GP. 1 MADZIWA

ENEMY   PROPAGANDA !!!

We all remember propaganda material captured or found in captured or abandoned CT bases and other places. The Zimbabwe News magazine was one of the most detailed one and included  “ Chimurenga War Communiques “. It tried to convince the readers that ZANLA forces were victorious and the Rhodesian Security Forces suffered an unbelievable high number of casualties and destroyed war material.

Extract from the Chimurenga  War  Communique  No.19 – SEP to NOV 1978  involving Guard Force :

“ On 4th Sep 1978, ZANLA Forces ambushed and killed four members of the regime,s guard force, seriously wounding two. The three minute operation was carried out along the Morris Keep Road.

The morning of the 11th of Sep 1978, was broken by the ZANLA sound of mortar 82 mm shells, RPG firepower and submachine gun attack as Dawana enemy military base in Uzumba reserve was devastated. 31 lifeless bodies of enemy troops littered the ground. When the ZANLA forces and the local people went to examine  the camp, they found a pathetic situation. The dead bodies of Canadian and American mercenaries, some District Assistants and Guard Force  lay amongst the empty beer cans which bore silent witness to the extent the enemy is going to in an effort to raise the morale of its troops by making them drunk to take their minds off their misery in their beleaguered positions.

On 04 Oct 1978, ZANLA forces were involved in a pitched battle with enemy troops in the Uzumba area. The enemy was forced to abandon its post along the Uzumba to Mrewa road, where it left more than fifteen of its troops dead. A black traitor            [ Guard Force ] who had participated in the battle on the side of the enemy was later captured along the old Mrewa to Salisbury road trying to flee.He was eliminated by the local people.

During the months of Sep and Oct 1978, we succeeded in completely destroying most of the keeps in the Mandeya area, blown up many enemy vehicles and carried out effective ambushes. These glorious military victories were scored because our strength to fight comes from the people themselves.

Chimurenga  War  Communique  No. 18 -  JUN  to  AUG  1978.

“ As part of the nation wide campaign of freeing Zimbabwean masses living in concentration camps [ Protected Villages ], a heavily armed ZANLA mobile unit attacked and destroyed a would -be concentration camp near Elisha’s village in North Eastern Zimbabwe.  Twenty of the regime’s “ Guard Force “ [ a special force for guarding the keeps ] were immobilized. This operation foiled the regime’s plans of herding the people of Elisha’s village into the keep.

On the 6th Jul 1978, ZANLA combatants simultaneously attacked three concentration camps [ Protected Villages ] in the north eastern region of Zimbabwe. Thousands of Zimbabweans were freed and resettled in the liberated areas.

The racist regime’s attempts to mobilize the masses of the Kamunjuwa concentration camp were foiled when the liberation forces attacked this keep, killing several fascist troops and seriously wounding others. These terrorist troops had to come to persuade Zimbabwean masses to support the March 3rd sellout agreement. This was on 7th July 1978.

Two days later on the 9th of Jul 1978 ZANLA combatants attacked and destroyed Nyamupunga  “keep” in the same area, freeing the imprisoned masses. This operation which was carried out with the full participation of the local people claimed the lives of thirteen rebel Rhodesian troops and the wounding of five others.

The masses of the Matondo concentration camp were also freed on 11 Jul 1978 when ZANLA combatants attacked and destroyed this keep. Eleven enemy troops who had been called in to reinforce were killed when their vehicle detonated a ZANLA blocking mine. Several other racist troops were also killed during the attack.”

We all knew the real situation on the ground but what about ZANLA  / ZANU supporters within and outside the country. They believed and are still believing  these stories. HORST.

Just  on  the  lighter  side ……………..

The following lines appeared in an article of the Australian newspaper “ The  Age “ and were reprinted in the “ Bush Telegraph “ during August 1980. The issue is the participation of foreign nationals in the Rhodesian Bush War [ including  Guard Force]

…The  Guard Force  unit  in  charge  of  the  trust-land  area  of  Madziwa     PROTECTED   VILLAGES  GROUP   1 , north  of  Salisbury,  is  commanded  by  an  eccentric  former  canning  company  executive  from  the  island  of  Jersey,  JHB HUGHES,  who  tries  to  get  his  black  servants  to  recreate  Channel Islands  cuisine  with  tinned  beef  and  mashed  potatoes.

His  senior  officers  include  a  Texan ,  TOM  [  WILLIAM  ]  LESTER , who  styles  himself  a  confederate  army  Colonel  -  complete  with  rebel  flag  and  crossed  sabres  -  and   an  Australian.

One  of  the  Guard Force  cooks  is  an  Icelander  who  came  down  hoping  to  fly  fighter  planes.

I remember that during my service with Guard Force, I served with foreign nationals from Australia, South Africa, Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Israel, United States, Great Britain and Austria [ myself and Guenter Maeser ]. Not an easy lot and I include myself in this statement. 

Snr Comdt Horst Schobesberger.

The following pic was supplied by Michael Howlett, with words by Patrick Bryan. (this was one of the very early pictures of GF personnel within a PV)

The Keeps we had in Madziwa had these towers. One night early hours when doing a check on the Gds I found the Gd on wall duty, I see the guy in the tower. so I climbed up this wobbly construction and found him fast asleep. He was leaning on his rifle against the sandbags. even after removing the gat from between him and his resting place, with a few muttered curses from him, he was still fast asleep. Stand to siren was set off, all to their posts wide awake. I found the our guilty friend standing by my door. Poor guy was not a happy chappy. The guys sorted him out for getting them all up at the ungodly hour. He turned out a good Guard.