A Handful Of Hard Men: The SAS And The Battle For Rhodesia

A Handful of Hard Men: The SAS and the Battle for Rhodesia

During the Wests great transition into the post-Colonial age, the country of Rhodesia refused to succumb quietly, and throughout the 1970s fought back almost alone against Communist-supported elements that it did not believe would deliver proper governance.During this long war many heroes emerged, but none more skillful and courageous than Captain Darrell Watt of the Rhodesian SAS, who placed himself at the tip of the spear in the deadly battle to resist the forces of Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo.It is difficult to find another soldiers story to equal Watts in terms of time spent on the field of battle and challenges faced. Even by the lofty standards of the SAS and Special Forces, one has to look far to find anyone who can match his record of resilience and valor in the face of such daunting odds and with resources so paltry. In the fight he showed himself to be a military maestro. A bush-lore genius, blessed with uncanny instincts and an unbridled determination to close with the enemy, he had no peers as a combat-tracker (and there was plenty of competition). But the Rhodesian theater was a fluid and volatile one in which he performed in almost every imaginable fighting role; as an airborne shock-trooper leading camp attacks, long range reconnaissance operator, covert urban operator, sniper, saboteur, seek-and-strike expert, and in the final stages as a key figure in mobilizing an allied army in neighboring Mozambique.After 12 years in the cauldron of war his cause slipped from beneath him, however, and Rhodesia gave way to Zimbabwe. When the guns went quiet Watt had won all his battles but lost the war. In this fascinating work we learn that in his twilight years he is now concerned with saving wildlife on a continent where they are in continued danger, devoting himself to both the fauna and African people he has cared so deeply about.Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsAuthors NoteA Brief History of RhodesiaCHAPTER 1Rebellion Darrell Watt The wind of change 19CHAPTER 2Formation of the SAS Harold Wilson and the Soviets The first farm attack Recruit Watt Robinson on SAS selectionCHAPTER 3First blood The two-toed tribe Watts first action Operation Cauldron Hadebe Into Mozambique Into Zambia Smith settles Mbuya NehandaCHAPTER 4The end of the beginning Hawkesworth Macombe Andy Chait Rhodesians on top Coup in Portugal Dtente Herbert ChitepoCHAPTER 5The Victoria Falls dbcle Exodus from the SAS Machipanda Life on the front A Kiwi entry The Winged StaggerCHAPTER 6Mozambique declares war Enter Henry Kissinger Water warriorsCHAPTER 7Rude awakenings Renamo is born The south-east heats up Shooting the messenger Operation Mardon Carter wins, Rhodesia loses Frustration Mine everything Walking on waterCHAPTER 8Going for broke Do or die The attack Watt shotCHAPTER 9The madness continues Watt to Botswana Domestic problems Camp on the Zambezi Internal settlement Renamo rises Murder most foul Back to Tembu The stay-behind partyCHAPTER 10Monkey business Tiny Rowland Viscount Hunyani The deafening silenceCHAPTER 11Chris Dixon Para attack AmbushCHAPTER 12Privateers Richard Stannard Innocents die Lights outCHAPTER 13Another Viscount downed Watt finds the killers Stannard back to Chimoio Recce on a ZIPRA camp Bishop Muzorewa wins powerCHAPTER 14Combat tracking at speed More farmers murdered The Iron Lady folds Scheepers back in the frayCHAPTER 15Chopper down Yankee Section Operation Bumper Monte Xiluvo The Russians are comingCHAPTER 16A leader dies Life with Luke A mystery death at Lancaster HouseCHAPTER 17Bust the bridges A big surprise Time to say goodbyeCHAPTER 18Ceasefire More attempts to kill Mugabe Walls folds The order that never came A farewell to armsAppendix A The Unilateral Declaration of IndependenceAppendix B S