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Rhodesian Security Forces
Emblem of the Rhodesian Army. Following the declaration of a republic in 1970, the Crown was removed.
Founded	1964
Disbanded	1980
Service branches	Rhodesian Army Rhodesian Air Force British South Africa Police Ministry of Internal Affairs Guard Force
Headquarters	Salisbury, Rhodesia
Related articles
History	Rhodesian Bush War

The Rhodesian Security Forces were the military forces of the Rhodesian government. The Rhodesian Security Forces consisted of a ground force (the Rhodesian Army), the Rhodesian Air Force, the British South Africa Police and various personnel affiliated to the Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs (INTAF). Despite the impact of economic and diplomatic sanctions, Rhodesia was able to develop and maintain a potent and professional military capability.^[1]

The Rhodesian Security Forces of 1964–80 traced their history back to the British South Africa Company armed forces, originally created during company rule in the 1890s. These became the armed forces of the British self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia on its formation in 1923, then part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland military in 1953. After the break-up of the Federation at the end of 1963, the security forces assumed the form they would keep until 1980.

As the armed forces of Rhodesia (as Southern Rhodesia called itself from 1964), the Rhodesian Security Forces remained loyal to the Salisbury government after it unilaterally declared independence from Britain on 11 November 1965. Britain and the United Nations refused to recognise this, and regarded the breakaway state as a rebellious British colony throughout its existence.

The security forces fought on behalf of the unrecognised government against the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA)—the military wings of the Marxist–Leninist black nationalist Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and Zimbabwe African People's Union respectively—during the Rhodesian Bush War of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Lancaster House Agreement and the return of Rhodesia to de facto British control on 12 December 1979 changed the security forces' role altogether; during the five-month interim period, they helped the British governor and Commonwealth Monitoring Force to keep order in Rhodesia while the 1980 general election was organised and held. After the internationally recognised independence of Zimbabwe in April 1980, the Rhodesian security forces, ZANLA and ZIPRA were integrated to form the new Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

Rhodesian Army

A re-enactor portrays a Rhodesian Light Infantry trooper, circa 1979. The primary infantry weapon of the Rhodesian Army was the FN FAL battle rifle, which was camouflaged as seen here.

The majority of the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers were disbanded in 1920 for reasons of cost, the last companies being disbanded in 1926. The Defence Act of 1927 created a Permanent Force (the Rhodesian Staff Corps) and a Territorial Force as well as national compulsory military training.^[2] With the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers disbanded in 1927, the Rhodesia Regiment was reformed in the same year as part of the nation's Territorial Force. The 1st Battalion was formed in Salisbury with a detached "B" company in Umtali and the 2nd Battalion in Bulawayo with a detached "B" Company in Gwelo.^[3] Between the World Wars, the Permanent Staff Corps of the Rhodesian Army consisted of only 47 men. The British South Africa Police (BSAP) were trained as both policemen and soldiers until 1954.^[4]

About 10,000 white Southern Rhodesians (15% of the white population) mustered into the British forces during the Second World War, serving in units such as the Long Range Desert Group, No. 237 Squadron RAF and the Special Air Service (SAS). Pro rata to population, this was the largest contribution of manpower by any territory in the British Empire, even outstripping that of Britain itself.^[5]

Southern Rhodesia's own units, most prominently the Rhodesian African Rifles (made up of black rank-and-filers and warrant officers, led by white officers; abbreviated RAR) fought in the war's East African Campaign and in Burma.^[6] During the war, Southern Rhodesian pilots proportionally earned the highest number of decorations and ace appellations in the Empire. This resulted in the Royal Family paying an unusual state visit to the colony at the end of the war in thanks to the efforts of the Rhodesian people.^{[citation needed]}

