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Note from the Web Editor~Books available (or not listed) does not indicate endorsement or otherwise, as to its accuracy, etc. If you feel that there is a non-fiction book that is mis-leading, untruthful, etc, please let us know. Likewise if there is a book that should be included on this site, especially those that will portray the correct historical facts (or fill in gaps), we would like to know. Many thanks.~~~1~11329~~

Right column - Recent additions~~~~1~464~~

New publications~~~~1~11846~~

Eagle Strike - Colonel Jan Breytenbach~This is not only an autobiography but also a comprehensive journal (640 pages) of one of the greatest airborne assaults ever mounted in Africa - on a SWAPO fortified base containing its Military Headquarters, logistical support, reserves and training facilities. Colonel Jan Breytenbach planned, jumped in and led South African paratroopers into the Battle of Cassinga in Angola with total commitment, superb strategy and leadership ability that has made him legendary in military circles worldwide. The assault was supported by a very strong airstrike by bombers and fighters as well as by air transport to drop the paratroopers into battle 250 kms deep behind enemy lines, and thus, of a necessity, the deployment of a veritable swarm of helicopters to extract the paratroopers back to safety. This work is destined to become a reference work by which future airborne operations will be measured by.~~~1~11899~~

A Matter of Weeks rather than Months: The Impasse between Harold Wilson and Ian Smith: Sanctions, Aborted Settlements and War: 1965-1969 - J R T Wood~J.R.T. Wood's third definitive book on the post-Second World War history of Rhodesia chronicles the impasse between Rhodesia's Ian Smith and Britain's Harold Wilson in the years 1965-1969. This book follows So Far and No Further!: Rhodesia's Bid for Independence during the Retreat from Empire 1959-1965, also available on this site.~~~1~11881~~

Ongulumbashe: Where the Bushwar began - Paul Els~This eyewitness account is a must for the serious collector and researcher of the revolutionary wars in Southern Africa. This book describes the first clash that took place between elements of the South African police, army and air force on the one side and Swapo's PLAN soldiers on the other side. The book also describes how members of the Security Branch of the SA Police infiltrated the area as employees of PASCO, ostensibly a private company. All this action leads to the arrest and conviction of several terrorists. This humble operation "Blouwildebeest" leads to a bitter and sophisticated war in South Western Africa including Angola.~~~1~11896~~

The Rhodesian War: A Military History - Paul Moorcraft~This book depicts the military history of Southern Rhodesia from the first resistance to colonial rule, through the period of UDI by the Smith government to the Lancaster House agreement that transferred power. There are vivid accounts of the operations against the 'guerillas' by the security forces and the intensity of the fighting will surprise readers. Atrocities were undoubtedly committed by both sides but equally the protagonists were playing for very high stakes. But this is more than just a book on military operations. It provides expert analysis of the historical situation and examines events up to the present day, including Mugabe's operations against rival tribes and white farmers. ~~~1~11850~~

Altered States - Frank Nunes~The memoirs of Frank Nunes recording his time in the South African Army during the 1980s. We follow his adventures through his two years National Service as he tries to get into the Parabats, then gets sent to 8 SAI and to the Border.~~~1~11883~~

Delta Scout: Ground Coverage Operator - Anthony Trethowan~The story of a British South Africa policeman (BSAP) in Rhodesia’s bush war, a young man who signed up as a raw eighteen year old. Told with a sensitivity and pathos that is rare in military memoirs, it is a brutally honest, compelling account of innocence lost. After Uniform Branch, the author became a Ground Coverage operator (GC) before joining Special Branch (SB) towards the end of the war.~~~1~11842~~

Ops Medic: A National Serviceman’s Border War - Steven Webb~This book takes you from South African army's National Service basics in the SAMS Depot Potchefstroom to training as an ops medic in Pretoria and from there to the Angolan-South West African border where a counter-insurgency war had been raging for many years. Published for the first time is the SADF’s Roll of Honour which lists almost 2,500 of its honoured dead, killed on active service, and the complete Roll of the SADF’s Honoris Crux awards for bravery.~~~1~11868~~

