Soft Army Cap - Rhodesian
This kit was owned and donated by Cecil van (Vice Grips), who joined C (Rhodesia) Squadron 22 Special Air Service Regiment in 1969. These items have been signed, below is a little info from Cecil.
“The Rhodesian Bush War, also known as the Rhodesian Civil War, the Zimbabwe War of Independence and the Second Chimurenga, (revolutionary struggle or uprising) started on the 4th of July 1964 when members of ZANU raided a white farm and killed farmer Pieter Oberholzer which generated a response by the Rhodesian armed forces. the Rhodesian Bush War ended in December 1979. I, along with many young Rhodesian youngsters (predominantly school leavers), were called up for National Service.
Only weeks after I left school, I and hundreds of other young men climbed off a train at Bulawayo in Matabeleland and were transported to Llewellin Barracks to undergo basic military training Call ups were of a nine-month duration. On a very hot summer day, training was interrupted so that we could go and listen to a team of SAS regular soldiers looking for recruits. Those of us interested were subjected to a timed ten-mile walk/run in a full kit. Being young and fit, I managed to complete it, which entitled me to be selected to participate in the SAS selection course back in Salisbury, my hometown. Included in the "intake" were ex scholars such as myself, qualified soldiers from other units, foreigners, and ex-soldiers from America, Britain, and even France.
Being among these hardened veterans was quite daunting, but I quickly learned that in the SAS selection, every man was the same and very unfit. We were issued with kit, some being the camouflage you see in the photos, but not the shorts, Lt. Colonel Ron Reid-Daly obtained special permission for the wearing of these were given to the Selous Scouts in the later 1970s. Our recruit intake was assigned brand new barracks, which had just been built in Cranborne Barracks in Salisbury. We had to clean and spit and polish the floors, etc, from scratch. the selection course was intense, and the aim of the instructors was to "encourage" you to drop out, as many did. Only eight of us who embarked upon our SAS course passed out with our wings and colours. In 1974, I joined the Selous Scouts. By then, I had been privileged to obtain my motor mechanic accreditation through the army thanks to our Officer Commanding Major Barney Bentley (SAS).
In 1974, I was seconded to what was to be the Selous Scouts. At the time, there were just a handful of members, and it was all very hush-hush, and only a few knew about its existence. it was made up of solders from SAS, Rhodesian Light Infantry, the predominately Black soldiers of the Rhodesian African Rifles, some members from the Game Rangers and the Police Special Branch who plays a huge role obtaining intelligence etc. which would assist the "operators" on the ground.
There were also ex terrorists. Later, volunteers from the various units mentioned and the Rhodesian territorial forces would have to undergo a gruelling vicious selection course held at Kariba Dam. Many failed, physically, and emotionally. This course was literally a killer, and as with the SAS selection courses, the instructors really excelled in going out of their way to "persuade" the recruits to drop out. Those few men who passed and given the honour to wear the unit colours were nothing but the best of the best.
As the years progressed, so did the bush war. The enemy kept changing their tactics, and therefore, so did the Rhodesian forces. The enemy had taken to hide in the safety of camps deep within neighbouring countries, and thus, the vehicle fighting columns were born. I had the privilege to be very involved in the modification and building of vehicles that would suit this purpose and to also be part of those raids carried out deep into Mozambique. Unimog vehicles were modified and adapted to suit our purposes. They were "plated" for "protection" and mounted with various types of weapons used in the attacks against the enemy.
We had the insurgents on the run. They were worn out and demoralized, but then the politicians stepped in, and in December 1979 and a so-called peace agreement was signed that would "benefit" all Rhodesians. Inevitably, with the formation of the new Zimbabwean army, all the Rhodesian fighting units were disbanded, and so was the camouflage we wore.
