest had committed crimes and in a document headed Accounts listed his so called crimes with a chilling statement saying that All these accounts make him liable for the death penalty".
In January 1978 Father Desmond Paul Donovan was abducted and murdered under similar circumstances. He was abducted while riding his motorcycle to visit parishoners, his motorcycle was found buried however there was no trace ever found of the priest.
A group of Roman Catholics were stopped and murdered by a group of terrorists on a dirt road outside Lupane on December 5 ,1976. In this incident Father Possenti Weggarten, Rev. Adolf Schmitt and a nun Sister Maria Frances van den Berg were murdered.
A nun Sister Ermenfried Knauer managed to survive the attack by hiding under the vehicle that the group had been travelling in but suffered gunshot wounds to her leg.
She said that the group had been travelling from Regina Mundi mission to St Lukes mission when they were stopped by a group of terrorists who asked them for money. When they told the terrorists that they had no money but were willing to take them back to the mission station and give them what they wanted the terrorist commander said that they should die and opened up on the group with his sub-machine gun.
Sister Ermerfield said that the terrosist who was wearing a balaclava started by shooting the Bishop first.
The Catholic Bishop of Bulawayo was devastated by this cruel act and said "This is the reward for our work for Africans for working with them all our lives.
During the evening of 7 Febuary 1977 seven white Roman Catholic missionaries were murdered by terrorists.
The white missionaries were separated from the blacks and herded to a spot near the mission block where the terrorists had an argument in Shona as to who would do the shooting when three of them opened up with AK47 's killing seven missionaries.
One of the missionaries Father Myerscough pretendedthat he was shot and fell among his comrades and was missed out by the terrorists.
Security forces following up on the killings confirmed that the missionaries had been executed by members of Robert Mugabe's ZANU and that they had recovered over one hundred cartridge cases in the area.
A Spainis Priest Father Diaz aged 58 was found murdered in the south east lowveld of Rhodesia, this priest had worked with the African community in the countery for over 28 years.
Two white women missionaries were murdered by terrorists at St. Pauls Mission, Lupane on March 10, 1977.
A group of eight terrorists entered the mission and demanded money from Dr. Johanna Decker 59 and Sister Ann Ploner. The terrorists had found the two missionaries in the dispensary and demanded money from them. Dr. Decker gave them the cash box but they said that it was not enough. Dr Decker said that she had more money in her house and was shot by the terrorists when the group headed off to the house to collect her money.
During this attack the terrorists threatened to rape the nuns and also assaulted members of the hospital staff and ordered the 130 patients to get out of thier beds.
Another Nun a Sister Damiane Drechsler hid when she saw theterrorists passing her window with Dr. Decker at gunpoint.
On the 23 October 1977 the Rev. Andries Brand and his wife were murdered in a terrorist ambush while returning to thier home in Que Que.
On 2 June 1978 two Catholic missionaries were murdered by terrorists at Embakwe mission school near the Botswana border, they were Pieter Geyermann and Andrew von Arx.
Five days after the Embakwe murders on 7 June 1978 terrorists attacked the Salvation Army Usher Institute killing two mission teachers and wounding another two.
The two women who died in this attack were Charon Swindells and Diane Thompson.
They were killed when 15 terrorists from ZIPRA opened fire on them. Injured in this incident were Gunvor Pollson and a male David Cotton.
These killings brought the total of missionaries murdered in Rhodesia at that time to 20.
Archie Dunway was murdered at Sanyati Mission on June 15 1978.
ELIM MISSION MASSACRE
On the evening of the 23 June 1978 at Elim Mission in the Eastern highlands of Rhodesia the worst massacre of missionaries in the Rhodesian war occured.
Eight missionaries and four children -including a three month old baby were bayonetted to death by a group of Robert Mugabe's terrorist organisation.
Three of the missionaries were men and the remainder women, a sixth woman was stabbed, beaten and left for dead. She managed to stagger 300 m into the freezing cold bush before spending the night in a semi concious state before being found by Rhodesian Security forces.
She died in intensive care in Salisbury. In this incident most of the women had been sexually assaulted and raped by the terrorists. One woman was mutilated.
