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Fighting Men of Rhodesia ep71 | SA Parabats in Rhodesia | Part 2
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- čas přidán 20. 08. 2021
- In late 1979 the South African government were worried that the Rhodesian war would spill over their Northern border into South Africa. They decided it was time to put SA boots on the ground to secure that vulnerable border area and deployed the 1st Parachute Battalion (The Parabats). This is their story...
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Fascinating listening to these good buggers.
As I mentioned in the previous episode, I operated with elements from 1 Para Bn out of Gwanda Airfield when I was a subaltern in A Coy, 1RAR. For my sins and because I had served in the RLI and was very experienced in fire force and para trained (at Tempe), I was the only subbie to do fire force; the other two platoon commanders were confined to the gomos doing O.P. work. What a shame hey ;-)
Contacts were common and were all against ZIPRA so they were 'full on'.
Just an addendum to what many have shared about Drake Shooting, the purpose was to shoot directly in front of likely enemy cover. The reason was that shrapnel from the projectile, rock and dirt would be punched through the cover creating serious damage to anyone hiding behind that cover.
Respect to our SA Para Brothers and deep gratitude for coming to our aid. It was a pleasure and privilege operating with you. Salute.
Every time a new episode pops up it’s like Christmas.
Amen to that!
Brilliant to hear the combatants telling us exactly what happened what I like with everyone who has spoken they all say Rhodesia was beautiful indeed Zimbabwe is still beautiful only a small clique destroying this beautiful country for personal gain!
But most of game in farming areas now gone
Lekker interview Hannes and John.. awesome humour from our cousins next door . 😂 . They must have been chuffed to rid their brown uniforms for the green and white brushstroke uniforms.. best camo on the planet ! Dankie ( thanks) boeties .. respect and salute ! Much appreciated . RIP to all my Rhodesian brothers 🙏🏻 we will remember you !
I have only one word for these interviews
'Brilliant'. Thank you to all.
Another excellent episode.
Seems like these guys used "afkak" as a counter to boredom and that PT was their "stock in trade". It looks like they were always looking for ways to get into trouble.
Morning John and Hannes and Parabats. Keep them coming, fills the gap in our lives experienced when it was over in Rhodesia and no more call ups.
I attended the very first Junior Leaders Course presented by Major Drake and he always encouraged us to shoot as much as possible with both our own and communist weapons. Keep up the good work guys.
Hannes mentioned in ep 69 how well the English and Afrikaans came together in Rhodesia and built a national identity so successfully. In SA, it was Prime Ministers Louise Botha and Jan Smuts mission to do the same. But tragically after 1948 the Nationalist government introduced a policy of keeping the English and Afrikaans apart in schools so a winderfull opportunity was lost.
@12 000 miles hangover I agree with you. As a 4th generation Freestater, my great grandfather went on commando when Louw Wepener took a fatal bullet while attacking Thaba Bosiou in the war with the Basothos. My great uncle and MP (Volksraadlid), as a circuit court interpreter toured the Free State with Judge Steyn befor he became president. They were bachelors and had high jinks wherever they were. They met their wives on the same day in Philipolis, Steyn marrying Libby Fraser. I was in the Regiment President Steyn for 10 years and served in SWA. I presented myself to the recruiting office in Salisbury for a short term of duty there in 1976, which circumstances didn't allow.
My point is that Louis Botha and Jan Smuts were nation builders along with Deneys Reitz who was deputy priminister and Colin Steyn (son of Presedint Steyn), in Smut's war cabinet during WW2.
The SA heroes of WW2, like Sailor Malan, the top RAF pilot during the Battle of Britian and others like Dan Pienaar( tragically killed in an air accident) and Pool who came back from war and were rejected by the 1948 government. Instead their supporters beat up men in uniform wearing the orange flash (volunteers to do service up north.)
Later in the armed forces we did have national building but did not need what happened after 1948.
@12 000 miles hangover Your comments on demographics are very interesting and I agree with your take. We certainly live in an interesting part of the world. The dynamics are certainly more complex than anywhere else. I think saffers are able to punch above their weight on many fields for this reason.
@12 000 miles hangover. Yes armoured corps. Started out on cars and then the tanks. I preferred wheels or tracks to footing it. However, in the earlier years in SWA, we were used more as foot soldiers.