Coming soon - new publications~~~~1~10955~~

The Incredible Map of Zimbabwe - Rose Ridgen~By the artist of "Meet the Rhodesians", "The Whenwe's of Rhodesia" and the "Wildside" collection cartoon books.The original but out of print The Incredible Map of Zimbabwe that was first produced more than 10 years ago has been 're-discovered' and is due to be re-printed! This it is truly a magnificently detailed and illustrated map which took the artist 7 months to complete. The map is a large A0 size (841mm x 1189mm) and is due to be printed sometime this year (no definite date yet) with a recommended retail price around £7.00-£10.00 excluding P&P.
Pre-order this map before the official release to qualify for a discount off the recommended retail price - enter your contact details below ...... (Enter code IMOZ in 3rd box) ......~~~1~11639~The Incredible Map of Zimbabwe~

We Fear Naught but God - Paul Els~The story of the elite South African Special Forces ("the Recces") from inception in the 1960s to disbandment in 1993. A unique account of one of South Africa's premier units, masters in the art of reconnaissance and clandestine warfare. Pro-rata, the most highly decorated unit during the wars in Angola and Namibia / SWA. This is no gung-ho account, but rather a loving compiled series of accounts put together by the author who was there at the inception of this fine regiment. This is about the "operators", the men of the Recces, their exploits in Angola, SWA/Namibia and other southern africa territories. The original and hard-to-get, much sought after publication is currently being reworked with more information, updates, corrections and many new photographs. The publication of this new edition is now planned around the 4th quarter of this year.
Pre-order this book before the official release to qualify for a discount off the recommended retail price - enter your contact details below ...... (Enter code FNBG in 3rd box).~~~1~11683~Recces~

Tango Romeo: The life and times of Jack Malloch - Alan Brough~This biography is a true life action adventure story of incredible human achievement set against the backdrop of Africa's bloody and turbulent past - a past which has been largely forgotten by the rest of the world. Jack Malloch was a pioneering aviator who ran numerous clandestine airlines in Africa in the early post-independent years where he was involved in gun-running against the encroachment of Communism. He actively fought against the UN, yet was in the pay of both the CIA and the French secret Service. He is most well known as the arch Rhodesian sanctions buster who almost single-handedly kept Rhodesia alive through a steady supply of consumer goods, arms and ammunition throughout the years of Rhodesia's UDI.
Pre-order this book before the official release (+/- Nov 08) to qualify for a discount off the recommended retail price - enter your contact details below ...... (Enter code TRJM in 3rd box) ......~~~1~11934~Jack Malloch~

Noteworthy Recent Additions~~~~1~11373~~

Dinner with Mugabe - Heidi Holland~This penetrating, timely portrait of Robert Mugabe is the psycho-biography of a man whose once-brilliant career has ruined Zimbabwe and cast shame on the African continent. Heidi Holland's tireless investigation begins with her having dinner with Mugabe, the freedom fighter, and ends in a searching interview with Zimbabwe's president more than 30 years later. The author charts Mugabe's gradual self-destruction, and uncovers the complicity of some of the most respectable international players in the Zimbabwe tragedy. ~~~1~11923~~

Chopper Pilot - Monster Wilkins~The personal experiences and exploits of Monster Wilkins, who was regarded as the South African Air Force’s top helicopter pilot, with over 6,000 hours, of which he has spent in excess of 4,000 hours on his favourite chopper the Alouette III. He details his service in the various operational areas, such as Angola, SWA/Namibia, Rhodesia and Mozambique. He was still serving as a brigadier-general at time of the original publication in 2000.~~~1~11681~~

Blood Sweat and Lions - David Lemon~By the author of Never Quite a Soldier: A Rhodesian Policeman's War. Adventure, pain, fear - and moments of pure magic: these are the ingredients of David Lemon's latest story about Africa. Overweight, unfit and by his own admission far too old, he set out to walk 1200 kilometres through the wild Zambezi Valley, from Kariba Heights to Binga, ignoring dire warnings about the dangers of such a venture. Exciting, poignant and fast paced, his story will bring hope and encouragement to anyone with adventure in their soul. Lemon has few equals when it comes to writing about life in the African bush, already having several books to his credit~~~1~11802~~