When Andrew Young was asked if Robert Mugabe was a violent man he replied:-
"Not at all, he's a very gentle man. In fact, one of the ironies of the whole struggle is that I can't imagine Joshua Nkomo, or Robert Mugabe, ever pulling the trigger of a gun to kill anyone. I doubt they ever have..... The violent people are Smiths people and hopefully they won't be around for a new Zimbabwe".
On 28 June two more Roman Catholic missionaries were murdered FatherGregor Richert and Brother Bernard Lisson at St Ruperts mission 60 km from Hartley.
The International Red Cross were also not immune from terrorist atrocities either. Andre Tieche and Alain Bieri and thier transalator Charles Chatora were murdered and robbed of thier possessions by a group of terrorists.
ZANLA and ZIPRA terrorists had openly let thier anti -religious views be known to the Rhodesian population and in one incident where a bridge was demolished the terrorists left a note saying "Down with Christ" and in another incident a terrorist commander stated that "If the Jews had not killed Christ, I would have done it myself".
Terrorists told missionaries to refrain from mentioning Christ and his resurrection when they preached at the same time similar impositions were being placed on the Church in Russia.
The terrorists viewed the Church as representing capatilism.
Terrorists would also attack mission stations which they considered were not giving them enough assistance.
Many if not all missio stations provided some type of assistance to terrorist groups and individual cadres from time to time, this was probably in the belief that they would be able to continue thier work after black majority rule had been established in the country.
White missionaries were targetted by the terrorists because in some way they thougt thier murders would affect the white population in Rhodesia, these missionaries were not killed brcause of thier faith or religion but for the mere fact that they were soft targets and easy to murder.
Father Jeorger 42 from Switzerland was one of the first missionaries to be murdered in November 1976 in the Mshawasha African Purchase Area. He was abducted and tried by a kangaroo court prior to the terrorists murdering him. Evidence of his murder was found in documentation found on a captured terrorist by the name of Taurai. The document said that the Priest had committed crimes and in a document headed Accounts listed his so called crimes with a chilling statement saying that All these accounts make him liable for the death penalty".
In January 1978 Father Desmond Paul Donovan was abducted and murdered under similar circumstances. He was abducted while riding his motorcycle to visit parishoners, his motorcycle was found buried however there was no trace ever found of the priest.
A group of Roman Catholics were stopped and murdered by a group of terrorists on a dirt road outside Lupane on December 5 ,1976. In this incident Father Possenti Weggarten, Rev. Adolf Schmitt and a nun Sister Maria Frances van den Berg were murdered.
A nun Sister Ermenfried Knauer managed to survive the attack by hiding under the vehicle that the group had been travelling in but suffered gunshot wounds to her leg.
She said that the group had been travelling from Regina Mundi mission to St Lukes mission when they were stopped by a group of terrorists who asked them for money. When they told the terrorists that they had no money but were willing to take them back to the mission station and give them what they wanted the terrorist commander said that they should die and opened up on the group with his sub-machine gun.
Sister Ermerfield said that the terrosist who was wearing a balaclava started by shooting the Bishop first.
The Catholic Bishop of Bulawayo was devastated by this cruel act and said "This is the reward for our work for Africans for working with them all our lives.
During the evening of 7 Febuary 1977 seven white Roman Catholic missionaries were murdered by terrorists.
The white missionaries were separated from the blacks and herded to a spot near the mission block where the terrorists had an argument in Shona as to who would do the shooting when three of them opened up with AK47 's killing seven missionaries.
One of the missionaries Father Myerscough pretendedthat he was shot and fell among his comrades and was missed out by the terrorists.
Security forces following up on the killings confirmed that the missionaries had been executed by members of Robert Mugabe's ZANU and that they had recovered over one hundred cartridge cases in the area.
A Spainis Priest Father Diaz aged 58 was found murdered in the south east lowveld of Rhodesia, this priest had worked with the African community in the countery for over 28 years.
Two white women missionaries were murdered by terrorists at St. Pauls Mission, Lupane on March 10, 1977.
A group of eight terrorists entered the mission and demanded money from Dr. Johanna Decker 59 and Sister Ann Ploner. The terrorists had found the two missionaries in the dispensary and demanded money from them. Dr. Decker gave them the cash box but they said that it was not enough. Dr Decker said that she had more money in her house and was shot by the terrorists when the group headed off to the house to collect her money.
