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Grahame Wilson
Major Grahame Wilson , also known as "The Phantom Major", is a retired Rhodesian Army officer who served as second-in-command of the Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS). He is the most decorated member of the Rhodesian Army. Military career Wilson served with the Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR) before passing selection for the Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS) in July 1975. He commanded from January 1976February 1978 and was promoted to become second-in-command of the regiment from March 1978May 1980. He took command in 1980. Wilson's first decoration for valour was the BCR which was awarded on 07 Oct 1977 while he was still a Captain. His second, the SCR, was awarded on 13 April 1979 with Major Wilson in the 2IC post. Following Rhodesia's reconstitution and recognised independence as Zimbabwe in 1980, Wilson was awarded the Grand Cross of Valour on 30 June 1980 while a Major and second-in-command. He was the second and final person to be awarded the honour after Chris S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhodesia
Rhodesia (, ), officially from 1970 the Republic of Rhodesia, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa from 1965 to 1979, equivalent in territory to modern Zimbabwe. Rhodesia was the ''de facto'' successor state to the British colony of Southern Rhodesia, which had been self-governing since achieving responsible government in 1923. A landlocked nation, Rhodesia was bordered by South Africa to the south, Bechuanaland (later Botswana) to the southwest, Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) to the northwest, and Mozambique ( a Portuguese province until 1975) to the east. From 1965 to 1979, Rhodesia was one of two independent states on the African continent governed by a white minority of European descent and culture, the other being South Africa. In the late 19th century, the territory north of the Transvaal was chartered to the British South Africa Company, led by Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes and his Pioneer Column marched north in 1890, acquiring a huge block of territory that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhodesian Army
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. Despite the impact of economic and diplomatic sanctions, Rhodesia was able to develop and maintain a potent and professional military capability. 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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Major (rank)
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators, major is one rank above captain, and one rank below lieutenant colonel. It is considered the most junior of the field officer ranks. Background Majors are typically assigned as specialised executive or operations officers for battalion-sized units of 300 to 1,200 soldiers while in some nations, like Germany, majors are often in command of a company. When used in hyphenated or combined fashion, the term can also imply seniority at other levels of rank, including ''general-major'' or ''major general'', denoting a low-level general officer, and ''sergeant major'', denoting the most senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) of a military unit. The term ''major'' can also be used with a hyphen to denote the leader of a military band such as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhodesian Special Air Service
The Rhodesian Special Air Service or Rhodesian SAS was a Rhodesian special forces unit. It comprised: *C Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment (Malayan Emergency (1951–1953) *"C" Squadron (Rhodesian) Special Air Service (1961–1978) *1 (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment (1978–1980) C Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment was formed during the Malayan Emergency by volunteers from Rhodesia. It was disbanded in 1953 and became the nucleus of "C" Squadron (Rhodesian) Special Air Service, operational from 1961. In June 1978 "C" Squadron (Rhodesian) Special Air Service became 1 (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment until Rhodesia became Zimbabwe in 1980. Formation During the Malayan Emergency, Malayan campaign (1951–1953), a group of men from Southern Rhodesia volunteered to go to Federation of Malaya, Malaya and were initially known as "The Far East Volunteer Group" later to become the Malayan Scouts. While in Malaya, they became "C" Squadron (Malayan Scouts) of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhodesian Bush War
The Rhodesian Bush War, also called the Second as well as the Zimbabwe War of Liberation, was a civil conflict from July 1964 to December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe-Rhodesia). The conflict pitted three forces against one another: the Rhodesian white minority-led government of Ian Smith (later the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian government of Bishop Abel Muzorewa); the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, the military wing of Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union; and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army of Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union. The war and its subsequent Internal Settlement, signed in 1978 by Smith and Muzorewa, led to the implementation of universal suffrage in June 1979 and the end of white minority rule in Rhodesia, which was renamed Zimbabwe Rhodesia under a black majority government. However, this new order failed to win international recognition and the war continued. Neither side achieved a military v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhodesian African Rifles
The Rhodesian African Rifles (RAR) was a regiment of the Rhodesian Army. The ranks of the RAR were recruited from the black African population, although officers were generally from the white population. The regiment was formed in May 1940 in the British colony of Southern Rhodesia. The RAR were officially declared the successor to the Rhodesia Native Regiment (RNR) which had existed in World War I from 1916 to 1918, and was granted the RNR's battle honours earned fighting in the East African Campaign. The RAR were the second-oldest regiment of the Rhodesian Army, after the Rhodesia Regiment which was raised in 1899. The RAR used the " greens" uniform and wore slouch hats as headgear. History After disbandment, selected members of the RNR formed the Askari Platoon of the British South Africa Police (BSAP) at Government House in Salisbury. Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) from this platoon provided the instructors when the RAR was formed in 1940 to fight in World War 2. From ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bronze Cross Of Rhodesia
