Rhodesian Security Forces


The Rhodesian Security Forces were the military of Rhodesia. The Rhodesian Security Forces consisted of a ground force, the Rhodesian Air Force, the British South Africa Police, and various personnel affiliated to the Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Despite the impact of economic and diplomatic sanctions, Rhodesia was able to develop and maintain a potent and professional military capability.
The Rhodesian Security Forces of 1964–80 traced their history back to the British South Africa Company armed forces, originally created during company rule in the 1890s. These became the armed forces of the British self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia on its formation in 1923, then part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland military in 1953. After the break-up of the Federation at the end of 1963, the security forces assumed the form they would keep until 1980.
As the armed forces of Rhodesia, the Rhodesian Security Forces remained loyal to the Salisbury government after it unilaterally declared independence from Britain on 11 November 1965. Britain and the United Nations refused to recognise this declaration, and regarded the breakaway state as a rebellious British colony throughout its existence.
The security forces fought on behalf of the government against the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army—the military wings of the Marxist–Leninist black nationalist Zimbabwe African National Union and Zimbabwe African People's Union respectively—during the Rhodesian Bush War of the 1960s and 1970s.
The Lancaster House Agreement and the return of Rhodesia to de facto British control on 12 December 1979 changed the security forces' role altogether; during the five-month interim period, they helped the British governor and Commonwealth Monitoring Force to keep order in Rhodesia while the 1980 general election was organised and held. After the internationally recognised independence of Zimbabwe in April 1980, the Rhodesian security forces, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army were integrated to form the new Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Around 5,000 Rhodesian military and intelligence personnel were recruited by South Africa in 1980 as part of Operation Winter.

