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Fighting Men of Rhodesia ep194 | DPO Keith Chisnall | BSAP Special Branch
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 6. 05. 2023
- A third generation Rhodesian tells the story of his upbringing on a farm and his days learning to track and survive in the brush. Later he would use the knowledge operational conditions during the Rhodesian War. In classic Special Branch style you will not find an account of a unit called Pachedu in the history books, but it existed. These are historical facts with convert and overt operations which have never been made public before. Keith Chisnall was born in Sinoia in the farming area of Rhodesian in 1957. He joined the BSA Police and was posted to the Centenary District, right at the start of Operation Hurricane and the civil war which tore through the country. He spent time in Zambezi Valley and joined Special Branch where he was part of a clandestine operational team. Today he is a professional guide and spends time painting and working with the wild animals he loves.
Many thanks to Tony Ballinger for setting up the interview!
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Iâm a Texan but my uncle fought in the Bush War after he left Vietnam. I always found it fascinating that he went all the way to Africa to fight in another war, but itâs only now that Iâve begun to study Rhodesian history in earnest. Next to Ian Smithâs book, this channel has been priceless for its collection of oral histories. You guys fought heroically to preserve a beautiful country that your forefathers built. Perfidious Albion shamelessly surrendered you to the wolves. Morally superior Western liberals determined that fating millions of Africans - black and white - to dictatorships, famine, ethnic cleansing, and perpetual chaos was clearly better than allowing Rhodesia and South Africa to remain safe, prosperous, and stable nations for blacks and whites. How many millions of women and children were slaughtered in the name of âequalityâ during the 20th century? Far too many, but theyâve learned nothing. Keep up the good work. History has already proven you right, though it will probably take another hundred years for historians to concede the obvious.
Gosh Chris those are heart felt words...I trust you are able to find out more information about your uncle...the years have gone by and memories fade but, know this, that your uncle stood for what he believed and I so wish you are able to gain solace from the fact that we, as bush-war operators, admired and really appreciated all the help we could get. I did work with an ex Vietnam American who operated in the Zambezi Valley and he was an unbelievably brave man....I wonder if it was your uncle....
As a Brit, and having watched the Coronation celebrations, I completely agree with Hannes. We should have seen acknowledgment of the part that brave Rhodesians played in our past struggles.
I fully agree. Rhodesia with the smallest population per 100 sent the most men for this struggle. Additionally the Saffers did not do such a bad job either and a new History on Tobruk was well articulated that Genl Kloppers did not merely give up, but had few options. General Smuts also is a now a distant memory.
As a I agree with you and Hannes
Excellent story. One of the best in the series. If only Rhodesia had greater resources.
Thank you Wolf
As a South African soldier I represent you great soldiers of Rhodesia, I salute you
Thanku so much Steve...u are very kind
This man is a fantastic raconteur and Iâm looking forward to reading his book.
He speaks easily and is in control of the facts. An easy and interesting listen. đđ»đđ»
I have just read "Watch my tracer" Brilliant. Very informative. Articulate. A real goodie. Thanks.
Thanks Guys, enjoyed all the stories. Rhodesian forces were so thin on the ground hense Cops had to diversify from their policing task only. GC, SIS, Blackboots, Patu etc,... all actual jobs for trained soldiers, but just as well to cover all the ground. A lot was certainly packed into a 3 year stint in the cops for young 18yr old kids really. But it stood us all good in sread for our lives ahead. Phil Hartlebury(?) later came to work for me after his discharge from Chikarubi. Fascinating man he was indeed. Thanks Hannes and John for keeping the show alive. God Bless. Scouter Bravo (GC By West)
Big salute to the BSAP and GC guys who operated in hot areas in very small call signs and limited air support đđȘ
I worked with Ken Stewart in Kandahar Afghanistan many years later, what an incredible man. RIP legend.
You are soo kind Clive.....thank you for your special thoughts....they are from your heart...
Thanks Keith, you did a sterling job with meagre resources. You made a notable contribution
A really good talk, let's hear more please!
Kieth & Hannes - thanks for a great chat. I have recently had the privilege to have read Kieth's book what an excellent and interesting read I had many school mates in BSAP and remember messing about on parts of the famous Morris Depot obstacle course and being chased off by the one and only Mike Lamborne . God bless and appreciate the work done by all who served.
Joe that was a horrid course I remember...your courage to climb Jacobs ladder is commendable...
Hell Keith you brought back some memories. Gutsa, Hoya, Musengezi et al. Well done with such limited resources. I think few people knew what it was like for you guys in Ground Coverage/Support Unit & you really had to think on your feet. Salute to a brave & resolute warrior
Thank you Calum that is very kind of you... yes memories indeed...
Afternoon Hannes.. Firstly, thank you so very much..
Secondly, I totally agree with your sentiments regarding the British Attitude towards the Rhodesians.
The British can get Screwed (And judging by what's happening there now they are getting Screwed.) We don't need to blow our trumpets.. "We will Stand Tall in Sunshine with the truth upon our side and if we have to walk alone, we will walk alone with Pride...!!!)
Cheers đ»
â@Roberto Smith And How...!!!! Good Sir.
Gosh.. Ballsed the words up....!! Should be.. "Go alone with PRIDE..."
@@robertosmith3556 They should be blaming the "small hats" instead. Kissinger... RougeBouclier (City of London), et al.
Great inteview again sis was a very effective unit made up of brave guys.
Rob parker , keith, jerry lancaster, paul bristow were great operators.
Had they been army some bronze and silver crosses would have been awarded.
The bsap were very conservative in awards.
I found that the desk bround brass hats failed in their duty to recognise brave men
Well said Mike. It never ceased to amaze how BSAP guys we operated with (through all branches of the BSAP) did so much with so little back up & yet received so little recognition
Thank you for the great stories.
Beautiful interview . God blessing to you all .
Thanks Keith for sharing your experiences and stories! an education forsure đ also the thoughts from both of you guys! appreciate
Excellent account, Keith, conveyed with a quiet sense of professionalism. I hope there'll be a follow-up.
Yes Warty there will be a followup indeed....
Great fedback on what was happening behind the scenes. Thanks Keith and Hannes.
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Great to listen to you Keith and to have shared a small part of that time with you all those many moons ago.
Matt you know you are special in my heart....
Cleared 15k subs! Well done John, Hannes, Tony & Team.
I must say that I am very impressed with your ability to connect the other units that played an extremely important role in the bush war. The last 2 and a half years of my 10 year service was in Chipinga farming area. So when I left the service I was offered employment by Tony Chisnall on his coffee farm. Interesting reflection of your family history.
Bless you Tom....
I enjoyed Keith telling his stories of life in the security forces, as well as his family history in the region and during the world wars. A fascinating and intriguing account of counter-insurgency operations; thank you, Keith, and thank you, John, for this excellent interview.
Great to hear from you Francisco....you are an amazing man...
Nice Cape buffalo wood carving behind you
What a fantastic interview- very interesting history there!
What an interesting interview, great stuff gentlemen! Thanks for sharing your life experiences with us!!
In 72 Sinoia was top shool rugby team. Dick Meech. Harry Fincham.Roy Gordon. Koorzen brothers. Strydoms .William Talbot-Evans et al.
One of the books on the bookshelf looks like 'To The Banks of the Zambezi', a fascinating and beautifully written account of the history of Rhodesia by T.V. Bulpin.
Great interview Keith and Hannes,...i was one of those many youngsters privelaged to grow up in Sinoia, my late father Alec Dorzie Milne being the high school woodwork teacher basically from the start up of Sinoia High, i was also lucky enough to have started my high school career at the finest school Guinea Fowl Boys High in Gwelo. Certainly a trip down memory lane remembering old names and places. Great book i have of yours which you also autographed for me before posting down under. We certainly were a nation to be proud of. đđđ
Wow...we know yr father well...last year some Sinoia pupils got together with him...thanku so much for being in touch
Knew Ken Stewart quite well as he was a mutual friend of the late Maj. (Dr) Sandie Kirk (Selous Scouts). Ken passed away in the UK in 2022.
Very interesting!
Thank you, Keith and Hannes. Noted your exciting and often hairy times - plus many "frozen" assignments. Also lengthy field deployments. Pity about that farmer that was taken out! SOB!!
I remember very well how the blues...although thin on men and machine were always on our shoulder...thank you Prop...i am humbled that you read my story knowing who you are and the huge effort you and others in the blues gave to us all on the ground...than you...
@@keithchisnall We had it 'easy', we FLEW: while you walked or travelled over mined roads! You FOOT-SLOGGED!
Daniel du Toit was the first South African Police man killed in Mount Darwin area Rhodesia.
My grandfather was also involved in the defeat of the Germans in SWA, but on the British(South African) Army side as a Major working with civilians. Sounds like they must have met up.
My grandfather then stayed on in SWA as part of the new British/SA government in the areas for the rest of WW1 and going into the 1920s. He was the Native Commissioner or whatever they called it - going off on long ox wagon trips to keep the peace with the Owambos, stamping out black-on-black slavery, and generally waving the British flag.
My parents had some souvenirs "liberated" from the German castles - including a serving dish with the Kaiser's crest on it.
The Owambos definitely preferred British rule over German rule and many Owambos that had moved to Angola to get away from the Germans moved back to SWA.
Wow Charles that interesting indeed....I didn't know much about our activities in SWA but as we talk it brings up so many interesting things....Your Grandfather must have had some amazing experiences
@@keithchisnall yup, unfortunately he died long before I was born. He (Charles Manning) did a lot of the early map making in SWA. Those early colonial types had to be extremely resourceful. I don't think he ever got up to Rhodesia, but he did spend quite a few years in Northern Transvaal too.
Government officials had to take on many roles and act as local magistrates, map makers, diplomats, intelligence officers...
I am no apologist, however, I am disgusted at the way my country screwed over Rhodesia.
You did not deserve that at all, especially but not only because, every bugger was fighting the Commie threat and yet all of these countries abandoned Rhodesia to the very same threat.
I salute you all.
Great interview and thank you Keith for sharing your life story with us. If I may ask, I am still looking for the name of my dads cousin, who was the 1st South African Police Officer killed in Rhodesia. I remember it was in the South African Newspapers where his friend was shot in the leg, and they offloaded his coffin from the plane. Unfortunately my father has passed so I have no information.
I am so sorry for your loss Hennie...that is terrible and even worse when you have no in depth knowledge of the details. I have no access to that sort of information however there are many folks I guess who may be able to try get further info for you...I so wish I could help you....The SAP and SAAF in Rhodesia helped us so much....
Daniel du Toit wa
Hennie please see below comment from Peter Hulme...I knew one of our guys would know the answer....best of luck
Terrific video - thanks to Keith and Hannes. You mentioned Tony Granger whom we know well from having met up in Shropshire UK where he lives not far from us in North Wales.
I am sure that Hannes will interview Kiwies if they would only forward and contact him
I think John Gartner is a kiwi and he has done a very good interview or two already.
â@@Toncor12 Australian. Was in Australian SAS.
@@SeanFinland ok yes, thanks đ
Nice interview. Re your Chisawasha story: Charles Trelawny "Lion" Stevens was my great-uncle, although I haven't managed to find out much about him. There's a plinth in Harare under which the victims of the massacre were apparently interred, although its unclear whether "Lion" Stevens was moved from his unmarked grave near Chishawasha.
By the way, Charles was known to have been in Rhodesia in April 1891 when he received a prospecting licence and was described as a colourful character, actively prospecting in the Enterprise Gold Belt area and the Penhalonga Valley, north of near Umtali / Mutare.
He gained the nickname of 'Lion' Stevens through an incident which occurred in 1892. A party, consisting of the Reverend Isaac Shimmin, a Wesleyan Missionary, Stevens and two others, was searching in some bushes for a wounded lion in what is now the Harare suburb of Glen Lorne (originally Glen Lorne farm, Enterprise). The lion charged. The safety catch of Shimmin's gun jammed, but Stevens wounded the lion again, and it attacked him. Stevens stuck his foot out, letting the lion chew his boot, until the rest of the party succeeded in killing it.
Thats interesting Walter...yes he was a character I believe...I may have more info in all my files....shout at me in 3 weeks and I will try find more info for you....
@@keithchisnall thanks Keith. He had a couple of brothers, oneofwho edited a newspaper in Gatooma I think, and another who was close to Rhodes and Lobengula
My uncle Vernon Edkins died at Delville WĂČod , as did hundreds of South Africans.
Frazer I have found your uncle's details.. Vernon Jeffrey Edkins.... he was killed on the 14th...he was D company 2nd battalion 1st South African Division.... Shame I am sorry... It was a terrible time
@@keithchisnall tks Keith. We have a fairly well-kept family history going back to the 1820 Settlers. Great Uncle Vernon was recognized in his nephew's , my father's ,middle name.Thanks for your details. Keep well. When are you taking a trip to Zim? Always accommodation if needed. Regards Fraser.
Hannes, separately, have just noticed that Mike Sadler, last of the original SAS alive, was in the Rhodesian army before joining Stirling in Cairo.
Ja Keith, as you said about trying to drink yourself to death whilst on a break. We didn't call it R & R (Rest & Recuperation) we called it I & I (Intercourse & Intoxication) đ
I had to do same thing clearing the roads for mines with a Landover in Eastern Highlands Tea Estate
Haha thats the story of the lower ranks in every unit
Another excellent story. Keith did the SAP & BSAP ever work tobether on active operations?
Hi Matthys...in the Centenary area where I was and during my deployment there the SAP were more paramilitary and they would not have had the authority to do normal police work as they would not have known our laws. We never called on them for help...it was the military that did....thanks for your great question
â@@keithchisnallđ
@@keithchisnall Dear Keith thank you so much for your reply. Reason why I asked I was looking at a CZcams story from General Sterk Hans Dreyer (Koevoet Founder) who said that the Rhodesian Special Branch was instrumental and the pioneers or the Pseudo Concept that he then adapted in then SWA. First all the Rhodesian Men and Women that served can, must and should always hold their heads high for a job well done, against all the odds with a stink from the Free World. How I love reading about all the problems in Europe, America and the UK with immigrants and core issues they now have to deal with. I can't help but say in my heart: Lekker vir jou! I promise to get your book soon and read it. I have read Hannes' book and that was also brilliantly articulated. These are not war stories, but heart stories. Thank you for sharing them.
@@matthysjuys6884 Those are such kind words....you are obviously a well informed man with a big interest in such matters....I trust you will enjoy the book and yes from the heart absolutely....
Keith sounds like Anthony Hopkins!
My great grandfather was a pilot in WW2 Egypt and got shot through the leg from below and my grandfather has always loved the spitfire because of his fathers service and wanted to be a pilot but in the border war he wasn't a pilot.
Thats interesting indeed i bet he knew my Dad
Can you interview some kiwis that fought there?
Loving this interview having grown up in Centenary....please Keith I'm dying to know who the two okes that hated each other lol. Do you remember Stanmore farm by way chance??
Hi Greg yep I do rem Stanmore farm but memories are fading....Peter Beck may remember the farm better than I do...
@@keithchisnall ya as with all of us! Thanks for replying, appreciated
I was at the coronation and was going to take my green and white to remind Charlie boy of the correct flag he should have lowered at Rufaro. Ended up taking Zim and SA flags which hardly raised a comment except from a BBC cameraman who went to Churchill. The Poms could care less what they did to our country. Agree with HW that we shouldnât be part of them.
Side note: Had a great 21st at Vernon Priceâs farm in a tobacco barn for his younger son.
Thanks for the interview. It was very good. I was wondering if you had any more information on the brand of your night vision device? Or any other details?
Hi Nate yes it was an Orion Passive night observer
@@keithchisnall thank you, Zeiss?
@@user-et5hg9wx5l actually there is a picture of the Orion sight in the interview... I don't believe it was Zeiss
There are many different Xhosa tribes. The Pondo are ghe most Northern of them and managed to stop the Zulus from spreading South. Very good fighters. Mandela was a Southern Xhosa, not a Pondo. Those Southen Xhosa were protected by the Pondo and were relatively peaceful and poor fighters. They would have been wiped out by the Zulus if the Pondo were not there.
Thanku Charles...
Was that Tony Grainger ex Sinoia with his size 13 shoes ?!
Was Pat aka Trish. ? I was there 67 -71.
Will we hear more from Keith?
Yes, part 2 coming up
When was this recorded?
8 months ago
Was Musa given promotion/a medal ?
No such thing for many brave men like Musa....medals were rarely issued
@@keithchisnall tks
Guard Force issued a "Successfull Contact Badge" (SCB) awarded for a killed or captured Gook. GF started to go operational in Summer 1978 ( it all started with 6 Inf Coy, Mtoko, OC Joe Flanagan, later 1 BN Rutenga under Horst Schobesberger from Austria)...I guess that 60% had a SCB and ( I have to mention it) a BCR for Steve Rigby from Umtali
Was your sister Pat and did she attend Sinoia High ?
Hi Fraser yes Trish Chisnall Sinoia High
@@keithchisnall tks
As a Natal boy,do any of you remember Peter Gill.
A legend.
Hannes I share your thoughts about Rhodesia and how the English stabbed us, literally stabbed the people she called to help protect her twice in the world wars in the back. With respect to the English, the poms can go get stuffed and I certainly donât have one shred of loyalty to the royals. My Dad always said that the British Flag was full of crosses because it was a flag of failures. I am proud to be Rhodesian and am proud of our Green snd White flag that flew proudly. And guess what. Rhodesians did it right. Not one cross in that flag.