The Southern Rhodesia Air Force (SRAF) was re-established in 1947 and two years later, Prime Minister Godfrey Huggins appointed a 32-year-old South African-born Rhodesian Spitfire pilot, Ted Jacklin, as air officer commanding tasked to build an air force in the expectation that British African territories would begin moving towards independence, and air power would be vital for land-locked Southern Rhodesia. The threadbare SRAF bought, borrowed or salvaged a collection of vintage aircraft, including six Tiger Moths, six North American Harvard trainers, an Avro Anson freighter and a handful of De Havilland Rapide transport aircraft, before purchasing a squadron of 22 Mk. 22 war surplus Supermarine Spitfire from the Royal Air Force which were then flown to Southern Rhodesia.^[7]

In April 1951, the defence force of Rhodesia was completely reorganised.^[8] The Permanent Force included the BSAP as well as the Southern Rhodesia Staff Corps charged with training and administering the Territorial Force. The SRAF consisted of a communication squadron and trained members of the Territorial Force as pilots, particularly for artillery observation. During the Malayan Emergency of the 1950s, Southern Rhodesia contributed two units to the Commonwealth's counter-insurgency campaign: the newly formed Rhodesian SAS served a two-year tour of duty in Malaya starting in March 1951,^[9] then the Rhodesian African Rifles operated for two years from April 1956.^[10]

The colony also maintained women's auxiliary services (later to provide the inspiration for the Rhodesia Women's Service), and maintained a battalion of the RAR, officered by members of the Staff Corps. The Territorial Force remained entirely white and largely reproduced the Second World War pattern. It consisted of two battalions of the Royal Rhodesia Regiment, an Armoured Car Regiment, Artillery, Engineers, Signal Corps, Medical Corps, Auxiliary Air Force and Transport Corps. In wartime the country could also draw on the Territorial Force Reserve and General Reserve. Southern Rhodesia, in other words, reverted more or less to the organisation of the Second World War.

Matters evolved greatly over twenty years. The regular army was always a relatively small force, but by 1978–79 it consisted of 10,800 regulars nominally supported by about 40,000 reservists. While the regular army consisted of a professional core drawn from the white population (and some units, such as the Rhodesian SAS and the Rhodesian Light Infantry, were all-white), by 1978–79 the majority of its complement was actually composed of black soldiers. The army reserves, in contrast, were largely white.^[11]

The Rhodesian Army HQ was in Salisbury and commanded over four infantry brigades and later an HQ Special Forces, with various training schools and supporting units. Numbers 1,2, and 3 Brigade were established in 1964 and 4 Brigade in 1978.^[12]

• 1 Bde – Bulawayo with area of responsibility in Matabeleland


• 2 Bde – Salisbury with area of responsibility in Mashonaland


• 3 Bde – Umtali with area of responsibility in Manicaland


• 4 Bde – Fort Victoria with area of responsibility in Victoria province

During the Bush War, the army included:

• Army Headquarters


• The Rhodesian Light Infantry
  


• 
  C Squadron (Rhodesian) SAS (in 1978 became 1 (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment)


• Selous Scouts


• 
  The Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment (The Black Devils)


• 
  Grey's Scouts
  
  

  
  

  
  Eland-90 armoured cars of the Rhodesian Armoured Corps.

  
  
  
  


• The Rhodesian African Rifles (also including independent companies numbered 1–6 and, briefly, 7)


• The Rhodesia Regiment (eight battalions, numbered 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10)


• 1 Psychological Operations Unit


• The Rhodesian Defence Regiment (two battalions)


• The Rhodesian Intelligence Corps
  


• The Rhodesian Artillery (one depot, one field regiment)


• Six Engineer Squadrons (numbered 2, 3, 4, 6, 7) 1 Engr Sqn


• 5 Engineer Support Squadron


• 1 Brigade ^[13]
  
  
  • Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 1 Bde
  
  
  • Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 1(Bde) Sig Sqn
  
  
  
  


• 2 Brigade ^[13]
  
  
  • Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 2 Bde
  
  
  • Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 2(Bde) Sig Sqn
    
    • 12 Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 2(Bde) 12 Sig Sqn^[14]
      • Located: Llewellyn Barracks
      
