Winds of Destruction
Page 96
More than a year passed before the officers were acquitted and released by a black judge on 31 August 1983. Outside the court they were immediately re-arrested and another long year followed before all were eventually released and deported from Zimbabwe, their service pensions having been denied them.
How those guys managed to put on a brave face on the few occasions they were seen during trial baffled me until I learned how Air Force technician-turned-chaplain, Boet van Schalkwyk, and the men’s wives had given so much support, love and spiritual guidance.
Barbara Cole’s book Sabotage and Torture tells the full sad tale of torture and trumped-up evidence against these unfortunate victims caught up in a wicked political game.
One of the few officers who remained in service with the Air Force of Zimbabwe was Ian Harvey who, with twenty-two years of service to Rhodesia, was a flight lieutenant from 1967 to 1980. Even before I moved to COMOPS, Ian had recorded 4,000 flying hours on Alouettes but then went on to exceed 6,000 hours; a world record I thought until I learned Mark Smithdorff had many more from his military service and fire-fighting operations in America.
Following another twenty years in service with Robert Mugabe’s Air Force, Ian finally retired in the rank air vicemarshal. For this he received no more than his Mercedes staff car.
From left to right: Air Lieutenant Barry Lloyd, Wing Commander John Cox, Air Lieutenant Neville Weir, Air Commodore Phil Pile, Wing Commander Peter Briscoe and Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Slatter. (Not seen here was Nigel Lewis-Walker who was being held in Gweru (Gwelo) Prison. He was the last to be freed.)
In much happier times, Ian receives congratulations from Group Captain Mick Grier on completing 4,000 hours on Alouette III.
Epilogue
RHODESIA CAME INTO BEING IN November 1890 and ceased to exist in April 1980. In only ninety short years Rhodesians transformed raw bush into a highly developed state—the breadbasket of Central Africa. Though always a member of the British Empire, self-governing Rhodesia never came under direct British rule. This suited Britain’s many governments because, unlike many members of the Empire, Rhodesia needed no support from British taxpayers. White Rhodesians, and many black ones too, were staunch monarchists who willingly gave support of arms to King and Queen in every British war fought in South Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Far East. Rhodesia’s contributions and status were always recognised and lauded until the mid-1960s.
By this time dismemberment of the British Empire had brought about the steep decline associated with party political handling of everything British. With this also came an end to an Englishman’s word being his bond; politically that is. So too had Britain’s political might been substituted by weakkneed policies of appeasement in which Rhodesia was another stepping stone down Britain’s road to self-destruction.
Establishing Britain’s Empire did not occur without some serious flaws, even unashamed exploitation of peoples and natural resources. But not one country so affected failed to enjoy massive development and a legacy of efficient infrastructure. This is plainly visible in those British colonies that were granted independence but retained responsible government in white hands. They continue to prosper whilst those that find it necessary to use colonialism as an excuse for their own failings, particularly in Africa, have suffered serious and ongoing decline. In spite of this, successive British governments have shamefully led Britons into feeling ashamed of their colonial past.
It was the British Government that created the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland by linking two British colonies to self-governing Rhodesia. Having in this way given three unequal countries equal status, Britain’s policies of appeasement kicked in to destroy its own brainchild after only ten years; this despite the fact that union of the three states had been an unqualified success. In appeasing the wants of power-seeking black politicians, common sense and the interests of ordinary citizens were forsaken. Remember Henry Kissinger’s words, “The politics of convenience has little to do with truth or logic!”
In compensation for agreeing to the dissolution of the Federation, Britain’s Conservative Government promised independence to each of the three states but only honoured its pledges to Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The solemn promise of independence given Southern Rhodesia was ignored because of the newfound obsession to appease Africa’s black governments, no matter their corruption and total lack of management skills. Taking full advantage of Britain’s whimpering ‘apologies for her colonial past’, black governments followed the Soviet Union’s lead by introducing racism as a whipping tool. In turn this led Britain into creating the political mess that perfectly suited communist aspirations and led Rhodesians into a thirteen-year-long civil war.
Rivalry between Britain’s two main political parties has created seesaw situations within Britain itself, but none has been so damaging as suffered by Britain’s colonies. Every state granted independence experienced the intrigues and lies that had become the post-WWII hallmark of British political expediency. It was these traits that forced Ian Smith’s Rhodesian Front party to declare UDI in 1965 after all options were rendered intolerable by both Labour and Conservative governments constantly moving the goal posts they themselves had set.
It can be argued that UDI was a mistake, but I know for certain that we would have become a communist state that much earlier had UDI not been declared. The question is: was it all worthwhile? Again I feel Ian Smith had to do what he did to gain time in hopes that the West would come to understand that Rhodesian plans to progress gently towards responsible black majority rule was a much better option than the hurried Marxist take-over we all feared and fought so hard to prevent. Argue as one might, the facts are that racism became the main political issue and Britain rejected white-led democracy in favour of black Marxism. In his bid to justify the horrific policy of apartheid, Prime Minister Vorster of South Africa used Rhodesia as his political pawn, thereby undermining all efforts to gain Western support. Even our hopes in Margaret Thatcher were dashed when we came to realise that ‘the Iron Lady with more balls than the men’ had succumbed to the policies of appeasement expounded by her gutless male colleagues.
Every living white Rhodesian was, and remains, incensed by the duplicity—particularly by Vorster—that led to Rhodesia’s unnecessary demise. Whereas the black folk did not recognise the dangers of voting ZANU into power, today they know better. But this late realisation cannot circumvent the unnecessary suffering and bloodshed they will surely face for bringing to power an unbelievably selfish, power-crazy, Marxist demagogue. Too late they have come to understand that ZANU’s promises of utopia in ‘liberated Zimbabwe’ were only for the good of Mugabe and his fat cats—certainly not for theirs. Even the CTs who fought and died to bring about the promises made to them by Mugabe are losers.
Yet, angry and sad as I am for the destruction of my own dreams, I look back on my days in Rhodesia as God-given and wonderful. Nobody can take away memories of life in ‘God’s own country’ amongst wonderful people of all races and creeds. Most white Rhodesians, now spread across the world, share this opinion and the vast majority of black folk trapped in Zimbabwe look back longingly to the days they lived under paternal white government. Harold Macmillan’s ‘winds of change blowing across Africa’ have for these unfortunate Zimbabweans proven to be nothing short of winds of destruction.
Twenty years on at the turn of the century, I am sad to say that I realise how successive British governments have continued the downward spiral in which their winds of destruction have turned to sweep across Britain. The deliberate destruction of Britain’s TSR2 bomber development programme by order of Harold Wilson was an early case in point. This really shook Rhodesians because the Labour Government’s order included the destruction of all data, rigs, jigs and moulds. If a British prime minister was prepared to destroy Britain’s lead in world aeronautical affairs thereby creating loss of prestige, loss of jobs, loss of huge foreign earnings and forcing English engineers to move to other countries
, it is hardly surprising that he was so hell-bent on meeting other socialist communism wants, including the destruction of responsible government in far-off Rhodesia. For the Conservative Government to follow suit was mind-boggling.
That is all behind us now. President Robert Mugabe is the only one to have benefited from the policy of appeasement. But in Britain the same policy has led to appalling declines such as permitting children to enjoy power over their elders and allowing the finest rail system in the world to degenerate to its present situation. Illegal immigrants are afforded preferred treatment over British-born citizens. Major companies pass business to the Far East to escape disadvantages stemming from ongoing governmental mismanagement of the county’s affairs. Brussels sets the rules for UK trade. The euro might soon replace Sterling thereby destroying British independence and power forever.
I am a Rhodesian, first and foremost, yet I often find myself wondering why I am still proud to be British having seen the destructive forces of misguided rule by successive British governments. My simple conclusion is that, like most Rhodesians, I was brought up to be the royalist I am today. It is the British Crown that anchors us to our history and our successes. British royalty sets us apart from all other nations even though the UK Government and British media find cause to undermine it at every turn. But it seems to me that the unique position the royal family holds in ordinary British hearts is going to make political suicide just a touch too difficult for destructive politicians and pressmen.
Only a substantial change of the direction in political leadership and national thinking can save Great Britain and recover her to her rightful position of strength and selfrespect.
But above all I say, “Please God, save the Queen.”
Glossary
A/S/L Air Sub-Lieutenant
AD Accidental Discharge (of a weapon)
AFA African female adult
AFJ African female juvenile
AFS Advanced Flying School
ALO Air Liaison Officer
AMA African male adult
AMJ African male juvenile
amsl above mean sea level
AP Assembly Point
ASI Air Staff Instructions
ASR Air Strike Report
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATOPS Anti-terrorist Operations
AVM Air Vice-Marshal
B of I Board of Inquiry
BCR Bronze Cross of Rhodesia
BFM Belt Feed Mechanism (20mm Hispano cannons)
BFS Basic Flying School
Bravo Rhodesian time zone (Greenwich Mean Time is Zulu) Earlier hour zone going east is Alpha then Bravo and so on
BSAP British South Africa Policecasevac Casualty evacuation
CFS Central Flying School (RAF)
CMF Commonwealth Monitoring Force
CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (South Africa)
CSM Company Sergeant-Major
CT Communist Terrorist
DCD Defence Cross for Distinguished Service
DGSS Director General of Supporting Services
DI Drill Instructor
DZ Drop Zone (paratroopers and para-supplies)
EFJ European female juvenile
EMA European male adult
EMJ European male juvenile
FAC Forward Air Controller
FAE Fuel-Air Explosive
FASOC Forward Air Support Operations Centre
FIS Flying Instructors’ School
FL Flight level
FRELIMO Front for the Liberation of Mozambique
GAC Ground to Air Controller
GCV Grand Cross of Valour (Rhodesia’s equivalent to the VC)
GSU General Service Unit (equivalent to RAF Regiment)
GTS Ground Training School
HALO High Altitude – Low Opening (free-fall parachuting)
HF High Frequency (radios)
IF Instrument Flying
ILS Instrument Letdown System
INTAF Internal Affairs
IP Initial Point (starting position of jet run-in to attack)
ITCZ Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (meeting of warm Congo air and polar air)
JOC Joint Operations Centre
JSPIS Joint Services Photo-Interpretation Services
LTT Locally Trained Terrorist
LZ Landing Zone (applicable to helicopters)
MID Military Intelligence Services
MLM Member of the Legion of Merit (Operational or Non-operational)
MNR Mozambican National Resistance
NDB Non-Directional Beacon
OAU Organisation of African Unity
OCC Operations Co-ordinating Committee
OCU Operational Conversion Unity (advance pilot training for weapons)
OFEMA Français D’exportation de Matériel Aéronautique
PAC Pan African Congress
PAF Portuguese Air Force
PATU Police Anti-Terrorist Unit
PJI Parachute Jumping Instructor
PMC President of Mess Committee
PR Police Reserve
PRI Photo Recce Interpreter
PRAW Police Reserve Air Wing
PTC Pilot Training Course
PV Protected Village
QFE International Civil Aviation code for altimeter setting that will read zero feet at the selected ground position.
QHI Qualified Helicopter Instructor
RAMS Radio Activated Marker SSB
RAR Rhodesian African Rifles
R&R Rest and Re-training/Rest and Recuperation.
Ratpack Ration Pack
RP Rocket projectile
RSF Rhodesian Security Forces
RSM Regimental Sergeant-Major
RSO Range Safety Officer (air weapons ranges)
SAAF South African Air Force
SAAFCOL SAAF Staff College
SAANC South African African National Congress
SACP South African Communist Party
SAM Surface-to-Air Missile
SAP South African Police
SB Special Branch (of Police)
SCR Silver Cross of Rhodesia
SOP Standard Operating Procedure
SSB Single Side-band radio
SSQ Station Sick Quarters
SSU Short Service Unit (refers to pilot training scheme prior to 1960)
Strela SAM 7 anti-aircraft missile
STO Station (or Senior) Technical Officer
SWA South West Africa
SWAPO South West Africa Peoples’ Organisation
SWO Station Warrant Officer
TF Territorial Force
TNT Trinitrotoluene (explosive)
TTL Tribal Trust Land
UANC United African National Council
UDI Unilateral Declaration of Independence
UXB Un-Exploded Bomb
VHF Very High Frequency (radios)
VNE Velocity Never to Exceed (maximum allowable flight speed)
VR Volunteer Reserve
ZANLA Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANU’s military wing)
ZANU Zimbabwe African National Union
ZAPU Zimbabwe African Peoples’ Union
ZIPRA Zimbabwe Peoples’ Revolutionary Army (ZAPU’s military wing)
About the Author
PETER PETTER-BOWYER was born in 1936 in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. As a boy during World War II he’d watch the Royal Air Force training aircraft whirling in the colonial skies above—so was born his craving to fly. In 1957 he joined the Royal Rhodesian Air Force as an officer cadet. He became a senior operational pilot during the bush war and was instrumental in designing and producing a range of unique aeronautical weapons systems. He retired prematurely as a group captain in 1980 with the advent of Mugabe’s rule and now lives in England.
Copyright
eBook co-published in 2012 by:
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First published by Trafford Publishing, 2003
Copyright © P.J.H Petter-Bowyer, 2005
eBook © P.J.H Petter-Bowyer, 2012
Digital Edition ISBN: 9781908916662
Design and origination by 30° South Publishers (Pty) Ltd.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, manipulated in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any mechanical, electronic form or by any other means, without the prior written authority of the publishers except for short extracts in media reviews. Any person who engages in any unauthorized activity in relation to this publication shall be liable to criminal prosecution and claims for civil and criminal damages.
Footnotes
1
Hunter strike using flechette proved very successful. Total of 11 dead found in area of flechette strike. Final tally 28 CTs killed of which 5 accounted for by stops.
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