The most poignant phrase delivered by Hannes in this excellent episode……” If the enemy had been able to shoot straight”. I guess that same thought went through all our minds at some time during the war and many years after. Thanks Hannes and John for another hour of pure magic, except those two berets though………Geez 😂😂
😆
Sadly a lot of our soldiers died in combat, fighting for a just cause. Whether or not the enemy could shoot straight (debatable) many fine soldiers took a bullet for Rhodesia. I was at school with Rob Francis who joined 3 Cdo. RLI. On his very first deployment he was shot in the head and killed. RIP warrior.
Those two berets sitting like pee pots on their head had me as well 😂😂😂😂😂
Come on Hannes/John.
You do have a mirror somewhere there in the background 😂😂
Moet nou nie dat die ou Sammajoor jul balle kom trap nie...lyk eff-erig.. en ek word nou eers,, n jaar later wakker...
Lekker video, dki
🦇🦅🦇
@@alwynvanwyk1851 😂😂👍
The phosphorus grenade incident mentioned at 28:07 was in the webbing of a good friend of mine which he told me about many years ago. They had been jumping two to three times a day and the grenade had become damaged and started leaking.
He was evacuated to 1 Military hospital and arrived there in his Rhodesian uniform and was questioned about it but said nothing. The officer questioning him said after the debriefing that if he had revealed where he had been injured he would have faced a court marshal.
Brings back many memories of joining 101/102 Battalion from 1 Parachute Battalion. We also had to give up our uniform, which myself and other Bats were not happy about.
Fighting next to those troops was a humbling experience. Respect guys. Some awesome stories, thanks for sharing. C-Coy 86
God bless yall, God bless south africa
Also instinctive from the hip , with a double tap we trained the guys , it was amazing how accurate they became.
48 min commute in to work and now I have this interview to pass the time 😎
What an absolute thrill to listen to these 4 wonderful men and hear of our war from their perspective. The one thing that tugged my heart-strings is when one of them mentioned the smell of the bush just before it rained/started to rain - that will be something I take to my grave and I can still smell it 20 years after coming to the UK. Please may we have many more from the Parabats with perhaps some specific combat details. Well done.
🙏🙏 thank you John and Hannes!! These Parabat episodes are so entertaining, humorous and plain incredible!! Kudos to you for including them and bringing this history to life😎👍👍
So great to see these oakes have a few drinks and just let rip, funny shit. The Christmas tree story was a nice touch, moving I would imagine amongst all that drama and headache. Great episode boys. Keep them coming.
Hannes,
Please, please try and interview some Americans who served in the Crippled Eagles before they all disappear.
Quality men with a lot of humour.
Hi. another great talk. Tks. You mentioned Denis and the tracer episode. I knew Denis as he and my brother in law Alan also from E co were good freinds. Alan, Denis and Deon all come from south of JHB and remained good friends. Sadly Denis and Deon are no longer with us.
I appreciate the maps in this video, John and Hannes.
More of the same please John, Hannes, if that is possible. The way in which you diversify keeps me longing for another episode; "never a dull moment", is impossible to beat. These men bring the past to life, such is their way of imparting info. Thank you. Stay safe and God bless.
Thanks again for another aspect of the great men. Awesome stories. Thanks John and Hannes.
In about 1985 a south african friend of mine told me a story about being stripped down to his underware and then flying across the border to be issued with cammo kit etc. Now I know whom he was with!
Ha hey 2 respectable older chaps telling their stories with the voices of the young machine's they were and still are! Thank you for helping my country
Thx guys. You did your bit amazingly well.
Thanks Hannes.
A great format to have pairs of men talking together….
Thank you all for another excellent interview! Really great to learn our South African Brothers' points of view, also their humor and antics.
Can't wait for Episode 3! Salute to you all!
Hi fellas. Matt Thomas here, known as Samora: 1 Bin B Coy 74/75 intake. also 2 Bin till 83 at which time I left for Japan.
Hope your all doing well. i’m 68 still standing in the door.
You mentioned Pala, he was my instructor. Capt Hill’s, Kitching, Moller, Blaue etc etc
I was tasked to go to Mudimbo with Ed Potterton Sqn Leroy i/c 7 SQUADRON in K Car to meet up with these guys, do some training and fly back to Rhodesia with them to do Fireforce. The story is in my book Choppertech as is a detailed explanation of Drake shooting. We flew many missions with them from that time on. Much respect. Beaver Shaw K Car gunner.
Interesting even the Parabats in Rhodesia had a plan to destroy the nearest terrorist rally camp at the end. I often wonder what would have happened if that plan was carried out. It would have been a helluva fight because of all the CTs armor and air defense in Rhodesia at that point. I wonder if the Brit and Aus observers would have fought. The paras saw tons of action between Angola and Rhodesia and they were tough lads.
I had a dream that the Rhodies kicked off Operation Quartz, and the end result was Ian Smith missing or dead and a lot of blood spilled. However the price was worth it and way more communists were slaughtered as a result but towards the end of the dream and as I woke up, I kept seeing China as a great threat.
Hi John and Hannes, accolades aplenty for the interviews, getting the truth into the open, and recording history that would otherwise have disappeared. If one of you gents can get contact me, I have a dear Ex RhodAF friend, whom I have managed to convince to be interviewed by you. Keep up the excellent work.
Hi Stuart, great! Please email me at bugeisha7@gmail.com thanks
Colin and 'Rat' you both worked with me, this brought back a lot of laughs and a few tears too, would love to chat some day.
That was fantastic. Great stories, great sense of humor. Thankyou.
Captain Bob lines would start the Battle camp training group, by saying, this how you get killed. "STUPIDITY"
Thank you guys !
Thanks again guys,love these stories
Glad you like them!
Thank you John and Hannes
Gwanda my home.
Zipra guys are telling their stories through cite.
Crazy stories.
I was Brought up in Gwanda, My Dad was Manager of Vubachekwe Mine and then GM for Blanket Mines which included the Giant at Hartley
When I was back in Zim on holiday in 1995 I met up with a guy called Ray Hollingsworth,he owned a few aircraft and the only civilian helicopter in Zimbabwe,he kept them at the airfield at Gwanda,I had just got my ppl in the UK and flew with Ray in his yellow Tiger Moth and his R22 helicopter,it was great to fly in the country I was born in,don't suppose Ray is still in Gwanda?
@@shongololo9778 ahi uncle.
I think he is alive but I will find out for you.I left Zimbabwe too 10 years back.
@@hudsonchalmers6504 nice meeting you home boy.
@Qhawe Madonko,thanks
What gets me is how you guys can freely talk about your experiences without come back,I lived in zambia and rhodesia in the early to mid seventies,and saw a lot of stuff I shouldn't have,what I want to know is there a link as I now looking for ex mil folk and there sons from that era,is there a link to contact you to find out a little,more,so many stories to tell ...
Great chat, okes look like bloody good fun with double-barrelled mischief.
Is that THE infamous Markus Jooste that you mentioned?
We were a 1000 guys in training we always used to joke with each other about the English and Afrikaans thing but never the way you want to make it sound Hannes. It was the 80's not 1903.
Great video. Really interesting and I have learned a lot that I did know!
“Surrender in the name of Robert Mugabe” 😂😂😂
Thanks very much for these videos! Love the 'Dankie tannies' story as well.
Very interesting chaps including the easing of the very few tensions between English and Afrikaans after you had been through fire together Did your times in action with our black RAR troops affect your thinking when you left Zimbabwe and returned to your own war ??
Thats an interesting question.
Outstanding episode, wish I had more time in the day to watch more of them
great content
brilliant
It seems airborne troops are the same all around the world.
🤣Thanks for making my day, excellent, hilarious, heartfelt and very interesting. Well done guys. 🦓 Ross from Chipinga, Eastern Border District. Added: did you see any stick insects in your tour? There are some enormous ones in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. I wrote Sid the Stick insect , a book.
Glad you enjoyed it
I'm Rhodesian and was in Rhodie war 70's....Respect to you guys, we could have held on with your armourments, our joint forces and leadership, but politicians cooked the cat as usual and now both countries are &^%*^*, well just look for yourselves. Such a waste of human lives and hard work. Just think how different and Great our nations could have been. Yes we made some mistakes by not integrating ALL south African and Rhodesian races earlier and giving them the same opportunities, but it was all about standards and keeping out communism.
Hehe Stoutgat Bats Mooi manne!
Good to see Niel McNamara brother of my best mate , shit he was always causing kak. Neil was decorated for bravery.
Plz can anyone tell me where and how can i obtain parabats, memorabelia
Chris Young 21.07
Training