Half a Century in Uniform: The Life story of Group Captain OD Penton OLM AFC - Rob 'Ralpapajan' Thurman~The life story of a journeyman pilot who spent his entire working life connected to aviation and the Air Force. Group Captain Ossie Penton helped establish the Rhodesian Air Force and epitomised its spirit and excellence.
"I commend this story to the reader, not only as the fascinating one of the career of a Service Pilot, but also because it gives a very clear picture of the chronicle of events and politics pertaining to the period of time that it covered." Air Commodore Dickie Bradshaw OLM~~~1~11758~~

Out of Action - Chris Cocks~The sequel to the best-selling Fireforce - One Man's War in the Rhodesian Light Infantry.
Out of Action spans the period 1979 to 1995. Set in two parts, the first covers the last 15 months of the Rhodesian bush war during 1979/80 whilst the author was serving in the Rhodesian PATU (Police Anti Terrorist Unit). The second part covers the author's clumsy attempts to deal with civilian life in the newly independent, black African state. It is an intensely personal journey of the story of a young man, brutalized by war, who seeks escape and in the process causes immeasurable pain and suffering to himself and to those around him. (Originally published as Survival Course, this is a hard-cover, reworked version, with new photos, maps etc.)~~~1~11843~~

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'Rhodesians Abroad' catalogue~We have created a new catalogue comprising books about Rhodesian exploits abroad. The first titles are:-
Desert Wheels - Bryan Blow. On 15th May 1942 Flying Officer V.D. Fletcher, a Rhodesian, was taken a few miles out from Heliopolis, shown a square of open desert with four pegs marking the corners and told to "Get on with it". This was to mark the beginning of the most famous Mechanical Transport Company in the Royal Air Force.
No Time on the Ground - Ken Fitzroy. A former military, commercial and civilian pilot looks back on 50 years of experiences in the air. In this entertaining memoir Ken FitzRoy looks back on a lifetime spent in and around aircraft of all types, starting with his flight training in Southern Rhodesia in 1952.
RAF Waddington 1916-1945 - Raymond Leach. RAF Waddington has a history as long and illustrious as any in the Royal Air Force and is best known for its role as a bomber station of which No 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron was part of, till the squadron was finally disbanded in 1982.
A Bundu Boy in Bomber Command: Memoirs of a Royal Air Force Lancaster Pilot from Rhodesia - William Dives D.F.C. The memoirs of a boy from Central Africa who becomes captain of a Lancaster bomber in WWII. Bill Dives takes us back in time into two different worlds, both now so far away. Pre-war colonial life in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and the perilous existance of a Lancaster pilot during the second world war.~~~1~11718~~

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Anglo-Boer, Zulu Wars catalogue additions~We are currently expanding this catalogue and have recently added more titles here with several more to come shortly.~~~1~11760~~

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'South Africans Abroad' catalogue~We have created a new catalogue comprising books about South Africans exploits abroad.~~~1~11892~~

Warriors of the Sky - Peter Bagshawe~This is a collection of fifty exciting short stories written by pilots of the South African Air Force. The majority concern World War II when, along with other Commonwealth air forces, the SAAF fought alongside the RAF in the war-torn skies over Europe. Some of the other stories relate flying in the border wars that South Africa fought in post-war years, often against vastly superior and better equipped communist inspired regimes.~~~1~11886~~

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'The Saints - RLI' book Launch DVD~The publishers of The Saints - The Rhodesian Light Infantry launched their well produced RLI regimental history book last year at a grand event held at the Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks, London. The response was over-whelming and very encouraging with more than 400 guests attending from all over the world. Brig. John Essex-Clark OC A Company, who saw the RLI through its infancy and is a veteran of the Vietnam war, welcomed the guests. Other speeches were made by Kerrin Cocks, Director of 30° South Publishers and Alex Binda, author of this fine work and the guest of honour, Marquess of Salisbury. The launch featured a half hour beating of the retreat by the band of the Scotts Guards in tribute to the soldiers of the RLI. The last commanding officer of the regiment Col. Charlie Aust took the final salute, the first time he has been formally saluted in 28 years, the last time being at the RLI's final parade in Harare.~~~1~11713~~