Rhodesian Army

The majority of the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers were disbanded in 1920 for reasons of cost, the last companies being disbanded in 1926. The Defence Act of 1927 created a Permanent Force and a Territorial Force as well as national compulsory military training. With the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers disbanded in 1927, the Rhodesia Regiment was reformed in the same year as part of the nation's Territorial Force. The 1st Battalion was formed in Salisbury with a detached "B" company in Umtali and the 2nd Battalion in Bulawayo with a detached "B" Company in Gwelo. Between the World Wars, the Permanent Staff Corps of the Rhodesian Army consisted of only 47 men. The British South Africa Police were trained as both policemen and soldiers until 1954.
About 10,000 white Southern Rhodesians mustered into the British forces during the Second World War, serving in units such as the Long Range Desert Group, the Rhodesian Armoured Corps, No. 237 Squadron RAF and the Special Air Service. Pro rata to population, this was the largest contribution of manpower by any territory in the British Empire, even outstripping that of Britain itself. Southern Rhodesia was in fact the first Commonwealth country to officially declare war on the Axis powers.
Southern Rhodesia's own units, most prominently the Rhodesian African Rifles, fought in the war's East African Campaign and in Burma. During the war, Southern Rhodesian pilots proportionally earned the highest number of decorations and ace appellations in the Empire. This resulted in the Royal Family paying an unusual state visit to the colony at the end of the war in thanks to the efforts of the Rhodesian people.
The Southern Rhodesia Air Force was re-established in 1947 and, two years later, Prime Minister Sir Godfrey Huggins appointed a 32-year-old South African-born Rhodesian Spitfire pilot, Ted Jacklin, as air officer commanding tasked to build an air force in the expectation that British African territories would begin moving towards independence, and air power would be vital for land-locked Southern Rhodesia. The threadbare SRAF bought, borrowed or salvaged a collection of vintage aircraft, including six Tiger Moths, six North American Harvard trainers, an Avro Anson freighter and a handful of De Havilland Rapide transport aircraft, before purchasing a squadron of 22 Mk. 22 war surplus Supermarine Spitfire from the Royal Air Force which were then flown to Southern Rhodesia.
In April 1951, the defence forces of Southern Rhodesia were completely reorganised. The Permanent Force included the British South Africa Police as well as the Southern Rhodesia Staff Corps, charged with training and administering the Territorial Force. The SRAF consisted of a communication squadron and trained members of the Territorial Force as pilots, particularly for artillery observation. During the Malayan Emergency of the 1950s, Southern Rhodesia contributed two units to the Commonwealth's counter-insurgency campaign: the newly formed Rhodesian SAS served a two-year tour of duty in Malaya starting in March 1951, then the Rhodesian African Rifles operated for two years from April 1956.
The colony also maintained women's auxiliary services, and maintained a battalion of the RAR, officered by members of the Staff Corps. The Territorial Force remained entirely white and largely reproduced the Second World War pattern. It consisted of two battalions of the Royal Rhodesia Regiment, an Armoured Car Regiment, Artillery, Engineers, Signal Corps, Medical Corps, Auxiliary Air Force and Transport Corps. In wartime the country could also draw on the Territorial Force Reserve and General Reserve. Southern Rhodesia, in other words, reverted more or less to the organisation of the Second World War.
Matters evolved greatly over twenty years. The regular army was always a relatively small force, but by 1978–79 it consisted of 10,800 regulars nominally supported by about 40,000 reservists. While the regular army consisted of a professional core drawn from the white population, by 1978–79 the majority of its complement was actually composed of black soldiers. The army reserves, in contrast, were largely white.
The Rhodesian Army HQ was in Salisbury and commanded over four infantry brigades and later an HQ Special Forces, with various training schools and supporting units. Numbers 1,2, and 3 Brigade were established in 1964 and 4 Brigade in 1978.
  • 1 Bde – Bulawayo with area of responsibility in Matabeleland
  • 2 Bde – Salisbury with area of responsibility in Mashonaland
  • 3 Bde – Umtali with area of responsibility in Manicaland
  • 4 Bde – Fort Victoria with area of responsibility in Victoria province
During the Bush War, the army included:
  • Army Headquarters
  • The Rhodesian Light Infantry
  • C Squadron SAS
  • Selous Scouts
  • The Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment
  • Grey's Scouts File:Rhodesian Eland902.jpg|thumb|270px|Eland-90 armoured cars of the Rhodesian Armoured Corps.
  • The Rhodesian African Rifles
  • The Rhodesia Regiment, though at times one or more of these independent companies were attached to the RAR during the Bush War.
  • Psychological Action Group
  • The Rhodesian Defence Regiment
  • The Rhodesian Intelligence Corps
  • The Rhodesian Artillery
  • Six Engineer Squadrons 1 Engr Sqn
  • 5 Engineer Support Squadron
  • 1 Brigade
  • *Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 1 Bde
  • *Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 1 Sig Sqn
  • 2 Brigade
  • *Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 2 Bde
  • *Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 2 Sig Sqn
  • **12 Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 2 12 Sig Sqn
  • ***Located: Llewellyn Barracks
  • 3 Brigade
  • *Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 3 Bde
  • *Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 3 Sig Sqn
  • 4 Brigade
  • *Headquarters Abbreviation: HQ 4 Bde
  • *41 Troop, Signals Squadron Abbreviation: 41 Tp 4 SigSqn
  • Two Services Area HQs
  • Two Ordnance and Supplies Depots
  • Two Base Workshops
  • 1 Air Supply Platoon
  • Three Maintenance Companies
  • Three Medical Companies and the Army Health Unit
  • Tsanga Lodge
  • Five Provost Platoons and the Army Detention Barracks
  • Six Pay Companies
  • Rhodesian Army Education Corps
  • Rhodesian Corps of Chaplains
  • Army Records, and Army Data Processing Unit
  • Rail Transport Organisation Platoon
  • 1 Military Postal Platoon
  • Training establishments: School of Infantry, 19 Corps Training Depot, School of Military Engineering, School of Signals, Services Training School, Services Trade Training Centre, Medical Training School, School of Military Police, Pay Corps Training School, School of Military Administration.
  • Rhodesian Women’s Service

    Ranks

Rhodesian Air Force

The Royal Rhodesian Air Force, as it was named in 1954, was never a large service. In 1965, it consisted of only 1,200 regular personnel. It was renamed as the Rhodesian Air Force in 1970. At the peak of its strength during the Bush War, it had a maximum of 2,300 personnel of all races, but of these, only 150 were pilots actively involved in combat operations. These pilots, however, were rotated through the various squadrons partly to maintain their skills on all aircraft and partly to relieve fellow pilots flying more dangerous sorties.

Ranks

British South Africa Police

The police force of Rhodesia was the British South Africa Police. They were the main first line of defense in both Southern Rhodesia and, later, Rhodesia, with the specific responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country.
BSAP units: