Rhodesian COIN (consolidated thread, inc original RLI)

[jcustis]

http://www.swelco.co.za/KNYSNA/

A few interesting items (pgs.25-27) once possessed by the LtCol, along with several other interesting pieces of Selous Scouts and RLI history are up for auction in SA.

There's some buzz afoot decrying the auction to Daly's items, but after further research by a member from another board, the items going up are actually a matter of his last wishes and are known (in fact many are posted on the website) to the Scouts Association.

[JMA]

http://www.swelco.co.za/KNYSNA/

A few interesting items (pgs.25-27) once possessed by the LtCol, along with several other interesting pieces of Selous Scouts and RLI history are up for auction in SA.

There's some buzz afoot decrying the auction to Daly's items, but after further research by a member from another board, the items going up are actually a matter of his last wishes and are known (in fact many are posted on the website) to the Scouts Association.

A similar situation developed over the auction of Lt-Gen Peter Walls' memorabilia. See here page 195 onwards.

Walls' action raised R750,000 (approx US$100,000) and were sold to private collectors. Those that were adamant that the items should remain "in the family" and/or in a museum specialising in Rhodesiana failed to come up with the bucks to make that happen.

The same will happen to Uncle Ron's stuff (sadly).

[shawzie]

This is Beaver Shaw’s long awaited work! Beaver was a K-Car gunner in 7 and 8 Squadron’s of the Rhodesian Air Force. He is credited with having shot down a fixed wing aircraft, from his K-Car in 1979.
This book covers the author's and other crewmen's experiences in No 7 Alouette Squadron as helicopter Technicians/Gunners who flew numerous operational sorties in Alouette G and K Car gunships on Fire Force operations during the Rhodesian Bush War. The Alouette III helicopters were extensively used within Rhodesia as well as on external operations into Zambia, Botswana and Mocambique. Beaver served during latter stages of the war - 1976-1980, and has the unique distinction as being the only gunner during the bush war who is credited with a successful Air to Air contact, when he shot down a Botswana Defence Force Islander plane, using the K-Car's 20mm cannon. This occurred during a difficult extraction of Selous Scouts troops who had just attacked a ZIPRA base in Francistown.
We’ll be able to advice price and further details shortly, but to register interest and reserve a copy, email steve@30degreesouth.co.uk now! or in SA canic@mweb.co.za

[jcustis]

Ahhhh..another drain on the funds.

[JMA]

This is Beaver Shaw’s long awaited work! Beaver was a K-Car gunner in 7 and 8 Squadron’s of the Rhodesian Air Force. He is credited with having shot down a fixed wing aircraft, from his K-Car in 1979.
This book covers the author's and other crewmen's experiences in No 7 Alouette Squadron as helicopter Technicians/Gunners who flew numerous operational sorties in Alouette G and K Car gunships on Fire Force operations during the Rhodesian Bush War. The Alouette III helicopters were extensively used within Rhodesia as well as on external operations into Zambia, Botswana and Mocambique. Beaver served during latter stages of the war - 1976-1980, and has the unique distinction as being the only gunner during the bush war who is credited with a successful Air to Air contact, when he shot down a Botswana Defence Force Islander plane, using the K-Car's 20mm cannon. This occurred during a difficult extraction of Selous Scouts troops who had just attacked a ZIPRA base in Francistown.
We’ll be able to advice price and further details shortly, but to register interest and reserve a copy, email steve@30degreesouth.co.uk now! or in SA canic@mweb.co.za

Glad to see this book from an air-force perspective is finally to be published. It will be a valuable addition to the relatively few books written on the Rhodesian bush-war and by someone who was right up there where it was all happening at the tactical level.

[davidbfpo]

'Why did you fight? Narratives of the Rhodesian Insurgency c.1970-1980' is a UK-based academic oral history project, which conducted interviews - in the UK - and had questionnaires returned by others. I've just found it has been published and it is a good background read.

Link:http://www1.uwe.ac.uk/cahe/hpp/resea...tfindings.aspx

There is a link to the eighteen page final report (PDF format).

[JMA]

A new book on the Rhodesian war has been published.

The Search for Puma 164
Operation Uric and the Assault on Mapai
Neill Jackson & Rick van Malsen
ISBN: 978-1-920143-57-2

The battle for Mapai … and the final closure

September 6, 1979. Into the deepening darkness of the African night, a lone Aerospatiale Puma helicopter flies resolutely northward, leaving behind the desolation of the battle for Mapai, in Mozambique’s Gaza Province. Huddled in the cabin, two weary soldiers sit silently immersed in their own thoughts, contemplating their difficult duties ahead. The taller of the two, WOII Graham Enslin, CSM, Support Commando, Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), is struggling to come to terms with the death in action that morning of his younger brother Brian. He wonders how to break the news to his parents. The other, Lt Rick van Malsen BCR, 2IC, 1 Commando, 1RLI, works through the list of names in his hand, names of the 16 men who perished with Trooper Brian Enslin when a South African Air Force Puma was shot out of the sky during the assault on the Frelimo and ZANLA stronghold at Mapai on the much-feared, so-called ‘Russian Front’. It will be his job to send out the official death notices and to advise the next of kin that the bodies of the three South African airmen and 14 Rhodesian soldiers were not recovered. Both men vow that night, each for reasons of his own, to one day return to the scene of the crash to pay proper tribute to the fallen men: the aircrew and troops of Puma 164.

April 11, 2009. And so it was, almost 30 years later, that Rick van Malsen returns to the scene of that horrendous battle, to search for the crash site of the downed Puma, in an effort to achieve closure for the relatives of the dead. This is a story of courage and devotion to duty but, above all, it is a story of comradeship and loyalty undimmed by the passage of time, of a band of brothers bonded together in war, united still in peace.

[student2010]

I would like to write a thesis on the Rhodesian Bush War, specifically the use of Pseudo Operations of the selous scouts and the use of blackface as a tool of deception against African guerillas. I had to abandon my hopes of writing a thesis on the toyota war because I couldn't find any primary sources. Does anyone know of an actual selous scout member that participated in the blackface aspect of the war that I could interview? Or any good books or documents? Thanks.

[trippmccullar]

My thesis partners and I wrote a thesis on "Pseudo Operations & Deception in Irregular Conflict" in 2009 for John Arquilla at the Naval Postgraduate School. I'd be glad to send you a copy to review our bibliography for source info. If you like, send your email address via PM to enable an exchange.

[Jake Smith-Jones]

The Blackface stuff you are considering for your paper might be less interesting than the means by which the Rhodesians converted captured terrorists and made them into 'good guys'...cheers

[bourbon]

My friend, have you stopped beating your wife?

[davidbfpo]

The Blackface stuff you are considering for your paper might be less interesting than the means by which the Rhodesians converted captured terrorists and made them into 'good guys'...cheers

Jake,

This question has been posed before IIRC, cannot recall now in which thread, but did not get a full answer. The Rhodesian thread was just searched, using pseudo and found very little. so will have to look elsewhere. The Rhodesian thread is:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2090

Anecdote suggested in Rhodesia captured guerillas were shocked not to be killed, given a cigarette, offered an alternative to court and potentially death. Plus as the Selous Scouts showed changing sides was very profitable, IIRC there was a per capita reward.

A South African Police brigadier was famous for his skill in persuading prisoners to convert; he had been posted to Rhodesia. Somewhere I have a video of him.

[davidbfpo]

I would like to write a thesis on the Rhodesian Bush War, specifically the use of Pseudo Operations of the selous scouts and the use of blackface as a tool of deception against African guerillas. I had to abandon my hopes of writing a thesis on the toyota war because I couldn't find any primary sources. Does anyone know of an actual selous scout member that participated in the blackface aspect of the war that I could interview? Or any good books or documents? Thanks.

Student2010,

Have a look in the Rhodesian War thread, that refers to several potential sources, mainly books. Given the time lapse and feelings over history I would be surprised if any former-Selous Scout will talk. One post does refer to an Scouts association, so maybe worth contacting.

[MikeF]

Published this morning in the Journal

Securing and Holding Rural Terrain:
Use of Pseudo Teams and Airmobile “Very-Light” Infantry Quick Reaction Forces in Rhodesia Counter-Insurgency Operations
by Timothy Bax and Steven Hatfill

[MikeF]

Published this morning in the Journal

Securing and Holding Rural Terrain:
Use of Pseudo Teams and Airmobile “Very-Light” Infantry Quick Reaction Forces in Rhodesia Counter-Insurgency Operations
by Timothy Bax and Steven Hatfill

[JMA]

Published this morning in the Journal

Securing and Holding Rural Terrain:
Use of Pseudo Teams and Airmobile “Very-Light” Infantry Quick Reaction Forces in Rhodesia Counter-Insurgency Operations
by Timothy Bax and Steven Hatfill

This is a good document and reflects accurately the Fireforce concept of my personal experience.