You can read about many interesting facts and stories in various books published. Selous Scouts Top Secret War by Lt. Col. Ron Reid-Daly and "The Men Speak" are good reads for those interested in military history”
Cecil Van "Vicegrips"
This kit was owned and donated by Cecil van (Vice Grips), who joined C (Rhodesia) Squadron 22 Special Air Service Regiment in 1969. These items have been signed, below is a little info from Cecil.
“The Rhodesian Bush War, also known as the Rhodesian Civil War, the Zimbabwe War of Independence and the Second Chimurenga, (revolutionary struggle or uprising) started on the 4th of July 1964 when members of ZANU raided a white farm and killed farmer Pieter Oberholzer which generated a response by the Rhodesian armed forces. the Rhodesian Bush War ended in December 1979. I, along with many young Rhodesian youngsters (predominantly school leavers), were called up for National Service.
Only weeks after I left school, I and hundreds of other young men climbed off a train at Bulawayo in Matabeleland and were transported to Llewellin Barracks to undergo basic military training Call ups were of a nine-month duration. On a very hot summer day, training was interrupted so that we could go and listen to a team of SAS regular soldiers looking for recruits. Those of us interested were subjected to a timed ten-mile walk/run in a full kit. Being young and fit, I managed to complete it, which entitled me to be selected to participate in the SAS selection course back in Salisbury, my hometown. Included in the "intake" were ex scholars such as myself, qualified soldiers from other units, foreigners, and ex-soldiers from America, Britain, and even France.
Being among these hardened veterans was quite daunting, but I quickly learned that in the SAS selection, every man was the same and very unfit. We were issued with kit, some being the camouflage you see in the photos, but not the shorts, Lt. Colonel Ron Reid-Daly obtained special permission for the wearing of these were given to the Selous Scouts in the later 1970s. Our recruit intake was assigned brand new barracks, which had just been built in Cranborne Barracks in Salisbury. We had to clean and spit and polish the floors, etc, from scratch. the selection course was intense, and the aim of the instructors was to "encourage" you to drop out, as many did. Only eight of us who embarked upon our SAS course passed out with our wings and colours. In 1974, I joined the Selous Scouts. By then, I had been privileged to obtain my motor mechanic accreditation through the army thanks to our Officer Commanding Major Barney Bentley (SAS).
In 1974, I was seconded to what was to be the Selous Scouts. At the time, there were just a handful of members, and it was all very hush-hush, and only a few knew about its existence. it was made up of solders from SAS, Rhodesian Light Infantry, the predominately Black soldiers of the Rhodesian African Rifles, some members from the Game Rangers and the Police Special Branch who plays a huge role obtaining intelligence etc. which would assist the "operators" on the ground.
There were also ex terrorists. Later, volunteers from the various units mentioned and the Rhodesian territorial forces would have to undergo a gruelling vicious selection course held at Kariba Dam. Many failed, physically, and emotionally. This course was literally a killer, and as with the SAS selection courses, the instructors really excelled in going out of their way to "persuade" the recruits to drop out. Those few men who passed and given the honour to wear the unit colours were nothing but the best of the best.
As the years progressed, so did the bush war. The enemy kept changing their tactics, and therefore, so did the Rhodesian forces. The enemy had taken to hide in the safety of camps deep within neighbouring countries, and thus, the vehicle fighting columns were born. I had the privilege to be very involved in the modification and building of vehicles that would suit this purpose and to also be part of those raids carried out deep into Mozambique. Unimog vehicles were modified and adapted to suit our purposes. They were "plated" for "protection" and mounted with various types of weapons used in the attacks against the enemy.
We had the insurgents on the run. They were worn out and demoralized, but then the politicians stepped in, and in December 1979 and a so-called peace agreement was signed that would "benefit" all Rhodesians. Inevitably, with the formation of the new Zimbabwean army, all the Rhodesian fighting units were disbanded, and so was the camouflage we wore.
