Africa History Question

[Oceanview_vet]

In one of the brush / bush wars or revolutions / coups in Africa in the 70's several non-African mercenaries were captured by opposing forces and subsequently tried and executed by firing squad. Does anyone recall the incident and its date and location?

[davidbfpo]

THis was the infamous "Colonel Callan" incident in Angola; a small group of mercenaries, mainly British, who were recruited by the FNLA and a group were captured by the MPLA - who were to win the opening pkase of the war. "Callan" executed some of his own from memory and was executed. Others hazy now were jailed.

John Stockwell's book amongst others covered the episode.

There was also the foolhardy expedition to the Seychelles, by Mike Hoare, with a South African group, who arrived under the guise of a rugger team. Arrested and jailed. Not 100% it was the Seychelles.

davidbfpo

[William F. Owen]

THis was the infamous "Colonel Callan" incident in Angola; a small group of mercenaries, mainly British, who were recruited by the FNLA and a group were captured by the MPLA - who were to win the opening pkase of the war. "Callan" executed some of his own from memory and was executed. Others hazy now were jailed.

IIRC, "Callan" - a L/Cpl from 2 Para - and Sammy Copeland - a Staff Sergeant from 22 SAS - were later killed by their own side, as a reprisal for the killings.

[Tom Odom]

THis was the infamous "Colonel Callan" incident in Angola; a small group of mercenaries, mainly British, who were recruited by the FNLA and a group were captured by the MPLA - who were to win the opening pkase of the war. "Callan" executed some of his own from memory and was executed. Others hazy now were jailed.

John Stockwell's book amongst others covered the episode.

There was also the foolhardy expedition to the Seychelles, by Mike Hoare, with a South African group, who arrived under the guise of a rugger team. Arrested and jailed. Not 100% it was the Seychelles.

davidbfpo

David,

It was the Seychelles in 1978. Some considered the east Germans who were reportedly with the Katangans in Shaba II in 1978 also to be "mercs". Of course the US declared they were Cuban.

Tom

[Stan]

Although this has more to do with aircraft than mercenaries, it's a quick read and does in fact cover some facts about Katanga.

Heart of Darkness: the Tragedy of the Congo, 1960-67

[BayonetBrant]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Callan

[Oceanview_vet]

Thank you one and all. And it would seem as though central Africa, not to exclude the rest of the continent, has not trended too strongly towards peaceful rest in the intervening three decades. One has to wonder how many more decades are required to transition from colony to some stable institutional form of governance.