[JMA]

Published this morning in the Journal

Securing and Holding Rural Terrain:
Use of Pseudo Teams and Airmobile “Very-Light” Infantry Quick Reaction Forces in Rhodesia Counter-Insurgency Operations
by Timothy Bax and Steven Hatfill

This is a good document and reflects accurately the Fireforce concept of my personal experience.

[JMA]

I would like to write a thesis on the Rhodesian Bush War, specifically the use of Pseudo Operations of the selous scouts and the use of blackface as a tool of deception against African guerillas. I had to abandon my hopes of writing a thesis on the toyota war because I couldn't find any primary sources. Does anyone know of an actual selous scout member that participated in the blackface aspect of the war that I could interview? Or any good books or documents? Thanks.

davidbfpo has given good advice on this matter.

Three books of essential reading are as follows:

The War of the Running Dogs: Malaya 1948-1960 - Malaya

Gangs and counter-gangs - Kenya

Pamwe Chete: The Legend of the Selous Scouts - Rhodesia

Which country are you in? That would indicate what your chances are of meeting with primary sources who know what they are talking about.

Success in this regard depends largely on your approach. Remember that these guys have been pestered over the years by people wanting information and are tired of it all. If the approach is made in a professional and academic manner you would be most likely to obtain a positive response.

[cdcockrell]

Lots of interesting stuff out there.

http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2090

Lessons for Contemporary Counterinsurgencies
The Rhodesian Experience
Hoffman, Taw, Arnold
RAND, 1991

Bush War
The Use of Surrogates in Southern Africa (1975-1989)
MAJ Joseph E. Escandon
Fort Leavenworth

The Utility of Military Deception during Counterinsurgency
Major Maxwell S. Thibodeaux
Fort Leavenworth

http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute...les/pub607.pdf

http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art...and-terrorists

PSEUDO OPERATIONS AND COUNTERINSURGENCY:
LESSONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
Lawrence E. Cline
June 2005
http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ssi

Evans, Michael(2007) 'The Wretched of the Empire: Politics, Ideology and Counterinsurgency in Rhodesia, 1965-80', Small Wars & Insurgencies, 18: 2, 175 — 195

[jcustis]

The gold standard is the Reid-Daly book, Pamwe Chete, or alternately titled Selous Scouts: Top Secret War. Good luck finding a copy that is affordable. I think I scored one of the last ones, from the NOVA webpage store, of all places, many years ago.

I am heartened to see the SWJ article, and to see that veterans of that conflict are taking the time to put their insights down on paper. It's sort of odd to see the JRT Wood illustrations though. I browsed the article and went straight to the core arguments of application, so I wonder if they give credit, as I did not see that cited in the body of their article. There is a link to the JRT Wood page here: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...0&postcount=68

There are a great number of limitations that would make it difficult to translate the Fire Force of old into an effective counter-insurgent force for Afghanistan. Part of the problem is simple fact of training. We didn't fight that way before the Long War began (though I certainly advocated it some while ago), and trying to adapt to these tactics would require paradigm shifts of enormous proportion.that the Army and Marine Corps just simple cannot make these days.

I think it's a bit off course to reference holding rural territory in the title of article. The Rhodesian Security Forces in the form of the Scouts/RLI/RAR were not holding territory as much as they were interdicting the infiltration of the terr gangs coming from across the border. Once they got far enough, the difficulties of countering and killing them became magnified by a significant factor. For some reason, I remember a reference or statement somewhere that it became 4x harder to make kills once the gang had made it to certain regions of the TTLs.

Insurgent mobility is widely different between gangs of ZIPRA/ZANLA coming across the borders, and how Afghan insurgents move and operate, so that has to be considered as well.

Pseudo operations factor in sanctuary/area denial for sure, if applied the right way, but I don't think enough people recognize the juice being worth the squeeze in the current operating environment.

Anyway, find the Reid-Daly book before you go any further.

ETA-I just went back to the Rhodesian COIN thread and read all 12 pages, including a number of the linked documents and referring links. Man...good sh*t throughout that thread.

Haha...I realized that I'm about as good as a broken record. Most of my points were already posted here: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ad.php?t=10742

At least I'm fairly consistent.