I Flew for Savimbi - Simon Van Garderen~In this entertaining autobiographical account, veteran South African pilot Simon Van Garderen recalls his days as a bush pilot during the 1980s and 90s, flying the length and breadth of sub-Saharan Africa on secret missions for a clandestine air transport company dubbed 'Savimbi Air' by its employees. A former SAAF jet fighter pilot, Simon had retired from military flying when he secured a job with Pasload Flights - a supposedly civilian air transport company operating from Wonderboom airport in Pretoria, South Africa. It was, in reality, a covert operation of the South African government of the day, set up to secretly assist the UNITA terrorists in Angola, led by Dr Jonas Savimbi, who were waging a protracted civil war against the Communist-backed MPLA.~~~1~11716~~

Executive Outcomes: Against all Odds - Eeben Barlow~Eeben Barlow, a former lieutenant-colonel in the Permanent Force of the South African Defence Force, served in the Engineer Corp, the Reconnaissance Wing of the elite 32-Battalion, Military Intelligence and in the shadowy Civil Co-operation Bureau division of Special Forces. When the government arbitrarily disbanded the CCB, Barlow found himself on the street. Taking advantage of his exceptional military skills he formed Executive Outcomes, a private security company - a model on which all Private Military Companies (PMCs) operating in Iraq and Afghanistan are based on.~~~1~11575~~

The Kevin Woods Story: In the Shadow of Mugabe’s Gallows - Kevin Woods~Kevin worked as a double agent for the South African apartheid government and Robert Mugabe’s Central Intelligence Organization in the 80s. After he was compromised for his activities against the South African ANC in based in Zimbabwe, he was incarcerated in the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison (Harare) for 20 years, five of which were spent naked on death row. His release was pleaded to Mugabe by none other than Nelson Mandela in the 90s but this fell on deaf ears. Finally, in 2006, he received a presidential pardon and was released. This is his story.~~~1~11636~~

Masodja - Alexandre Binda~The history of the Rhodesian African Rifles and its forerunner the Rhodesia Native Regiment. Commissioned and compiled by Brigadier David Heppenstall and the Rhodesian African Rifles Regimental Association (UK).
Originally formed as The Rhodesia Native Regiment during World War I, this fine regiment first saw action in East Africa, pitted against the wily von Lettow-Vorbeck and his army of German askaris. Disbanded and later re-formed, the regiment was to distinguish itself during World War II in the North Africa and Burma campaigns. Using the counter-insurgency experience gleaned from the Malayan Campaign of the 1950s, the RAR provided the front-line troops in the battle for Rhodesia in the country's bitter bush war of the 1960s and 1970s.
NB - Same author / publisher / format as the magnificent book 'The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry'~~~1~11633~~

The Bush War in Rhodesia: The Extraordinary Combat Memoir of a Rhodesian Reconnaissance Specialist - Dennis Croukamp~Formerly titled as Only My Friends Call Me "Crouks" : Rhodesian Reconnaissance Specialist - now out of print.
This is a soldier's story told simply, with feeling, humour and without heroics. It also gives a fascinating insight into the personality of the author, who relates his personal experiences in a down-to-earth, no bull style of storytelling. In his career as a soldier for 16 years, Dennis at first served in an Rhodesian infantry unit (RLI), but later served as member of the elite Selous Scouts under the command of Lieutanant-Colonel Ron Reid-Daly. He became an reconnaissance specialist and saw action on all border areas of Rhodesia and also in Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana.
The author tells it as it was, unvarnished, seen from the ground-level, no effort to safeguard careers.~~~1~11643~~

Wildside 4: Golf on the Wildside - Rose Ridgen~Absolutely brilliant cartoons ... Wildlife artist Rose Rigden shows her wry sense of humour in the transposed relations between 'animals and us' - 100 full color pages of all the funny things that can and sometimes do happen on wild African golf courses. Ideal as gifts too.~~~1~11619~~

