Rhodesian Security Forces

Rhodesian Security Forces
Rhodesian Security Forces
Disbanded 1980
Headquarters Salisbury
Rhodesia

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Rhodesian Bush War


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Contents

Rhodesian Army

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.[1]

  • 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 Army HQ
  • The Rhodesian Light Infantry
  • C Squadron 22 (Rhodesian) SAS (in 1978 became 1 (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment)
  • Selous Scouts
  • The Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment (The Black Devils)
  • Grey's Scouts
  • The Rhodesian African Rifles (six independent companies)
  • 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 (link www.sasappers.net
  • 5 Engineer Support Squadron
  • Three Brigade Signals Squadrons (numbered 1 to 3), 41 Troop 4 (Bde.) Signals Squadron, and three Signal Squadrons numbered 8, 10-12
  • 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.

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 had the specific responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country.[1]

Intaf

Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs (Intaf) officers were heavily involved in implementing such civic measures as the protected villages program.

Combined Operations

Map showing operational areas of the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Bush War.

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 in Salisbury to co-ordinate the efforts of each service. The Rhodesian army took the senior role in Combined Operations. Combined Operations was responsible for the conduct of all operations both inside and outside Rhodesia. Combined Operations 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.[1]

The operational areas were known as:

  • Op Hurricane – North east border
  • Op Thrasher – Eastern border
  • Op Repulse – South east border
  • Op Tangent – Matabeleland
  • Op Grapple – Midlands
  • Op Splinter – Kariba
  • Salops – Operations in and around Salisbury

