Rhodesian COIN (consolidated thread, inc original RLI)

[davidbfpo]

My understanding is that local factors and persons were the roots of the Selous Scouts, founded in 1973, in particular their C.O. Ron Reid Daly and a police Special Branch (BSAP) Ch. Supt. 'Mac' McGuinness. The Scouts were a recce unit primarily and in the early years of the war the BSAP Special Branch directed much of the military effort. They were not a direct action unit.

The field conversion of captured terrorists (guerilla fighters) was brutally simple and rapid. The change in loyalty was reinforced by the very high bonuses paid for each kill, which made them very wealthy.

There is a new book due out on the 'Fire Force' concept: http://www.bushveld.net/store3/erol....t%3D0%26sa%3DN


davidbfpo

[William F. Owen]

There is a suggestion that some of the Selous Scout concept came from Vietnam, perhaps those of you know more on this would like to comment as this was news to me, not being American or particularly familiar with that war?

There is vast body of evidence (referenced in some part by davidbfpo) that the Selous Scouts concept was born from the BSAP Special Branch and drew from the experience of the Kenyan Police's Counter-Gangs against the Mau-Mau and the infamous "Ops Research Group" in Malaya.

Combine to all this that the British evolved the Counter Gang concept from both observing the covert operations of the Jews in Palestine (Mistaravim) dating back to WW1 and their own experience in India.

It has been suggested that the, "Ops Research Group" idea was in some part responsible for the CIA's "Phoenix Program" so I suggest this author is unencumbered by history on this one.

[jcustis]

I haven't run google search strings on things RLI and Selous Scouts for some time, and so I was surprised to see that blogger site. It is excellent for putting forward many of those seemingly mundane things that make the study of that bush war very interesting.

And I also get an advance copy order in at the same time...Thanks David.

There is a consolidated Rhodesian COIN thread at: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2090

[davidbfpo]

Came across references to 'Lost in Africa' by Stu Taylor, pub. 2007 by 30 Degrees South; blurb says he served 1967-1980. Large parts can be read on: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=llAgjC91ESYC and the publisher: http://www.30degreessouth.co.za/shop...products_id=56

No review readily found.

davidbfpo

[davidbfpo]

The RLI website (mentioned at the start in 2007) appears to have been substantially updated; sorry Jon only two maps. Worth checking: http://www.therli.com/default.asp

Looked at today as I learnt recently two UK academics have an oral history project, to get Rhodesian military memories recorded; either by interview in the UK or a questionaire. PM me for additional details if interested.

davidbfpo

[jcustis]

That is definitely a good update.

[Spud]

Picked this one up in a second-hand store a couple of weeks ago. "Fiction based on fact" (to protect the guilty more than anything). Forward by LTCOL Reid-Daly and includes a fair smattering of his pics. Not a bad read if you can find it anywhere.

Publisher is RLI Publishing, Queensland, Australia. 1997. Covos did a second edition which is apperantly still on Amazon

[jcustis]

If you enjoy that, then Chris Cocks' Fireforce would be a great companion read.

[IntelTrooper]

I just saw this on Amazon today and thought some here may be interested (it won't be released until August but can be pre-ordered now):

Counter-strike from the Sky: The Rhodesian All-arms Fireforce in the War in the Bush, 1974-1980

Fireforce as a military concept dates from 1974 when the Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) acquired the French MG151 20mm cannon from the Portuguese. Coupled with this, the traditional counter-insurgency tactics (against Mugabe's ZANLA and Nkomo's ZIPRA) of follow-ups, tracking and ambushing simply weren't producing satisfactory results. Visionary RhAF and Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) officers thus expanded on the idea of a 'vertical envelopment' of the enemy (first practised by SAS paratroopers in Mozambique in 1973), with the 20mm cannon being the principle weapon of attack, mounted in an Alouette III K-Car ('Killer car'), flown by the air force commander, with the army commander on board directing his ground troops deployed from G-Cars (Alouette III troop-carrying gunships and latterly Bell 'Hueys' in 1979) and parachuted from DC-3 Dakotas. In support would be a propeller-driven ground-attack aircraft armed with front guns, pods of napalm, white phosphorus rockets and a variety of Rhodesian-designed bombs; on call would be Canberra bombers, Hawker Hunter and Vampire jets.

[jcustis]

Hmmm. I would have never guessed Amazon would pick that up. I've had a copy for a couple months now. Cost me a heftier penny though.

[IntelTrooper]

Hmmm. I would have never guessed Amazon would pick that up. I've had a copy for a couple months now. Cost me a heftier penny though.

Was it worth it? Or worth the future price?

[jcustis]

That 34% off price is probably as cheap as it will ever be found. It has lots of new pics and narratives i haven't seen before, so it was definitely worth it. Then again I'm a RLI junky of the highest order.

[IntelTrooper]

That 34% off price is probably as cheap as it will ever be found. It has lots of new pics and narratives i haven't seen before, so it was definitely worth it. Then again I'm a RLI junky of the highest order.

Excellent, thanks for the review!

[slapout9]

That 34% off price is probably as cheap as it will ever be found. It has lots of new pics and narratives i haven't seen before, so it was definitely worth it. Then again I'm a RLI junky of the highest order.

JC,I always knew you were Airborne at heart

[jcustis]

JC,I always knew you were Airborne at heart

Haha, or at least Air Cav.

I spent my first tour as an infantry officer in a helo (read as heliborne-focused) company, so I was justly fascinated with getting the business of vertical envelopment done right.

[slapout9]

Haha, or at least Air Cav.

I spent my first tour as an infantry officer in a helo (read as heliborne-focused) company, so I was justly fascinated with getting the business of vertical envelopment done right.

Heliborne,Air Cav it's All good. There is a book I am trying to remember about a guy the was in the 1st of the 7th Air Cav Aero Rifle Platoon that was supposed to be the inspiration for the Air Assault in Apocalypse now. He received a battlefield commission to Lieutenant because of his exploits, it was a great book.....now if I can just remember the name

[Rifleman]

Brennan's War?

http://www.amazon.com/Brennans-War-V.../dp/0671705954

But I believe 1/7 was an airmobile infantry battalion. 1/9 was the air cav squadron with gunships, scouts, and aero-rifle platoons. They considered themselves "The Cav of the Cav."

[slapout9]

Brennan's War?

http://www.amazon.com/Brennans-War-V.../dp/0671705954

But I believe 1/7 was an airmobile infantry battalion. 1/9 was the air cav squadron with gunships, scouts, and aero-rifle platoons. They considered themselves "The Cav of the Cav."

Rifleman That's it!! Thanks. Yea, 1/9th. It is also the closest thing to what General Gavin had as an original concept for "Sky Cavalry" for what he termed "Brush Fire Wars".

jcustis you gotta read this book!! everybody else should for that matter.

[davidbfpo]

For those interested check the author's website: http://www.jrtwood.com/default.asp and for non-USA residents an option to buy the book: http://www.30degreessouth.co.uk/counterstrike.htm

davidbfpo

There is a consolidated Rhodesian COIN thread at:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2090

[davidbfpo]

A report on this UK-based oral history project: http://www.britain-zimbabwe.org.uk/RP4onslowbramley.htm

For those who are interested in Rhodesian / Zimbabwean military history follow this link: http://www.britain-zimbabwe.org.uk/RD09papers.htm - the papers from the 2009 BZS Research Day on War and Soldiers.

davidbfpo