You can read about many interesting facts and stories in various books published. Selous Scouts Top Secret War by Lt. Col. Ron Reid-Daly and "The Men Speak" are good reads for those interested in military history”
Cecil Van "Vicegrips"
This kit was owned and donated by Cecil van (Vice Grips), who joined C (Rhodesia) Squadron 22 Special Air Service Regiment in 1969. These items have been signed, below is a little info from Cecil.
“The Rhodesian Bush War, also known as the Rhodesian Civil War, the Zimbabwe War of Independence and the Second Chimurenga, (revolutionary struggle or uprising) started on the 4th of July 1964 when members of ZANU raided a white farm and killed farmer Pieter Oberholzer which generated a response by the Rhodesian armed forces. the Rhodesian Bush War ended in December 1979. I, along with many young Rhodesian youngsters (predominantly school leavers), were called up for National Service.
Only weeks after I left school, I and hundreds of other young men climbed off a train at Bulawayo in Matabeleland and were transported to Llewellin Barracks to undergo basic military training Call ups were of a nine-month duration. On a very hot summer day, training was interrupted so that we could go and listen to a team of SAS regular soldiers looking for recruits. Those of us interested were subjected to a timed ten-mile walk/run in a full kit. Being young and fit, I managed to complete it, which entitled me to be selected to participate in the SAS selection course back in Salisbury, my hometown. Included in the "intake" were ex scholars such as myself, qualified soldiers from other units, foreigners, and ex-soldiers from America, Britain, and even France.
Being among these hardened veterans was quite daunting, but I quickly learned that in the SAS selection, every man was the same and very unfit. We were issued with kit, some being the camouflage you see in the photos, but not the shorts, Lt. Colonel Ron Reid-Daly obtained special permission for the wearing of these were given to the Selous Scouts in the later 1970s. Our recruit intake was assigned brand new barracks, which had just been built in Cranborne Barracks in Salisbury. We had to clean and spit and polish the floors, etc, from scratch. the selection course was intense, and the aim of the instructors was to "encourage" you to drop out, as many did. Only eight of us who embarked upon our SAS course passed out with our wings and colours. In 1974, I joined the Selous Scouts. By then, I had been privileged to obtain my motor mechanic accreditation through the army thanks to our Officer Commanding Major Barney Bentley (SAS).
In 1974, I was seconded to what was to be the Selous Scouts. At the time, there were just a handful of members, and it was all very hush-hush, and only a few knew about its existence. it was made up of solders from SAS, Rhodesian Light Infantry, the predominately Black soldiers of the Rhodesian African Rifles, some members from the Game Rangers and the Police Special Branch who plays a huge role obtaining intelligence etc. which would assist the "operators" on the ground.
There were also ex terrorists. Later, volunteers from the various units mentioned and the Rhodesian territorial forces would have to undergo a gruelling vicious selection course held at Kariba Dam. Many failed, physically, and emotionally. This course was literally a killer, and as with the SAS selection courses, the instructors really excelled in going out of their way to "persuade" the recruits to drop out. Those few men who passed and given the honour to wear the unit colours were nothing but the best of the best.
As the years progressed, so did the bush war. The enemy kept changing their tactics, and therefore, so did the Rhodesian forces. The enemy had taken to hide in the safety of camps deep within neighbouring countries, and thus, the vehicle fighting columns were born. I had the privilege to be very involved in the modification and building of vehicles that would suit this purpose and to also be part of those raids carried out deep into Mozambique. Unimog vehicles were modified and adapted to suit our purposes. They were "plated" for "protection" and mounted with various types of weapons used in the attacks against the enemy.
We had the insurgents on the run. They were worn out and demoralized, but then the politicians stepped in, and in December 1979 and a so-called peace agreement was signed that would "benefit" all Rhodesians. Inevitably, with the formation of the new Zimbabwean army, all the Rhodesian fighting units were disbanded, and so was the camouflage we wore.
You can read about many interesting facts and stories in various books published. Selous Scouts Top Secret War by Lt. Col. Ron Reid-Daly and "The Men Speak" are good reads for those interested in military history”
Cecil Van "Vicegrips"