Lost in Africa - Stu Taylor~‘Lost in Africa’ is a colloquialism from the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), meaning ‘a state of bewilderment or cluelessness’, which Stu Taylor uses to describe his disjointed life. Raised in Southern Rhodesia to nomadic parents, Taylor’s early years were unsettled as he was shuffled from school to school during the 1950s. He signed on in 1967 with the RLI and served with that crack airborne unit for thirteen years. In 1980 he demobbed and slid into Civvy Street, at times an easy, and at times, a difficult transition, as he tried to find his place in the newly independent Zimbabwe. Again, in the late 1990s, he found himself on the ‘front line’—this time in the security business, desperately facing off against Mugabe’s ‘war veterans’ in their notorious land-grab campaign of farm invasions. Ultimately homeless, stateless and jobless, Taylor never gives up. This is his remarkable story.~~~1~11582~~

The Last Safari: A Season of Discovery in Zimbabwe - Bruce VanBuskirk~This is the true story of an American hunter, Bruce VanBuskirk, who spent the 2001 season living a dream, working on safari in Zimbabwe. Full of fascinating characters, adventure and excitement, it also deals truthfully with the hard lessons learned about the future of hunting in Africa. This is a day by day description of the events, places and people who make the safari industry work in Zimbabwe. You'll travel the bush with the author, getting to know the professional hunters and clients, company employees, local villagers, and learn just how much work it takes to run a safari operation in a third world country. Fuel shortages, poaching, war vets seizing property, broken rifles, snakes, charging elephants, and wounded buffalo were all in a day's work. This is a rare look at the behind the scenes efforts to make a client's dreams come true. This deluxe paperback features non stop action, observations on the current political situation in Zimbabwe, as well as the stories of citizens forced to deal with the realities of life in Africa.~~~1~11614~~

Best Sellers~~~~1~11647~~

Collection of cartoon books - Wildside 1, 2, 3, & 4 - Rose Ridgen~Wildside is an extraordinary collection of the humorous African wildlife art that has had people from around the world doubled over in laughter. Rose's extraordinary knowledge of the bush is coupled with a gentle perception of real human behaviour. She shows her wry sense of humour by transposing relations between 'animals and us' to create situations which are amusing to readers of all nationalities and all ages. Ideal as gifts - discounts available when ordering extra copies/'sets'.~~~1~11117~~

The Saints: The Rhodesian Light Infantry - Alexandre Binda~Compiled and edited by Chris Cocks, bestselling author of Fireforce: One Man's War in the Rhodesian Light Infantry
This is the history of the Rhodesian Light Infantry - arguably one of the most effective counter-insurgency units of all time. This was the unit that brought the 'Fireforce' concept to the world's attention - the devastatingly ruthless airborne envelopment and annihilation of a guerrilla enemy. The RLI was a veritable 'foreign legion' with over 20 diverse nationalities serving in her ranks. This magnificent 544 page, full-colour, coffee-table format book captures this fine regiment with the inclusion of comprehensive listings, written contributions, and over 1,500 previously unpublished photos, illustrations and maps. It is not intended as a definitive history but, with more of a classic 'scrapbook' feel, the presentation attempts to capture the essence of this fine unit - what it was like to be a troopie.
*** HIGHLY RECOMMENED ***~~~1~11646~~

Journey Without Boundaries - Andre Diedericks~This is the extraordinary tale of an extraordinary man. An honestly told story of his military career, of a man who was twice decorated for valour, who pioneered and developed the concept of "small team reconnaissance" within the South African Special Forces. The author gained early experience in "small team reconnaissance" whislt with the SA's special forces '5 Recce' attached to the Rhodesian SAS as Delta Squadron, in Rhodesia 1978-79, and then went on to develop the concept further with ex-Rhodesian SAS and Selous Scouts members in SA. He was a consummate warrior and gentleman and has told his story with humility and a disarming sense that what he did was simply the job he was given, when even the most cursory reading will show that it was anything but simple or easy. From start to finish, his life was truly a ‘Journey without Boundaries’.~~~1~11585~~

Popular titles~~~~1~11490~~

Borderstrike! South Africa into Angola. 1975-1980 - Major Willem Steenkamp~When first published in 1983, it sold out almost immediately. A reconstruction of the early "external operations" of the South West African/Namibian border war between 1978 and 1980, it remains a standard reference work to this day. Out of print for many years, Borderstrike! has long been a sought-after item among those interested in African wars. Now reprinted with new information, new chapters and many new postscripts and annotations.~~~1~11344~~

Fireforce - One Man's War in the Rhodesian Light Infantry - Chris Cocks~ Latest high quality re-print - 4th Edition.
Widely acclaimed as the classic account of counter-insurgency warfare in Africa, as told by the combat soldier "on the ground". The gut-wrenching account of brutal face-to-face combat in the Rhodesian bush (now Zimbabwe) is not for the squeamish. This is the compelling, brutally honest account of Chris Cocks' service in 3 Commando, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, during the Rhodesian bush war. Fireforce, a method of combat developed by the Rhodesians and perfected by the RLI, involved troops being helicoptered or parachuted into an area immediately after a guerrilla presence had been reported or a sighting made. Due to the enormous shortage of ground troops, the same men were sometimes parachuted into contacts as many as three times per day. *** RECOMMENDED ***~~~1~11725~~

Rhodesian Air Force Operations: With Air Strike Log - Prop Geldenhuys~The author joined the Rhodesian Air Force in 1962 as a young hopeful to attend "No 16 Pilot Training Course" and flew throughout the Rhodesian bush war in a variety of aircraft. The book records the operations of the Rhodesian Air Force during the Rhodesian bush war, and includes a complete log of all the airstrikes carried out as well as maps where these strikes have been meticously plotted, covering the period from 28/04/66 to 23/01/80. The log clearly shows how operations started slowly and built up to a situation where virtually the entire country became involved, with each log entry listing the dates/operational area, names of aircrew, target location, aircraft/s used, weapons expended, and the result/s. There are numerous black and white photographs that illustrate the text, and maps showing locations of strikes, operations, etc.~~~1~11726~~

Of Land and Spirits - Alan Thrush~This novel is set during the five years of Rhodesian bush war leading up to the birth of Zimbabwe. Although fictional, it was written by an officer in the Rhodesian African Rifles who saw service in all operational areas and was decorated for gallantry. The result is that there is much authenticity in it. Both sides involved in the bush war are catered for.
* Highly * * * Recommended * * *~~~1~11727~~

Never Quite a Soldier: A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982 - David Lemon~The author was a policeman with Rhodesia's elite British South Africa Police during the Bush War days. His first involvement with the war came when he was member-in-charge of Macheke Police Station. Groups of infiltrating ZANLA guerrillas moved into the area and embarked on a murderous campaign targeting both black and white civilians. The war throughout the country escalated and indiscriminate acts of terror decided him to join the elite Police Support Unit, The Black Boots, which comprised 12 companies of fighting policemen, most of them black. Lemon fought through numerous engagements and contacts until the war ended with the elections in 1980 that brought Robert Mugabe to power. After the war, he was involved in suppressing the conflict between ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrillas around Bulawayo and witnessed the effects of the campaign of genocide against Ndebele civilians by Mugabe's North Korean trained 5 Brigade. This book contains important information as well as photographs regarding this genocide that saw the deaths of 15 000 to 30 000 people.~~~1~11728~~

They Served Africa with Wings - WGM Stirling & JA House~Over a 15 year period, Mitch Stirling with more than 30 professional years flying experience, and John House, started collecting photographs and stories about aviation in the old days in Central Africa - Northern Rhodesia / Zambia; Southern Rhodesia / Zimbabwe and Nyasaland / Malawi . The end result is a excellent evocative and well researched & illustrated 277 page +/- 'A4' sized publication, dedicated to all those fine men and women who served, so well, the cause of aviation between 1920 and 1980.
~~~1~11729~~