The Bronze Cross of Rhodesia was a Rhodesian military decoration for gallantry. Institution The award was instituted in 1970 by Presidential Warrant, the first awards being made the same year. The last awards were made in June 1980. Medal The medal was a bronze cross with an enamelled roundel in the centre bearing a lion's head, suspended from a ribbon. The ribbons of the Bronze Cross differed in colour according to the service in which the recipient was enlisted; thus Army awards had a red ribbon with three white stripes ; Air Force awards a purple ribbon with stripes and Guard Force awards a brown ribbon with stripes . The Army ribbon has a strong and no doubt accidental resemblance to the Canadian Forces Decoration for long service. The medal was impressed in small capitals with the recipient's name on the reverse, and was awarded with a case of issue, miniature medal for wear, and an illuminated certificate. Recipients A total of 131 awards of the Bronze Cross of Rhode ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Silver Cross Of Rhodesia
The Silver Cross of Rhodesia was Rhodesia's second-highest military decoration for conspicuous gallantry. It was the equivalent of the Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Conduct Medal and Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, with all ranks eligible. Institution The award was instituted in 1970 by Presidential Warrant, the first awards being made in 1974. The last awards were made in June 1980. Medal The medal was a sterling silver cross with an enamelled roundel in the centre bearing a lion's head, suspended from a ribbon woven half-red and half blue, with green edges and narrow white stripes at the inner edge of the green . The medal was impressed in small capitals with the recipient's name on the reverse, and was awarded with a case of issue, miniature medal for wear, and an illuminated certificate. Recipients A total of 34 awards of the Silver Cross of Rhodesia were made, three posthumously. Notable recipients included Martin Pearse, who was killed in Lusaka in 1979 du ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grand Cross Of Valour
The Grand Cross of Valour was Rhodesia's highest military decoration, awarded for conspicuous valour by members of the Security Forces in combat. It was the equivalent of the Victoria Cross, which it replaced, and was formerly conferred on Rhodesian soldiers prior to 1965. Institution The award was instituted in 1970 by Presidential Warrant, the first being made in 1978. The second and final investiture was in June 1980. Medal The medal was a 9 ct gold cross with an enamelled roundel in the centre bearing a lion's head, hung from a V-shaped suspender from a scarlet ribbon woven with a central green stripe edged in white, with a gold stripe between the red and white. The medal was impressed in small capitals with the recipient's name on the reverse, and was awarded with a case of issue, miniature medal for wear, and an illuminated certificate. Recipients Just two awards of the Grand Cross of Valour were made. The first recipient was Acting Captain Chris F. Schulenber ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Schulenburg
Captain Chris F. Schulenburg is a South-African born former Rhodesian Army soldier. He is one of only two recipients of the Grand Cross of Valour, Rhodesia's highest military honour and also received the Silver Cross of Rhodesia. Schulenburg received the Grand Cross of Valour in 1978 for an action in which he penetrated an enemy position before returning to his unit and leading a successful assault. Early career Schulenburg was known as . A South African by birth, he joined the Rhodesian Army as a sergeant in the Rhodesian Light Infantry. He later transferred to the Selous Scouts as a lieutenant and was key in establishing a dedicated reconnaissance troop in that unit. The Selous Scouts often conducted clandestine operations within Rhodesia and abroad during the Rhodesian Bush War. Schulenburg often participated in these operations, specialising in long-range reconnaissance missions in which he would be accompanied only by a single black scout. At least one of these mission ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Selous Scouts
The Selous Scouts was a special forces unit of the Rhodesian Army that operated during the Rhodesian Bush War from 1973 until the reconstitution of the country as Zimbabwe in 1980. It was mainly responsible for infiltrating the black majority population of Rhodesia and collecting intelligence on insurgents so that they could be attacked by regular elements of the security forces. The unit did this by forming small teams that posed as insurgents and usually included captured insurgents. Over time, the Selous Scouts increasingly attacked insurgents themselves and operated in the countries that neighboured Rhodesia. The unit developed a reputation for brutality, and was responsible for attacking and killing civilians. The Selous Scouts were also involved in the Rhodesian chemical and biological weapons program and used poisons and biological agents in some of its operations. The methods used by the unit led to the deaths of large numbers of insurgents but were counter-productive a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Walls
Lieutenant General George Peter Walls GLM DCD MBE (1927-201Walls: "We will make it work" Time magazine and CNN – 20 July 2010) was a Rhodesian soldier. He served as the Head of the Armed Forces of Rhodesia during the Rhodesian Bush War from 1977 until his exile from the country in 1980.Kalley, Jacqueline Audrey. ''Southern African Political History: A chronological of key political events from independence to mid-1997'', 1999. Page 711–712.Peter Abbott and Philip Botham. ''Modern African Wars (1): Rhodesia 1965-80'', 1986. Page 11. Early life George Peter Walls was born in Salisbury, the capital of the British self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia, in 1927. His mother was Philomena and father was George Walls, a pilot, who had seen service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the First World War. He received his initial education at Plumtree School in Southern Rhodesia. Early military career In the closing months of the Second World War, he left Southern Rhodesia for En ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