During this attack the terrorists threatened to rape the nuns and also assaulted members of the hospital staff and ordered the 130 patients to get out of thier beds.
Another Nun a Sister Damiane Drechsler hid when she saw theterrorists passing her window with Dr. Decker at gunpoint.
On the 23 October 1977 the Rev. Andries Brand and his wife were murdered in a terrorist ambush while returning to thier home in Que Que.
On 2 June 1978 two Catholic missionaries were murdered by terrorists at Embakwe mission school near the Botswana border, they were Pieter Geyermann and Andrew von Arx.
Five days after the Embakwe murders on 7 June 1978 terrorists attacked the Salvation Army Usher Institute killing two mission teachers and wounding another two.
The two women who died in this attack were Charon Swindells and Diane Thompson.
They were killed when 15 terrorists from ZIPRA opened fire on them. Injured in this incident were Gunvor Pollson and a male David Cotton.
These killings brought the total of missionaries murdered in Rhodesia at that time to 20.
Archie Dunway was murdered at Sanyati Mission on June 15 1978.
ELIM MISSION MASSACRE
On the evening of the 23 June 1978 at Elim Mission in the Eastern highlands of Rhodesia the worst massacre of missionaries in the Rhodesian war occured.
Eight missionaries and four children -including a three month old baby were bayonetted to death by a group of Robert Mugabe's terrorist organisation.
Three of the missionaries were men and the remainder women, a sixth woman was stabbed, beaten and left for dead. She managed to stagger 300 m into the freezing cold bush before spending the night in a semi concious state before being found by Rhodesian Security forces.
She died in intensive care in Salisbury. In this incident most of the women had been sexually assaulted and raped by the terrorists. One woman was mutilated.
When Andrew Young was asked if Robert Mugabe was a violent man he replied:-
"Not at all, he's a very gentle man. In fact, one of the ironies of the whole struggle is that I can't imagine Joshua Nkomo, or Robert Mugabe, ever pulling the trigger of a gun to kill anyone. I doubt they ever have..... The violent people are Smiths people and hopefully they won't be around for a new Zimbabwe".
On 28 June two more Roman Catholic missionaries were murdered FatherGregor Richert and Brother Bernard Lisson at St Ruperts mission 60 km from Hartley.
The International Red Cross were also not immune from terrorist atrocities either. Andre Tieche and Alain Bieri and thier transalator Charles Chatora were murdered and robbed of thier possessions by a group of terrorists.
ASSISTANCE FROM AIRFORCE MEMBERS
In order to fill in some gaps in my book Choppertech I am appealing to anyone who worked with me on Fireforce between 1976 -1980 to send in whatever they can with regard to incidents or just general Air Force life. I am looking for snippets of how we lived and fought during those turbulent days.
I need your assistance as this is a story which should be told.
I would be grateful for any photographs which you would be willing to let me publish on fireforce activities (or even use for my drawings which will be in the book)
E mail me at shawzie@hotmail.com
I will be in Spain shortly and will continue posting on this site and hopefully completing the book Choppertech.
Aye
Beaver Shaw
I need your assistance as this is a story which should be told.
I would be grateful for any photographs which you would be willing to let me publish on fireforce activities (or even use for my drawings which will be in the book)
E mail me at shawzie@hotmail.com
I will be in Spain shortly and will continue posting on this site and hopefully completing the book Choppertech.
Aye
Beaver Shaw
Sunday, March 23, 2008
STATUS OF BLOG
I am in Abu Dhabi at the moment preparing for a trip to Spain where I will be based up for the summer season firefighting.
I will continue this blog from that location.
Please be patient and keep monitoring this site as there is a lot of interesting stuff on Rhodesia and the Chimurenga war coming up.
Beaver Shaw
shawzie@hotmail.com
Please comment on the content of the site if you will -I will be able to gauge if it is worthwhile keeping going.
I will continue this blog from that location.
Please be patient and keep monitoring this site as there is a lot of interesting stuff on Rhodesia and the Chimurenga war coming up.
Beaver Shaw
shawzie@hotmail.com
Please comment on the content of the site if you will -I will be able to gauge if it is worthwhile keeping going.