      
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 3 Brigade ^[13]
  
  
  • Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 3 Bde
  
  
  • Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 3(Bde) Sig Sqn
  
  
  
  


• 4 Brigade ^[13]
  
  
  • Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 4 Bde
  
  
  • 41 Troop, Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 41 Tp 4(Bde) SigSqn
  
  
  
  


• Two Services Area HQs (Matabeleland and Mashonaland)


• Two Ordnance and Supplies Depots (Bulawayo, Salisbury)


• Two Base Workshops (Bulawayo, Salisbury)


• 1 Air Supply Platoon


• Three Maintenance Companies (numbered 1 to 3)


• Three Medical Companies (1, 2, 5) and the Army Health Unit


• Tsanga Lodge


• Five Provost Platoons (numbered 1 to 5) and the Army Detention Barracks


• Six Pay Companies (numbered 1 to 5, 7)


• Rhodesian Army Education Corps


• Rhodesian Corps of Chaplains


• Army Records, and Army Data Processing Unit


• Rail Transport Organisation Platoon


• 1 Military Postal Platoon


• Training establishments: School of Infantry, 19 Corps Training Depot, School of Military Engineering, School of Signals, Services Training School, Services Trade Training Centre, Medical Training School, School of Military Police, Pay Corps Training School, School of Military Administration.

Ranks

Equivalent NATO Code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) & Student officer
Rhodesia (Edit)	No equivalent																								Unknown
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Rhodesia (Edit)																	No equivalent												No insignia
	Warrant Officer Class 1						Warrant Officer Class 2		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance Corporal		Private (or equivalent)

Rhodesian Air Force

The Rhodesian Air Force was never a large air force. In 1965, it consisted of only 1,200 regular personnel. At the peak of its strength during the Bush war, it had a maximum of 2,300 personnel of all races, but of these, only 150 were pilots actively involved in combat operations. These pilots, however, were rotated through the various squadrons partly to maintain their skills on all aircraft and partly to relieve fellow pilots flying more dangerous sorties.

British South Africa Police

The British South Africa Police (BSAP) were the first line of defence in Rhodesia, with the specific responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country.^[12]

INTAF

While not a part of the Security Forces, Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs (INTAF) officers were heavily involved in implementing such civic measures as the protected villages program during the war.

Prison Services

The Rhodesia Prison Service was the branch of the Rhodesian Security Forces responsible for the administration of Rhodesian prisons.

Guard Force

This was the fourth arm of the Rhodesian Security Forces. It consisted of both black and white troops whose initial role was to provide protection for villagers in the Protected Village system. During the latter stages of the Bush War they provided a role in the protection of white-owned farmland, tribal purchase lands and other strategic locations. They also raised two infantry Battalions and provided troops in every facet of the war in each of the Operational Areas. It was a large component of the Security Forces, with a strength of over 7,200 personnel. Its headquarters were in North Avenue, Salisbury. Its training establishment was based at Chikurubi in Salisbury.

Combined Operations

Map showing operational areas of the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Bush War.^[15][16]

The Rhodesian Bush War required that each of the security forces work in a combined effort to combat the enemy. Therefore it became essential to establish an organisation known as Combined Operations (COMOPS) in Salisbury to co-ordinate the efforts of each service. The Rhodesian army took the senior role in Combined Operations and was responsible for the conduct of all operations both inside and outside Rhodesia. COMOPS had direct command over the Joint Operational Centres (JOCs) deployed throughout the country in each of the Operational Areas. There was a JOC per Operational Area.^[12]

The operational areas were known as:

• 
  Operation Hurricane – North-east border, started in December 1972


• 
  Operation Thrasher – Eastern border, started in February 1976


• 
  Operation Repulse – South-east border, started in May 1976


• 
  Operation Tangent – Matabeleland, started in August 1976


• 
  Operation Grapple – Midlands, started in August 1977


• 
  Operation Splinter – Kariba, started in June 1978


• 
  Salops – Operations in and around Salisbury, started in 1978

Senior military officials in Rhodesia

Source: original regiments.org (T.F. Mills) via webarchive.

• Commandant, Southern Rhodesia Defence Force:
  
  
  
  • 19uu Col. George Parson, CBE, DSO
    
  
  
  • 1936.10.09 Brig. John Sidney Morris, CBE, KStJ, KPM, CPM
  
  
  • 1945 (unknown)
  
  
  • 1947 Maj-Gen. Storr "Dooley" Garlake, CBE^[17]
    
  
  
  
  


• Chief of the General Staff:
  
  
  
  • 1953 Maj-Gen. Storr "Dooley" Garlake, CBE^[18]
    
  
  
  • 1959.04.12 Maj-Gen. Robert Edward Beaumont Long, CBE
    
  
  
  • 1963.06 Maj-Gen. John Anderson, CBE
    
  
  
  • 1964.10.24 Maj-Gen. Rodney Roy Jensen Putterill, CBE^[19]
    
  
  
  • 1968.10 Maj-Gen. Keith Robert Coster, OBE
    
  
  
  
  


• Commander of the Rhodesian Army:
  
  
  
  • 1977.05.16 Lt-Gen. John Selwyn Varcoe Hickman, CLM, MC
    
  
  
  • 1979.03.06 Lt-Gen. George Peter Walls GLM DCD MBE
    
  
  
  
  


• Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces:


• 1981.08 Gen. Andrew Lockhart Charles Maclean
  

Military equipment of Rhodesia

Small arms

Name	Type	Country of origin	Notes
Browning Hi-Power[20]	Semi-Automatic Pistol	Belgium
Enfield revolver	Revolver	United Kingdom	Enfield No. 2 Mk I Revolver.
Mamba	Semi-Automatic Pistol	Rhodesia
Star[21]	Semi-Automatic Pistol	Spain	Model 1920, 1921, 1922.
Walther PP[21]	Semi-Automatic Pistol	West Germany	Captured.
Austen[22]	Submachine gun	Australia	Austen "Machine Carbine" Mk I.
Sanna 77	Submachine gun	Rhodesia	Issued primarily to INTAF.
Northwood R-76	Submachine gun	Rhodesia
Owen Gun[22]	Submachine gun	Australia
Sa 25 (vz. 48b)	Submachine gun	Czechoslovakia	Some of local manufacture.
Sten[22]	Submachine gun	United Kingdom	Mk II.
Sterling[20]	Submachine gun	United Kingdom
Uzi[23]	Submachine gun	Israel	Some of local manufacture.
AK-47[24]	Assault Rifle	Soviet Union	Captured.
AKM[25]	Assault Rifle	Soviet Union	Captured and used by RhACR.
FN FAL[21]	Battle Rifle	Belgium	Belgian FNs, South African R1s.
Heckler & Koch G3[21]	Battle Rifle	West Germany	G3A3, received from Portugal.
L1A1[21]	Battle Rifle	United Kingdom	Issued primarily to reservists.
Lee–Enfield[26]	Bolt-action rifle	United Kingdom	Some converted into sniper rifles.
M16A1[20]	Assault rifle	United States	Used very late in the war.
Mini-14	Semi-Automatic rifle	United States	Smuggled from U.S.
SKS	Semi-automatic rifle	Soviet Union	Captured.
Bren	Light machine gun	United Kingdom	Mk 3.
Browning M2	Heavy machine gun	United States
Browning M1919[21]	Medium machine gun	United States	Helicopter-mounted weapon.
Degtyaryov 1938/46[27]	Light machine gun	Soviet Union	Captured.
FN MAG[21]	General purpose machine gun	Belgium	MAG-58.
KPV	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union	Captured.
PKM	General purpose machine gun	Soviet Union	Captured.
RPD[21]	Light machine gun	Soviet Union	Captured.
RPK	Light machine gun	Soviet Union	Captured.
Browning Auto-5[21]	Shotgun	United States
Ithaca 37	Shotgun	United States
Dragunov	Sniper rifle	Soviet Union	Captured.
Armscor M963	Fragmentation grenade	South Africa	Sourced via South Africa, derived from INDEP's licence-made M26 grenade
STRIM 32Z[28][29][30]	Anti-tank rifle grenade	France	Sourced via South Africa?
STRIM 28R[29][31][32]	rifle grenade	France	Sourced via South Africa?
PRB 424	rifle grenade	Belgium
Armscor 42 Zulu	rifle grenade	South Africa	Sourced via South Africa, derived from PRB 424
Mecar Energa	Anti-tank rifle grenade	Belgium	Latterly sourced via South Africa
M18 Claymore[20]	Anti-personnel mine	United States
Mine G.S. Mk V	Anti-tank mine	United Kingdom
Bazooka	Anti-tank weapon	United States	M20 Super Bazooka.
M72 LAW	Anti-tank weapon	United States	[citation needed]
RPG-2[33]	Anti-tank weapon	Soviet Union	Captured.
RPG-7[20]	Anti-tank weapon	Soviet Union	Captured.

