Hi Russell i am a veteran of the Rhodesian army who also fought the evil forces moving south of the continent of Africa. Thankyou for interviewing us old veterans who have so much to share, and expose of this world wide capture.
After the change I stayed on , Built a business , Gold Mine , Furniture factory, was thrown out of both in 2003 and came to RSA, with nothing. I am grateful for the refuge afforded to me. But it is not home.
Great podcast Russell and really pleased that I came across it. To John, just outstanding my China; you are so comfortable in front of the camera. Super impressed mate.
Thanks for this. I got the impression that John and Hannes are pretty humble and wasn't sure if they'd talk about their service much, especially when I hear the esteem they have for their interviewees. It'd be nice to hear Hannes.
Russell, thanks for taking the time to interview John about his RLI army experience. John, you did a great job in representing Rhodesians and RLI. Be proud mate. Salute.
Thanks Russell for this episode.. a decent listen. Thanks again John for your honesty . As a Rhodesian I see John as my brother.. absolutely . We live in different countries but our bond is in our birth place... Rhodesia !
Hi Russel I was a small boy growing up during the war in Rhodesia in the 70's. John said how the whole population was affected by the war. We use to play marbles on the school play ground with empty bullet shells. My pride possession is a bullet shell my Dad gave to me from an armoured car. My Dad use to inspect buildings in a small town called Karoi. Twice a month he would go to Karoi. I use to enjoy helping him load his magazines of his FN for his protection.
Brilliant interview John and once again a very good piece of Rhodesian history. Please add this to your ""Fighting men of Rhodesia"". There are so many people who will thoroughly relate to you and your war experience.
Share John's viewpoint that growing up in Rhodesia in the 50's. 60's and 70's even during the war, made us the luckiest people walking the earth. Thanks for a great interview and nice to learn a bit about John's pre RLI history. One important thing to bear in mind though Russell, the development of Rhodesia as a land of plenty took place from November 1965 when we took UDI from Britain.
It is fascinating to hear about what the country was like. Almost a different world. Please consider subscribing to help the channel and I will try to put up more discussions.
@@tm-ox5hm Yes you are right...in the 1960's they saw that life for a white man was indeed good, and I supposed envied it. The armed struggle began and lasted until the ceasefire late 1979 and transition to majority rule in 1980. Fast forward 40 years and they see high unemployment, zero democracy, large scale corruption, collapse of the economy, no health system and having now to beg for food from the rich donor nations. Me thinks Rhodesia was great for the majority as well....is all this hardship and pain worth it just for a worthless vote?????
@@pamberinehondo9447 you are correct. EVERYONE (black or white) was better off in Rhodesia. For Africans, Rhodesian crumbs were better than Zanu sh*t. When Zanu won, everyone lost (Ndebele especially) So does that justify the fact that white people created a heaven in Africa and put in a system to oppress Africans. What did you want the Africans to do, accept the crumbs??
I will NEVER lose my Rhodesian flag or anthem. My flag is on my skin. When people ask me where I'm from / where I was born - i proudly say RHODESIA. To be "zimbabwean", at law I'd have been born 1980 or later. RISE O VOICES OF RHODESIA.
Many thanks John - your account of the war brings back so much of these humourous times! Really appreciate the accuracy and detail you recall! - God bless you my friend! - a re-listen was worth the time!
Never thought to seek out interviews or podcasts on this topic. Fascinating stuff. I've seen plenty of footage of fighting and know very well most of the intricacies of the conflict, but this is valuable primary source history. Thank you.
This was great! It was a very interesting to listen to this conversation,i really liked it! I subscribe to Mr Van Syl's channel,and it's many intresting and exciting stories to listen to. Good job! 👍
Thanks for listening and glad you enjoyed. John has done a fantastic job preserving this history. If you want to subscribe, I should have some more similar episodes coming up in the future.
Good interview you guys - John - too true about hearts and minds as opposed to brutality - Napoleon once said "a war was never won with rose water". True story but we believed good would and should triumph over evil ... Aluta continua!
John and I met after the war in Capetown, thru a mutual friend Martin Craemer (Romeo Romeo)ex 5th Battalion RR. C company. I was in 1POU attached to 5th Battalion, and eventually by 1975 joined the Battalion. Martin and I never crossed paths until we met in Capetown. When John was in the RLI 17 years old at first I was 31. When we met in Capetown he was 65 ,I was 78, strangely the same age despite the 13 years.
I hope John can do a podcast on the war atrocities he saw during the war. It was Zanla's MO to inflict maximum trauma on civilians. Not sure about Zipra.
Very pertinent concluding remarks Russell. Never take things for granted.A little prediction that Taiwan will be the next major world crisis. Look forward to your chat with Hannes Wessels.
The Portuguese started fighting against FRELIMO in 1964 and for several years the conflict was confined to Mozambique's northernmost provinces. Rhodesians therefore continued to travel to central and southern Mozambique, which were very popular holiday destinations. In 1968 FRELIMO extended operations to Tete province, which bordered Rhodesia, and so members of the Rhodesian security forces began operating in Tete, conducting joint operations with the Portuguese. In the early 70s, however, FRELIMO moved southward and by 1973 Mozambique's second most important city, Beira, which had been the main holiday destination for Rhodesian tourists in the country, was coming under threat. In April of the following year a military coup occurred in Portugal and a left wing government came to power and decided to pull Portuguese troops out of Mozambique and Portugal's two other African colonies, the most important of which was Angola. For several months Mozambique was therefore governed by an interim government which included FRELIMO and in June 1975 Portugal finally granted Mozambique independence.
This has brought back so many memories but, oh, how I miss the unity that existed there until it was destroyed. My grandfather had a farm in Chipinga and I previously lived in Umtali and Bulawayo. Now retired in Somerset West in the Cape. I left in 1980 and returned for a visit in 1999 and I cried the whole time.
A war of liberation wholly funded by China and or Russia. The Rhodesian Forces did a heck of a job with what they had and created units and tactics people still study.
43:40 Another reason the terrorists changed sides was if they where captured by the Rhodesian army and then if they returned back to their former units, they faced torture and execution for being traitors. Stalin did the same to returning Russian POWs returning from German POW camps, they where sent to Gulag prisons.
Not sure how many made it back to the camps after being captured. Also a number of “turned” terrs who excelled in the Selous Scouts became senior NCO’s and officers in the Zimbabwe army without retribution. In fact Hannes has interviewed one.
I went on a Survey job in Sierra Leone, the year that United Nations went in . I saw children with arms cut off at the elbow ,motive to prevent them voting. Feet cut off. John the only Rape cases I heard of was at Rusambo where the shortlived French Indep Company was based
You'd think that people under 50 don't really know or care for the topic but you'd be mistaken! I'm 16 for example and I know many many people of similar age are also interested in Rhodesia. I guess the interest sort of goes in generational waves
I like how John says Rhodesia was a paradise. If it was then why did fighting break out. Is it not true that like the Ndebele the Settlers pushed people off their land that eventually led to unrest and uprising. Colonialism was never a good thing, Africans had their own civilised way of life before Europeans arrived with bibles and rifles. The unfair and often brutish methods used by colonialists are what led to uprisings everywhere on the continent. When Rhodesians tell the story they talk like Africans had no reason or cause to worry and resent the administration of the colonies by settlers. Many times I hear Rhodesians say that Zim was not as racist as apartheid South Africa and yet the bush war was the bloodiest even compared to south African conflicts. John says Africans were happy in Rhodesia but is it not true that settler colonialism created that mental state of a conquered people until the nationalists educated people of the freedom and the country they lost. This is like a southern states slave owner explaining to the world that his slaves are happy and well looked after whilst ensuring they stay blind to what it means to be free. From the day of capture African slaves fought for their freedom and the same applies to any oppressed people....they will realise what they lost and fight for their freedom. The Rhodesians did not want to share the wealth of the country they killed a lot of people to take. If they were really not as bad as the apartheid south Africans the Rhodesians would have included their black counterparts in politics and economics much earlier in the 40's and 50's. The truth is that a lot of Rhodesians were only happy with their paradise as long as they were in charge and Africans were servants. I grew up in the high-density suburbs and so did my parents and grandparents before them. Nobody in my family ever told me that white folks ever lived in such poor housing and overcrowding. I never saw a single white person living in the western high-density suburbs. I saw where white folks lived as I had relatives who were labourers on white owned leafy properties some with swimming pools. Even after independence, there was huge inequality. This platform is one-sided and doesn't consider any other perspective apart from the white Rhodesian viewpoint. Perhaps Russell could educate people properly by interviewing the opposite side for a balanced viewpoint. Many Thanks
What about stories from the normal guys in the RLI the guys that were there but not well known but none the less imperative to the support of the you big dudes
Private schools in Rhodesia were multi-racial. On the other hand, government schools were segregated and so too were suburbs. Furthermore, I was born in Salisbury's Lady Chancellor Hospital. That means I am white. If I had been a member of Salisbury's Asian or mixed race community I would have been born in the Princess Margaret Hospital, whereas blacks were born in Harare Hospital, i.e., a hospital in one of Salisbury's segregated black townships.
Bush war veteran, a bit apathetic in the beginning and gradualy getting more so. I knew before I started it was the rural poor who paid the highest price and I knew that the rural poor were truly the poorest people on earth.
John I am sure you know Chipinga is still the same only dirty and derelict🤦🏻♂️ I try to visit at times to pay respect yo my father John Henry. Appease the spirits 👍🏻
@@theunsmuller9729 "Never Heard of", were you there?, did you have knowledge of any. If there had been any in my unit, Colonel Van zyl would have had his arse and more
@@hudsonchalmers6504 I was not there, and I do not say it did happen, all that I try to bring across is that one has to be careful to assume, as from experience I know that sometimes in a war situation, due to various factors stuff that should not happen does from time to time happen, even if it was not the rule.
@@theunsmuller9729 Those who were there can confirm no atrocities were perpetrated by Rhodesia army, including Zanla members. The only atrocities they refer to are Chimio and Nyadzonya. If even one person had been raped by RLI it would have been in all history books.
I hope John can do a podcast on the war atrocities he saw during the war. It was Zanla's MO to inflict maximum trauma on civilians. Not sure about Zipra.
Hi Russell i am a veteran of the Rhodesian army who also fought the evil forces moving south of the continent of Africa. Thankyou for interviewing us old veterans who have so much to share, and expose of this world wide capture.
Hi Alistair. It is my honour to be a part of these discussions. Thank you for sharing that.
Thank you for your service. Rhodesia may be gone, but she will never be forgotten.
After the change I stayed on , Built a business , Gold Mine , Furniture factory, was thrown out of both in 2003 and came to RSA, with nothing. I am grateful for the refuge afforded to me. But it is not home.
Zanu government can take everything from you including your money in the bank. Hope you have been restored
An vivid account of the Rhodesian War, always good to hear it from the Men who served. Never enough good could be said about the RLI.....
Great podcast Russell and really pleased that I came across it. To John, just outstanding my China; you are so comfortable in front of the camera. Super impressed mate.
From one Russell to another, thanks for listening. Please consider subscribing to the channel as well.
What a great podcast. The amusing anecdotes say a lot about the man and the time. A privilege to listen.
Thank you Chris for the kind words.
It was a waste of rations going there, but those were happy times.
Thanks for this. I got the impression that John and Hannes are pretty humble and wasn't sure if they'd talk about their service much, especially when I hear the esteem they have for their interviewees. It'd be nice to hear Hannes.
I will try to get him on the show.
Russell, thanks for taking the time to interview John about his RLI army experience. John, you did a great job in representing Rhodesians and RLI. Be proud mate. Salute.
Thank you Quentin. Glad you found the show and enjoyed.
Thanks Quentin, much appreciated!
Thanks Russell for this episode.. a decent listen. Thanks again John for your honesty . As a Rhodesian I see John as my brother.. absolutely . We live in different countries but our bond is in our birth place... Rhodesia !
Appreciate that Ross. Very glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Russel I was a small boy growing up during the war in Rhodesia in the 70's. John said how the whole population was affected by the war. We use to play marbles on the school play ground with empty bullet shells. My pride possession is a bullet shell my Dad gave to me from an armoured car. My Dad use to inspect buildings in a small town called Karoi. Twice a month he would go to Karoi. I use to enjoy helping him load his magazines of his FN for his protection.
Fascinating anecdote. These are stories of Africa that most of us never hear. Thank you for sharing.
John does good work.
He certainly does.
Great interview. Please get some more talks with John.
Brilliant interview John and once again a very good piece of Rhodesian history. Please add this to your ""Fighting men of Rhodesia"". There are so many people who will thoroughly relate to you and your war experience.
Great interview John,
Brilliant podcast.
Thanks for listening to it!
thank you for these very special interviews with these fantastically brave and resorseful men and women - love them
Thanks for the comment and for listening.
Share John's viewpoint that growing up in Rhodesia in the 50's. 60's and 70's even during the war, made us the luckiest people walking the earth. Thanks for a great interview and nice to learn a bit about John's pre RLI history. One important thing to bear in mind though Russell, the development of Rhodesia as a land of plenty took place from November 1965 when we took UDI from Britain.
It is fascinating to hear about what the country was like. Almost a different world. Please consider subscribing to help the channel and I will try to put up more discussions.
@@Russ4575 Done Sir!!
Rhodesia was great for a minority few. The majority saw this and this led to the war.
@@tm-ox5hm Yes you are right...in the 1960's they saw that life for a white man was indeed good, and I supposed envied it. The armed struggle began and lasted until the ceasefire late 1979 and transition to majority rule in 1980. Fast forward 40 years and they see high unemployment, zero democracy, large scale corruption, collapse of the economy, no health system and having now to beg for food from the rich donor nations. Me thinks Rhodesia was great for the majority as well....is all this hardship and pain worth it just for a worthless vote?????
@@pamberinehondo9447 you are correct. EVERYONE (black or white) was better off in Rhodesia. For Africans, Rhodesian crumbs were better than Zanu sh*t. When Zanu won, everyone lost (Ndebele especially) So does that justify the fact that white people created a heaven in Africa and put in a system to oppress Africans. What did you want the Africans to do, accept the crumbs??
I will NEVER lose my Rhodesian flag or anthem. My flag is on my skin. When people ask me where I'm from / where I was born - i proudly say RHODESIA. To be "zimbabwean", at law I'd have been born 1980 or later.
RISE O VOICES OF RHODESIA.
Just discovered this. Kudos to you John!!
Many thanks John - your account of the war brings back so much of these humourous times! Really appreciate the accuracy and detail you recall! - God bless you my friend! - a re-listen was worth the time!
John you are a great hero of the time
Never thought to seek out interviews or podcasts on this topic. Fascinating stuff. I've seen plenty of footage of fighting and know very well most of the intricacies of the conflict, but this is valuable primary source history. Thank you.
Great I was wondering when we,d be able to hear John's story, thanx
This was great!
It was a very interesting to listen to this conversation,i really liked it!
I subscribe to Mr Van Syl's channel,and it's many intresting and exciting stories to listen to.
Good job! 👍
Thanks for listening and glad you enjoyed. John has done a fantastic job preserving this history. If you want to subscribe, I should have some more similar episodes coming up in the future.
13:00 sounds about right for the brave comrades. If you stand your ground they back down
Respect
Good interview you guys - John - too true about hearts and minds as opposed to brutality - Napoleon once said "a war was never won with rose water". True story but we believed good would and should triumph over evil ... Aluta continua!
Well said. Thanks for listening.
John and I met after the war in Capetown, thru a mutual friend Martin Craemer (Romeo Romeo)ex 5th Battalion RR. C company. I was in 1POU attached to 5th Battalion, and eventually by 1975 joined the Battalion. Martin and I never crossed paths until we met in Capetown. When John was in the RLI 17 years old at first I was 31. When we met in Capetown he was 65 ,I was 78, strangely the same age despite the 13 years.
A fine interview.
Thanks for listening to it.
Great Stories .. Great conversation .. Thanks .
Another great podcast Russell keep up the good work.
Thank you sir. Very much appreciate the feedback.
Hi John, friends with Colin Bruchhausen RLI 3 company 14 troop
Really enjoyed your podcast
Excellent. Thank you for listening to it.
I hope John can do a podcast on the war atrocities he saw during the war. It was Zanla's MO to inflict maximum trauma on civilians. Not sure about Zipra.
Very pertinent concluding remarks Russell. Never take things for granted.A little prediction that Taiwan will be the next major world crisis. Look forward to your chat with Hannes Wessels.
Thank you sir. I definitely hope to get Hannes on at some point.
Hi John, where in Capetown are you. I am in the Strand 7140 . 76 now would like to meet you. My Dad lost 3 fingers at Liebegs Canning factory
I'm in Gordon's Bay, we should meet up!
What a legend
The Portuguese started fighting against FRELIMO in 1964 and for several years the conflict was confined to Mozambique's northernmost provinces. Rhodesians therefore continued to travel to central and southern Mozambique, which were very popular holiday destinations. In 1968 FRELIMO extended operations to Tete province, which bordered Rhodesia, and so members of the Rhodesian security forces began operating in Tete, conducting joint operations with the Portuguese. In the early 70s, however, FRELIMO moved southward and by 1973 Mozambique's second most important city, Beira, which had been the main holiday destination for Rhodesian tourists in the country, was coming under threat. In April of the following year a military coup occurred in Portugal and a left wing government came to power and decided to pull Portuguese troops out of Mozambique and Portugal's two other African colonies, the most important of which was Angola. For several months Mozambique was therefore governed by an interim government which included FRELIMO and in June 1975 Portugal finally granted Mozambique independence.
Late Russell, but great video and thanks to you and John. I worked alongside quite a few RLI vets in Iraq and other places.
This has brought back so many memories but, oh, how I miss the unity that existed there until it was destroyed. My grandfather had a farm in Chipinga and I previously lived in Umtali and Bulawayo. Now retired in Somerset West in the Cape. I left in 1980 and returned for a visit in 1999 and I cried the whole time.
Take care.
I was Good friends with Basil Rushforth RLI Did you know him
Was born at St Faith's Mission. Then it's from there in 1976 I left whilst I was in form 3 to join te Zanla guerrillas.
I owned a Mine in Bulawayo, when I opened a old shaft I found a whole lot skeletons threin. I closed it up and put a concrete cap on it.
does anyone know the whereabouts of robin ford please ?
A war of liberation wholly funded by China and or Russia. The Rhodesian Forces did a heck of a job with what they had and created units and tactics people still study.
Truly did. Rhodesia fought this war on a shoestring budget.
43:40 Another reason the terrorists changed sides was if they where captured by the Rhodesian army and then if they returned back to their former units, they faced torture and execution for being traitors.
Stalin did the same to returning Russian POWs returning from German POW camps, they where sent to Gulag prisons.
Thanks for adding that. Makes sense.
This punishment would be conducted in front of the whole Garrison to set an example.
Not sure how many made it back to the camps after being captured. Also a number of “turned” terrs who excelled in the Selous Scouts became senior NCO’s and officers in the Zimbabwe army without retribution. In fact Hannes has interviewed one.
I would like to see the podcast that featured Tim Bax please.
Here it is: czcams.com/video/y0jVNVNvc6Y/video.html
It is going to be exactly like this in South Africa ,.in fact worse and we
Where will we go
I was at School with Trevor
I went on a Survey job in Sierra Leone, the year that United Nations went in . I saw children with arms cut off at the elbow ,motive to prevent them voting. Feet cut off.
John the only Rape cases I heard of was at Rusambo where the shortlived French Indep Company was based
You'd think that people under 50 don't really know or care for the topic but you'd be mistaken! I'm 16 for example and I know many many people of similar age are also interested in Rhodesia. I guess the interest sort of goes in generational waves
That's awesome. Good to hear.
And a lot more young people are learning about Rhodesia and the lessons that can be garnered from the entire situation
200th upvote
hi is this channel still on i believe some good could really come out of this , how can we discuss on uniting like minded people who love zim
OPs were normally set up in a area suspected to be infiltrated. A lot of times just observing Villages
Rhodesians never die!
I don't know about that buddy lol
Many were abducted , as young men. One of my Survey assistants John Dube was abducted in 1975, he was about 25 years of age
Propeller shaft knuckle broke so shaft pitched lorry over.
I like how John says Rhodesia was a paradise. If it was then why did fighting break out. Is it not true that like the Ndebele the Settlers pushed people off their land that eventually led to unrest and uprising. Colonialism was never a good thing, Africans had their own civilised way of life before Europeans arrived with bibles and rifles. The unfair and often brutish methods used by colonialists are what led to uprisings everywhere on the continent. When Rhodesians tell the story they talk like Africans had no reason or cause to worry and resent the administration of the colonies by settlers. Many times I hear Rhodesians say that Zim was not as racist as apartheid South Africa and yet the bush war was the bloodiest even compared to south African conflicts. John says Africans were happy in Rhodesia but is it not true that settler colonialism created that mental state of a conquered people until the nationalists educated people of the freedom and the country they lost. This is like a southern states slave owner explaining to the world that his slaves are happy and well looked after whilst ensuring they stay blind to what it means to be free. From the day of capture African slaves fought for their freedom and the same applies to any oppressed people....they will realise what they lost and fight for their freedom. The Rhodesians did not want to share the wealth of the country they killed a lot of people to take. If they were really not as bad as the apartheid south Africans the Rhodesians would have included their black counterparts in politics and economics much earlier in the 40's and 50's. The truth is that a lot of Rhodesians were only happy with their paradise as long as they were in charge and Africans were servants. I grew up in the high-density suburbs and so did my parents and grandparents before them. Nobody in my family ever told me that white folks ever lived in such poor housing and overcrowding. I never saw a single white person living in the western high-density suburbs. I saw where white folks lived as I had relatives who were labourers on white owned leafy properties some with swimming pools. Even after independence, there was huge inequality. This platform is one-sided and doesn't consider any other perspective apart from the white Rhodesian viewpoint. Perhaps Russell could educate people properly by interviewing the opposite side for a balanced viewpoint. Many Thanks
What about stories from the normal guys in the RLI the guys that were there but not well known but none the less imperative to the support of the you big dudes
I would be happy to get some other guys on the program. Its just a question of finding the time (as always).
Didymus Mutasa has been a menace since 1962
The RLI is in Calgary, Russell!
What do you mean?
Private schools in Rhodesia were multi-racial. On the other hand, government schools were segregated and so too were suburbs. Furthermore, I was born in Salisbury's Lady Chancellor Hospital. That means I am white. If I had been a member of Salisbury's Asian or mixed race community I would have been born in the Princess Margaret Hospital, whereas blacks were born in Harare Hospital, i.e., a hospital in one of Salisbury's segregated black townships.
Have you interviewed Chris Cocks ?
Delightful Fella
Bush war veteran, a bit apathetic in the beginning and gradualy getting more so. I knew before I started it was the rural poor who paid the highest price and I knew that the rural poor were truly the poorest people on earth.
John I am sure you know Chipinga is still the same only dirty and derelict🤦🏻♂️ I try to visit at times to pay respect yo my father John Henry. Appease the spirits 👍🏻
Sadly there has been no development in Zim since rhodesians left. John will recognize most of Chipinge just that it's now probably run down.
Should not have fussed about in the jungles of South East Asia. America should have supported African Frontiersman in the fight against Communism.
Is there an quintessential Afrikaaner whiskey? I like my Jaeger.
"Nowhere else to go?" You could all have stayed and become the Black man's servants.
I never heard of any so called atrocities or Rape .
So therefore it never occurred?🙈
@@theunsmuller9729 "Never Heard of", were you there?, did you have knowledge of any. If there had been any in my unit, Colonel Van zyl would have had his arse and more
@@hudsonchalmers6504 I was not there, and I do not say it did happen, all that I try to bring across is that one has to be careful to assume, as from experience I know that sometimes in a war situation, due to various factors stuff that should not happen does from time to time happen, even if it was not the rule.
@Ingungumbane indeed,there is no doubt about that.
@@theunsmuller9729 Those who were there can confirm no atrocities were perpetrated by Rhodesia army, including Zanla members. The only atrocities they refer to are Chimio and Nyadzonya. If even one person had been raped by RLI it would have been in all history books.
Failed
That’s Africa
I hope John can do a podcast on the war atrocities he saw during the war. It was Zanla's MO to inflict maximum trauma on civilians. Not sure about Zipra.
We only scratched the surface on that one. There is definitely much more to be said.