Friday, March 7, 2008
THE FIRST CHIMURENGA WAR AND RHODESIAN PIONEERS
CECIL RHODES STATUE -REMOVED FROM ITS SPOT IN BULAWAYO BY MUGABE (as he couldnt bear to see pidgeons defecating on the statue of such a great leader and father of Rhodesia)
CECIL JOHN RHODES - A MAN WITH A VISION-RHODESIA
WHITE SETTLERS MEET IN BULAWAYO AT START OF REBELLION MARCH 1896
NATIVE MATABELE POLICE -they deserted and joined the rebels in 1895
FIGHTING IN THE MATOPOS -RLI Troopers would have found this type of fighting no different to those days only problem no K Car!!!
LT. CREWE AT THE BATTLE OF THE UMGUZA 1896
RAISING THE BSAC FLAG BULAWAYO 4 NOVEMBER 1893
BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY -Pioneer column route 1890
LOBENGULA'S KRAAL CIRCA 1893
Lobengula seated outside his Palace at Old Bulawayo
Rare picture of Matabele King LobengulaPhotographs and maps from : Bulawayo Historic Battleground of Rhodesia by Oliver Ransford 1968 -Pioneer Press Cape Town.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
ZANLA AND ZIPRA LEADERS OF NOTE
"GANDANGA" TERRORIST IN THE TTLPencil drawing -Beaver Shaw
GENERAL JOSAIAH MAGAMA TONGOGARA CHMURENGA LEADER OF ZANLA FORCES IN MOCAMBIQUE UNTIL HIS DEATH UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE END OF THE WAR.Tongogara known as Tongo or "Nyenganyenga" (Swallow) by his supporters was born in Nhema TTL near Selukwe in 1940.
By coincidence his mother worked on Ian Smith's family farm in Selukwe and as a youngster Tongo used to collect tennis balls for Ian Smith when he played tennis on the farm.
Tongo left Rhodesia for Zambia in 1960 where he worked in the RAF bar in Lusaka and later at Chainama Hills golf club where he learned to play golf.
In 1961 Tongo became an active member of Zambia's UNIP led by Kenneth Kuanda, he also had sympathies for FRELIMO in Mocambique and set his sights on the liberation of Rhodesia from white majority rule.
He attended the ZANU conference held in Gwelo in 1963 and became chairman of the Lusaka branch of ZANU. His main objective at that time was to recruit young black Rhodesians into ZANU for military training in Zambia and the Soviet bloc.
In 1965 Tongo went to Itumbi camp in Tanzania for military training.
In 1966 Tongo led a party of 11 cadres to Nanking military academy in China where they were trained in mass mobilisation, military intellegence, political science, mass media, guerilla war strategies and tactics.
Tongo returned to Tanzania in 1966 to assume the role of military instructor.
Tongo then began to organise and equip ZANU terrorists to infiltrate into Rhodesia and establish base camps crossing the Zambezi River.
He was also involved with FRELIMO in Mocambique with the intention of opening up bases in that country.
Tongo was instrumental in opening up the North Eastern campaign in Rhodesia in 1970-71.
The war started for real with the first shots being fired at Altena Farm and within 12 months terrorists were establishing themselves in the Mount Darwin and Centeneray districts of Rhodesia.
Tongogara followed Mao's teachings which in Shona means "Simba rehove riri mumvura" (a fish has its strength in water) meaning that the terrorists must live with the masses as a fish does in water.
When the 1979 Lancaster House talks in London were convened Tongogara represented the Patriotic front on the military side and commanded much respect among the military advisors from the various delegations.
Tongogara left London to return to Africa where he was to implement the ceasefire agreement.
Wheh he arrived in Maputo he briefed his commanders on the arrangements and set out for Chimoio the next day to brief the other ZANLA commanders in the bush.
It is said that he was killed in a vehicle accident on the way to Chimoio but some say that he was murdered by Mugabes henchmen. We will never know the truth.
In my book Choppertech I cover a little about Tongogara . Tekere and Robert Mugabe and some of what happened in Chimoio during and after our devastaing external raids on those camps.