Missiles and Recoilless Rifles

Name	Type	Country of Origin	Notes
MILAN	Anti-tank missile	France/ West Germany	9 launchers, 75 missiles.[citation needed]
M40	Anti-tank weapon	United States
B-11	Anti-tank weapon	Soviet Union	Captured late in the war.[34]

Vehicles

Name	Type	Country of Origin	In Service	Notes
Mercedes-Benz L1517[35]	Utility Truck	West Germany
Mercedes-Benz LA911B[35]	Utility Truck	West Germany
Mercedes-Benz LA1113/42[35]	Utility Truck	West Germany
Bedford MK[35]	Utility truck	United Kingdom
Bedford RL[35]	Utility truck	United Kingdom
BRDM-2	Scout Car	Soviet Union		Captured.
Buffel	Wheeled Personnel Carrier	South Africa
Bullet[35]	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	Rhodesia	1
Crocodile[35]	Wheeled Personnel Carrier	Rhodesia	130
MAP75[35]	Wheeled Personnel Carrier	Rhodesia	200-300
MAP45[35]	Wheeled Personnel Carrier	Rhodesia	100-200
Eland[23]	Armoured Car	South Africa	34
Ferret[35]	Scout Car	United Kingdom	10	Mk 2/2.
Land Rover	4×4 Vehicle	United Kingdom		Mine-resistant variant designated Armadillo.[35]
Leopard[35]	MPAV	Rhodesia
Mine Protected Combat Vehicle[35]	Infantry Fighting Vehicle	Zimbabwe Rhodesia	60
Mazda B1600[35]	Light truck	Japan	300	Fitted with machine gun turret.
Marmon-Herrington[35]	Armoured Car	South Africa
Pookie	Mine Detection and Removal (by Contact) vehicle	Rhodesia		Built on Volkswagen Kombi chassis.[35]
Hippo[23]	Wheeled Personnel Carrier	South Africa
Shorland[35]	Armoured Car	United Kingdom	2	Custom hulls and Ferret turrets.
T17 Staghound[35]	Armoured Car	United States	20
T-34[36]	Medium Tank	Soviet Union	5–10	Captured from Mozambique.
T-55[35]	Main Battle Tank	Poland/ Soviet Union	8	Polish T-55LD tanks provided by South Africa.
Thyssen Henschel UR-416[37]	Armoured Personnel Carrier	West Germany	2
Unimog 416[21]	Utility Truck	West Germany
Universal Carrier[35]	Armoured Personnel Carrier	United Kingdom	30	Improved Universal Bren carrier.
Willys MB	Jeep	United States		M38.

Artillery

Name	Type	Country of Origin	In Service	Notes
BL 5.5[23]	140mm Howitzer	United Kingdom	4
BM-21 Grad	122mm Multiple Rocket Launcher	Soviet Union		Captured.
L16[23]	81mm Mortar	United Kingdom	30
M101[38]	105mm Howitzer	United States	6
Ordnance QF 25 pounder[23]	87mm Howitzer	United Kingdom	18
OTO Melara Mod 56	105mm Howitzer	Italy	18

Air Defence

Name	Type	Country of Origin	In Service	Notes
37mm Gun M1	Anti-aircraft gun	United States
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon[27]	Anti-aircraft gun	Switzerland	1	Captured.
Zastava M55 20mm autocannon[39]	Anti-aircraft gun	Yugoslavia		Captured.
Strela 2	Surface-To-Air Missile System	Soviet Union	15	Captured.
ZPU[38]	Anti-aircraft gun	Soviet Union	10	Captured.
ZU-23-2	Anti-aircraft gun	Soviet Union		Captured.

Air force equipment

Name	Type	Country of Origin	In Service	Notes
Aermacchi AL-60[23]	Utility Aircraft	Italy	9	AL-60F-5 "Trojan".
Aermacchi SF.260[23]	Trainer Aircraft/Light Attack Aircraft	Italy	17	SF.260C and SF.260W "Genet".
SNIAS Alouette-II[23]	Light Transport Helicopter	France	10
Aérospatiale Alouette III[23]	Helicopter	France	27	Several supplied by the SAAF.
Beechcraft Baron[40]	Transport Aircraft	United States	1	Baron 95 C-55.
Bell UH-1 Iroquois[23]	Helicopter	United States	10	Agusta-Bell 205A. Used very late in the war.
Britten-Norman Islander[23]	Transport Aircraft	United Kingdom	6
Canadair North Star	Transport Aircraft	Canada	4	C-4 Argonaut.
Cessna 185	Utility Aircraft	United States	17
Cessna 421	Transport Aircraft	United States	1
Cessna Skymaster[23]	Light Attack Aircraft	United States	10	Reims-Cessna FTB 337G 'Lynx'.
de Havilland Vampire[40]	Fighter	United Kingdom	12
Douglas C-47 Dakota[23]	Transport Aircraft	United States	12
Douglas DC-7	Transport Aircraft	United States	2
English Electric Canberra[23]	Bomber	United Kingdom	7
Hawker Hunter[23]	Fighter	United Kingdom	13	Hunter FGA 9.
North American T-6 Texan	Trainer Aircraft	United States	21	AT-6 Harvard, sold to South Africa.
Percival Pembroke	Transport Aircraft	United Kingdom	2	Percival Pembroke C.1
Percival Provost[40]	Trainer Aircraft	United Kingdom	8	Provost Mk 52.
Supermarine Spitfire	Fighter	United Kingdom	22	Mk 22.
Golf[41]	General-purpose bomb	Rhodesia
Alpha	Cluster bombs	Rhodesia		The Canberra carried 300 Alpha bombs in groups of 50 inside six hoppers fitted to the bomb bay[42]
SNEB 68mm	Aircraft rockets	France

See also

• British South Africa Police


• Rhodesian Light Infantry


• Selous Scouts


• Rhodesian Air Force


• Fireforce

Notes and references

References

Journal articles

Bibliography

Further reading

• 
  Cross, Glenn (2017). Dirty War: Rhodesia and Chemical Biological Warfare, 1975–1980. Solihull, UK: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1-911512-12-7.
  

External links

• 
  Rhodesian Militaria: Army – Detailed photos & descriptions of genuine Army & Brigade patches.


• http://rhodesianforces.org


• http://www.rhodesia.nl


• 
  http://www.baragwanath.co.za/leopard – Rhodesian 'Leopard' Mine Protected Vehicle on display at the War Museum, Johannesburg.