Military equipment of Rhodesia

Name Type Country of Origin In Service Notes
T-55 Main Battle Tank.  Soviet Union 8-12 8 T-55LD tanks given by South Africa, together with South African Defence Force advisers for the purpose of training the Rhodesian crews. Some T-55 tanks captured from Mozambique.[2]
T-54 Main Battle Tank.  Soviet Union Captured.
T-34 Main Battle Tank  Soviet Union 5-10 Some captured from Mozambique.
Browning Hi-Power Pistol  Belgium
M1911 Pistol  United States
Beretta 92 Pistol  Italy
Walther P38 Pistol  West Germany
Enfield revolver Revolver  United Kingdom Enfield No. 2 Mk I Revolver.
Star Pistol  Spain Star Model 1920, Star Model 1921 and Star Model 1922.
Sten Submachine Gun  United Kingdom
Sterling Submachine Gun  United Kingdom
Uzi Submachine Gun  Israel Some of local manufacture.
Škorpion vz. 61 Submachine Gun  Czechoslovakia Some of local manufacture.
Lee Enfield Rifle  United Kingdom No. 4 Mk I and No 4 Mk I (T)
Browning Auto-5 Shotgun  United States
Ithaca 37 Shotgun  United States
FN FAL Rifle  Belgium South African R1 and British L1A1. Also used heavy barreled light machine gun variant.
M14 Rifle  United States
M16 Assault Rifle  United States M16A1. Used very late in the war.
Heckler & Koch G3 Rifle  West Germany G3A3, received from Portugal.
AK-47 Assault Rifle  Soviet Union Captured.
AKM Assault Rifle  Soviet Union Captured.
SKS Carbine  Soviet Union Captured.
Dragunov Sniper Rifle  Soviet Union Captured.
RPD Light Machine Gun  Soviet Union Captured.
RPK Light Machine Gun  Soviet Union Captured.
PK Light Machine Gun  Soviet Union Captured.
KPV Heavy Machine Gun  Soviet Union Captured.
Bren Light Machine Gun  United Kingdom Mark 3.
FN MAG General Purpose Machine Gun  Belgium
Browning M1919 Medium Machine Gun  United States M1919A4.
Browning M2 Heavy Machine Gun  United States
RPG-7 Anti-Tank Weapon  Soviet Union Captured.
M72 LAW Anti-Tank Weapon  United States
Bazooka Anti-Tank Weapon  United States M20 Super Bazooka.
M18 Claymore Anti Personal Mine  United States
Mine G.S. Mk V Anti Tank Mine  United Kingdom
Ferret Armoured Car  United Kingdom 20-48 Mk 2/2.
Ratel Armoured Car  South Africa 54 Ratel 90.
BRDM-2 Armoured Car  Soviet Union Captured.
BTR-152 Armoured Personnel Carrier  Soviet Union Captured.
Eland Mk7 Armoured Car  South Africa 139 60 Eland-90s and 70 Eland-60s.
T17 Armoured Car  United States 20 T17E1.
Thyssen Henschel UR-416 Armoured Personnel Carrier  West Germany 50
MILAN Anti-Tank Guided Missile  France/ West Germany 9 9 Launchers and 75 missiles from South Africa.
M40 Anti-Tank Weapon  United States 24
B-10 Anti-Tank Weapon  Soviet Union Captured.
B-11 Anti-Tank Weapon  Soviet Union Captured.
Casspir Armoured Personnel Carrier  South Africa 100 Casspir Mk 3.
Buffel Armoured Personnel Carrier  South Africa 100
Pookie Mine Detection vehicle  Rhodesia
Universal Carrier Armoured Personnel Carrier  United Kingdom 30 Improved Universal carrier armed with two FN MAG.
OTO Melara Mod 56 Howitzer  Italy 18
M101 Howitzer  United States 12
Ordnance QF 25 pounder Howitzer  United Kingdom 24
L16 Mortar  United Kingdom 100
BM-21 Grad Multiple Rocket Launcher  Soviet Union 5 Captured.
Strela 2 Surface-To-Air Missile System  Soviet Union 15 Captured.
ZPU Anti-Aircraft Gun 14.5mm  Soviet Union 20 Captured.
SU 23x2 Anti-Aircraft Gun  Soviet Union 12 Captured.
Land Rover 4×4 Vehicle  United Kingdom
Willys MB 4×4 Vehicle  United States M38.
Unimog 4×4 Vehicle  West Germany
Bedford MK Truck  United Kingdom
English Electric Canberra Bomber  United Kingdom 21 3 from South Africia, 18 Canberra B 2s and 3 Canberra T 4s.
Hawker Hunter Fighter  United Kingdom 12 Hunter FGA 9.
de Havilland Vampire Fighter  United Kingdom 67 35 from South Africia.
Supermarine Spitfire Fighter  United Kingdom 22 Mk 22.
North American T-6 Texan Trainer Aircraft  United States 21 AT-6 Harvard, sold to South Africa.
Percival Provost Trainer Aircraft/Light Attack Aircraft  United Kingdom 25 Provost Mk 52.
Aermacchi AL-60 Utility Aircraft  Italy 11 AL-60F-5 "Trojan".
Canadair North Star Transport Aircraft  Canada 4 C-4 Argonaut.
Douglas DC-7 Transport Aircraft  United States 2
Cessna Skymaster Light Attack Aircraft  United States 23 Reims-Cessna FTB 337G 'Lynx'.
Aermacchi SF.260 Trainer Aircraft/Light Attack Aircraft  Italy 49 SF.260C and SF.260W "Genet".
Douglas C-47 Dakota Transport Aircraft  United States 22
Britten-Norman Islander Transport Aircraft  United Kingdom 6
Beechcraft Baron Transport Aircraft  United States 1 Baron 95 C-55
Cessna 421 Transport Aircraft  United States 1
Percival Pembroke Transport Aircraft  United Kingdom 2 Percival Pembroke C.1
Cessna 185 Utility Aircraft  United States 17
Bell UH-1 Iroquois Helicopter  United States 11 Agusta-Bell 205. Used very late in the war.
Aérospatiale Alouette III Helicopter  France 97
SNIAS Alouette-II Light Transport Helicopter  France 5 deliverd by RSA
Armscor Darter Air to Air Missile  South Africa some
Golf & Alpha Aircraft bombs  Rhodesia several
Matra 68mm Aircraft rockets  France

See also

References

External links


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