The sb was responsible for turning, training and reintroducing the newly turned terrorist to the selous scouts for operations against their comrades. It was during this advance that he first met fellow scout frederick russell burnham, who had only just arrived in africa and who continued on with the small scouting party to bulawayo and observed the selfdestruction of the ndebele settlement as. Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Selous scouts relied heavily on unconventional selection and training procedures. Rhodesias crack selous scouts, a tough and highly selected. Selous scouts, south african defense force, rhodeisan army, bush wars. Army the cutting edge of the rhodesian security forces was provided by the regular units of the army, and they assumed the status of a strategic reservecumshock force in the late 1970s. This site is dedicated to all who served, both operational and support. A tale of two scouts co kcened oerutsi rfsu yreel the selous scouts took their name from british african explorer frederick courteney sel ous. The breakdown and buildup training technique used for the training of. The selous scouts were formed in 1972 and named after a famous big game hunter kind of appropriate actually.
Formed in 1973 by the legendary lieutenantcolonel ron reiddaly at the behest of rhodesian military supremo general peter walls, the selous scouts were to write their name into the annals. Ron reiddaly, founder and commander, says this was. His reallife adventures inspired sir henry rider haggard to create the fictional allan quatermain character. This book, aside from detailing several supposed top secret operations that have proven to be controversial claims, the book has the unfortunate honor of being one of the few books about the rhodesian selous scouts. The selous scouts was a special forces regiment of the rhodesian army that operated from 1973 until the reconstitution of the country as zimbabwe in 1980. However this unit is in no way associated with the elite selous scouts. The more modern selous scouts were formed from the tracker combat unit. Nomeado em homenagem ao explorador britanico frederick courteney selous 18511917, o seu lema era pamwe chete,em xona a frase significa todos juntos, juntos ou avancar juntos.
One selous scout became the most distinguished, and decorated, rhodesian soldier. It is a work in progress and the plan is to continually add new sections, photos and information as it becomes possible. Once the most feared counterinsergency force on the african continent. Over the following years i read everything i could about guerrilla campaigns. When major ron reid daly was given the mission of forming the scouts, rhodesias borders were becoming less and less secure, as zanla and zipra. Nov 12, 2015 it was common knowledge that the selous scouts had gone in and wiped them out at musami. The initial selous scouts were formed on 1st january 1964 as an armoured car regiment of the central african federation of southern rhodesia former rhodesia, now zimbabwe, northern rhodesia now zambia and nyasaland now malawi, and were named after frederick courtney selous 18511917 a famous hunter and friend of cecil rhodes. On the 16 th june 1978 the picture to the left is the rededication parade on the 17 february 1979. Perhaps the best comment on the fighting ability of the selous scouts is the fact that during rhodesias antiterrorist war they accounted for more dead terrs than the rest of the rhodesian army combined. The real result of the frozen area policy was that it gave the wild men of the selous scouts and they were all pretty wild unfettered power to wage war as they wished. Aug 19, 2016 the selous scouts was a special forces regiment of the rhodesian army, that operated from 1973 until the reconstitution of the country as zimbabwe in 1980.
This book has been rerelease as pamwe chete the legend of the selous scouts by reiddaly and is a completely revamped version of selous scouts top secret war original title. The original selous scouts was an armour unit in the former central african federation army. The selous scouts took their name from british african explorer frederick courteney sel ous. Formed in 1974 as the tracker combat unit and eventually performing long range recon missions, tracking terrorists internally, and undertaking. Ltc reiddaly has written an honest, detailed account that draws the readers interest on the first page and never lets go. Named after the british explorer frederick selous 18511917, its motto was pamwe chetea shona phrase meaning all together, together only or forward together the charter of the selous scouts directed them to the clandestine.
Tales of derringdo by rhodesias superb pseudo operations regiment the selous scouts, told by its commander ron reiddaly, during the bush war to preserve white rule in rhodesia in the 1970s. This is a historical site dedicated to remembering the selous scouts. Nonetheless, they were one helluva bunch of soldiers. The selous scouts, a uniquely rhodesian solution to counterinsurgency lasting from the mid1960s to 1980, the bush war in rhodesia saw this tiny land locked nat. This website is dedicated to the selous scouts regiment. Rank structure, badges of rank honours and awards roll of honour army home page site home page. Some of the operations border on the incredulous, recklessness borne of desperation of fighting against long odds with the entire world against them and. He was born in london in 1851, where as a young man he showed interest in the dark continent, as africa was then popularly known.
With this site i tried to obtain as much information on the scouts to give the reader hopefully clear idea of who and. The selous scouts was a special forces regiment of the rhodesian army, that operated from 1973 until the reconstitution of the country as zimbabwe in 1980. This is the story of the selous scouts regiment of rhodesia, which was formed in 1973 and abolished without benefit of formal disbandment, when robert mugabes zanupf took power after the british supervised elections in 1980. Selous scouts were notorious as combat tracker unit. Upgrade your style with selous scouts tshirts from zazzle. Dec 10, 2011 selous scouts were notorious as combat tracker unit. Internal security operations, urban and rural isops. Selous scouts were expert mantrackers, masters of bushcraft and pseudoterrorist specialist of. The scout associations brand and visual identity scouts.