JOYCE MAJURU -Wife of Solomon Majuru alias Rex Nhongo -she was a combatant in the Chimurenga war and claims to have shot down a Rhodesian Air Force helicopter.I have checked RhAf records and find that no helicopters were either shot down or damaged at the dates she claims to have done this. Choppertech has a record of all helicopters either shot down of damaged by enemy activity. The date she claims to have done this action was 17 February1974. In her words "Incredibly, I hit the machine and there was a lot of black smoke and it crashed. A big explosion followed", she was quoted in which all the occupants of the helicopter perished. WISHFUL THINKING!!!
SOLOMON MUJURU also known by his Chimurenga name REX NHONGORex Nhongo led Robert Mugabes ZANLA terrorist forces during the Chimurenga bush war.In post Independent Zimbabwe he became the Army chief before leaving government in 1995.
Solomon Mujurus wife is the Vice president.
ROBERT GABRIEL MUGABE ZANLA TERRORIST LEADER BASED IN MOCAMBIQUENOW PRESIDENT OF ZIMBABWE (COMMUNIST CHINESE SUPPORT DURING WAR)
JOSHUA NKOMO ZIPRA (his team came second in the Southern African war games 1963-1980) TERRORIST LEADER ZAMBIAN BASED SOVIET SUPPORT.Nkomo was responsible for the shooting down of the Air Rhodesia Viscounts Umniati and Hunyani which resulted in Rhodesian Strikes into both Zambia and Mocambique. These incidents are covered in detail in Choppertech.
THE RHODESIAN AFRICAN RIFLES -CHOPPERTECH
RAR COLOURS
RAR CAP BADGE
MAJOR ANDRE DENNISON B.C.R. C/O A COY 2 RAR - Pencil drawing by Beaver ShawAndre was a fine soldier and an excellent K Car commander -his men would follow him to hell and back , they called him K Car because of the way he carried his weapon in action.
Andre died in a blue on blue incident just outside the Zimbabwe Ruins hotel in 1979.
Choppertech describes many incidents on Fireforce operations with Andre Dennison and 2 RAR. One story of note is a description of the action in which Richard Cecil (Lord Salisbury) a British journalist and filmaker was killed in action with the Mtoko Fireforce.
I love working with the RAR and was well liked by them.
An A Company 2 RAR Trooper on patrol -pencil drawing by Beaver ShawTHE RHODESIAN LIGHT INFANTRY
G Car deploying troopies of the RLI
MAG MACHINE GUN 7.62 GOOK KILLER OF NOTE-THE RLI KNEW HOW TO USE ITFireforce would have been nothing without the Troopies of the RLI who came from many lands to serve Rhodesia in her time of need.
Choppertech describes the formation of Fireforce and how the G and K Cars went into action with this fine body of men. The "Saints" also described as The Incredibles, they had faces of boys yet fought like lions.
Some books of note on the RLI are:
The Saints by Alexandre Binda -compiled and edited by Chris Cocks.
Fireforce by Chris Cocks
Stickleader RLI by Charlie Warren
MARIUS THE MAG GUNNER ATYPICAL RLI TROOPER COMPLETE WITH MAG
C Squadron (Rhodesia) SAS
SAS TROOPER ARMED WITH RPD MACHINE GUN EXTERNAL OPERATION MAPAI (Le Petit) -Pencil drawing by Beaver Shaw
TPR. ALAN LOCKE SHAW C SQN SAS THE MALAYAN SCOUTS 1951 My father.
Seven Squadron worked very closely with C Squadron Rhodesian SAS on operations in and out of Rhodesia.
Choppertech describes some of these operations in detail.
My father Alan Shaw served with this elite unit in the Malayan Emergency with Walls and Reid Daly.
RHODESIAN AIR FORCE
FEDERATION ROUNDEL
RHODESIAN ROUNDEL
RHODESIAN LION AND TUSK
RHODESIAN FLAG
AIR VICE MARSHAL NORMAN WALSH
AIR VICE MARSHAL MICK Mc CLAREN
AIR VICE MARSHAL FRANK MUSSELL
RHODESIAN AIR FORCE FLAG
The Only Rhodesian Air Force Air to Air Contact of the Bush War
I n Choppertech I describe the incident with a Rhodesian Air Force K Car and a Botswana Air Force Defender near Francistown in Botswana -The K Car flown by Chas Goatley with Beaver Shaw as his technician/gunner was attacked by a Botswana defender while uplifting a Selous Scout call-sign at a remote airfield in Botswana . Choppertech describes this little known air combat and its result.
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