The scouts evolved to varying extents from the tracker combat unit of the rhodesian army, the cio central intelligence organization, and the special branch of the bsap british south africa police. These scouts are beginning to kindle a bitterness in zimbabwe towards the white people. Selous scouts tshirts selous scouts tshirt designs zazzle. Until recently the scouts operated under a veil of secrecy. The tracking course was the last course i did before getting out of the rhodesian army and leaving the country.
Predictably the selous scouts, rhodesias answer to terrorist infiltration, its most. Our goal in creating this website is to provide an exceptional source of information on the scouts and to pay tribute to this fine regiment. The selous scouts are to be trained for, and be prepared to take part in any of the operationstasks mentioned below. The selous scouts were the finest counterinsurgency force ever to take to the field and hunt down guerillas. It was named after british explorer frederick courteney selous 18511917, and their motto was pamwe chete, which, in the shona, roughly means all together, together only or forward together. Aug 28, 2015 selous scouts conducted clandestine operations both inside and outside rhodesias borders. It was common knowledge that the selous scouts had gone in and wiped them out at musami. The selous scouts was a special forces regiment of the rhodesian army that operated from. Alpha scouts selous scouts historical, selous scouts. To the edge with the rhodesian sas and selous scouts by paul french this allnew work chronicles the experiences of paul french who, upon leaving the british armys 21 sas v, sought adventure and excitement in c squadron of the rhodesian sas. Unconventional, but they worked and turned out some of the finest counterinsurgency warriors of all time. Phone number include area code u u u u 84 97583302.
I would also like to point out they were truly all trained trackers and maintained this capability to superb levels of proficiency. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. He produced his army boots, the soles of which matched the footprints of the killers as shown in the press photographs. He was born in london in 1851, where as a young man he showed interest in the dark continent, as africa was.
The selous scouts was a special forces regiment of the rhodesian army, which operated from 1973 until the introduction of majority rule in 1980. The history of the regiment can be traced back to a feasibility exercise carried out by the police and army between the 24th october and the 4th november 1966. If you are a lost scout or know of a lost scout, please. Reids engaging book is chocked full of incredible stories. Formed in 1973 by legendary lieutenantcolonel ron reiddaly at the behest of rhodesian military supremo general peter walls, the selous scouts were to write their name into the annals of military history as one of the finest counterinsurgency units of all time, through their innovative pseudoguerrilla tactics, brilliant reconnaissance operations into zambia and botswana and daring flying. See more ideas about military history, special forces and africa. Secrets of the rhodesian war the spectator archive. See more ideas about military history, africa and war. Widely regarded by even the most nailsest of the nails as even more nailsy by a significant amount of ironmongery, the scouts accounted for nearly 70% of kills inflicted on the nationalist guerillas of zanla and zipra during rhodesias bush war of the 1970s. Selous was also a friend of theodore roosevelt, cecil rhodes and frederick. One of their specialties was psuedoterrorist operations which you dont hear of much anymore. Elite jungle unit battles rhodesian guerrillas the. The book covers the history of the unit from the time its founder, ron reiddaly, spent in malaysia with c squadron 22 sas, to the end of the war. The rhodesian security forces ii weapons and warfare.
The selous scouts were probably one of the most shortlived elite units in history, existing for just seven years. The selous scouts was basically established as a joint bsap and army unit. This book is a must read for any military historian. Daly was tasked with forming the selous scouts as a pseudoguerrilla force. The rhodesians claimed 300 zanla and 30 fam armed forces of mozambique soldiers were killed.
Selous scouts and the fireforce commandos of the rhodesian light. The tracking course was the last course i did before getting out of the rhodesian army and leaving the. Selous returned to africa to take part in the first matabele war of 1893 and was wounded during the advance on bulawayo. Col r f and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
The occasion was a medal parade at which the grand cross of valour was presented to. During the course of the war the selous scout were officially credited with either directly or. The sb function is often over looked or given a cursory look it other worksbooks on the selous scouts as in reid. All the regular units expanded considerably during the war and came to absorb portions of the periodic national service intakes of white youths. Pdf download selous scouts top secret war read online.
Selous scouts were expert mantrackers, masters of bushcraft and pseudoterrorist specialist of the rhodesianzimbabwe war of independence. Shop for the perfect selous scouts gift from our wide selection of designs, or create your own personalized gifts. To understand the selous scouts methods, one must first understand the selous scouts mission. Wood had spent seven months in the army and said he left because of his atrocities.
He died in 1917, but hes remained legendary in southern africa. The freedom fighters are under strict instruction not to touch civilians no matter what their colour. Named after the british explorer frederick selous 18511917, its motto was pamwe chete a shona phrase meaning all together, together only or forward together. Selous scouts tshirts selous scouts tshirt designs. Our people are being killed in their hundreds by the selous scouts to make the people hate the freedom movement. History of the selous scouts text from service before self. Viewers are treated to an expose of their training. This is an excellent and comprehensive book on the selous scouts a special forces unit based in rhodesia now zimbabwe during the 1970s. Individuals were attached to the rhodesian intelligence service to gather information from as far afield as tanzania and angola. Operation eland, also known as the nyadzonya raid, was a military operation carried out by operatives of the rhodesian selous scouts at nyadzonya in mozambique on 9 august 1976. A significant number of records have been lost or members left the unit to serve elsewhere. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the us or from the uk, depending on stock availability. The selous scouts were an elite rhodesian counterinsurgency unit formed in 1973 and were famed for their use of unorthodox tactics.
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