One of the biggest problems was that we were not permitted to take cameras into the bush. And if you did you would sometimes find that when you came to collect the prints there was "a problem" in developing the film, or you may get a visit from Special Branch asking Many questions. So better not to incur the wrath of the authorities
I enjoy watching your videos. I particularly would like to commend you for a largely unbaised narrative which is devoid of racial prejudice and undertones. I say this as a Zimbabwean ( black) who was born in the early 70s. These videos give perspective to the view of the ordinary Rhodesian soldier experience and what motivated your actions. Its sad that Ian Smith predictions have come true however we believe the vision of a prosperous, multicultural / racial Zimbabwe will one day come to pass. An asymmetric warfare to liberate ourselves from our liberators turned dictators is underway and the struggle will not be fought using the bushwar formula. I wish one day all those who called Rhodesia their home will one day say Zimbabwe is our home and be proud to be associated with it. Thank you for the stories you share.
I absolutely love all of your stories, but I especially love when you tell us stories about your times with your call sign. You present it in a way that makes me feel as if I'm out there with your stick in the bush. God Bless my friend, stay well and cheers from Missouri USA.
John van Zly. Hi John! We got to get together sometime soon, hey? Keep well my friend. (Great interview with Wally Insch. He's flipping lucky to have survived that poisoned blanket! Had he not, it would have been the most ironic death of the entire war.)
As a young member of 3RTR I often found I had been billed for Brass Padlocks after I'd made a mistake, I once said to my troop sargent, you know Woody all those padlocks that keep going missing, we all know that they're on the pads ( Pad = someone that lived off camp usually married ) garden sheds.
I believe your Independant spirit paid you more dividends than deficits....it must have saved your collective skins most of the time. However your “teachable spirit “ is also a testimony to your strong character. Thank you for amply displaying the correct balance between the two. A powerful and enjoyable story..... Shala gashle shamwari katina.....🤝🤝
Thanks for the memories, i had to pay for lost binoculars on the South African side, i am quite sure in my case it was stolen, and someone is still using it 😀
Man, I'm very happy to have heard this when I did. I'm starting a new job here in a few weeks and I think I took this advice to heart. Its one thing to "know", it's another thing to have what you're thinking confirmed by someone much wiser. Thank you again for sharing! And hey, I think I saw something in the comments about you looking talking about or reviewing more gear from your time in the service. I think that'd be a neat addition to everything you do here. Thanks!
A delightful anecdote of a soldier's life! Thank you🙏🙏for sharing your secret! I know some young lads who have gone into the infantry recently and will share this video with them😁👍👍😎
I really appreciate you taking the time to recount your experiences I think that hearing from the people involved in historical events is important in understanding the reality of these times. Thank you
Please make more of these war stories videos, I've just watched the 2 previous war stories play lists and my friends your stories are so interesting and entertaining. Real men doing incredible work it such hard conditions. Top job my man 👍
Hi Martin Happy Easter my friend and god bless you always, thanks for your time and your stories . Your humbleness and honesty make you a great soldier and man ! Stay well !
Reminds me of one aspect, maybe the most important aspect of the Christian walk... John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. And again... Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Thanks for the recollections, appreciated.
I enjoyed this story. This is the first time Iv watched ur channel and I’m glad I did. U seem like a very down to earth and humble person. So I look forward to seeing or listening to all ur videos that Iv missed so far. Thank u for sharing this story with us. Keep up the good work and stay humble my friend.
You should not beat yourself up. It is not always easy to accept an instruction when you are on patrol, it often meant you had to make a on the spot decision.
Dear 5RR, off the subject: Assuming you are still / now in Cape Town, here is an interesting titbit (and I am trying to keep it short): Some will know about Rhodes's little cottage in Muizenberg. I (and I assume many others) saw this as Rhodes actually liking things simple. Only in the past month did I become aware: To the 'north' of the cottage, right next to it, Rhodes was building a huge mansion. Google-view of this mansion does not give one a proper impression, neither does driving 'north-south'. Driving 'south-north' though, there is a rise in the road (drive slowly, or go for walk) just before the cottage, where one can catch a glimpse of this mansion. And here is the extra sting in the tale: The Meikles-family recently bought that very mansion...
Your stories of your time 'in Country' are brilliant. So interesting, so well told. I close my eyes, listen, and let myself be transported back in time ( from the safety of my arm-chair, I might add ). Cheers. Stay safe.
Yes yes the US Marine Corps also holds you responsible for lost kit and they also write it off if its lost during a punch up but I will say the supply Sargeant always seems to have this ability to predict that it wasn't lost during the punch up but just prior or after but never during lol 😀
Absolutely love these stories, man. is there any chance you could speak on how to pursue tracks in the field, and maybe even touch on anti tracking measures? seems everything you can find online about it is related to digital footprints, not real ones; and whatever few relevant articles there are come from people who i seriously doubt have had any experience with it
The difference in the size and weight, and battery life of today's radios verses just 20 years ago is fantastic. The inexpensive Chinese radios are under $100.oo USD, well under 2 pounds in weight, can transmit with 50 watts and on 4 bands, HF, VHF, and UHF in the same radio. Lithium batteries, under one pound will last for more than 24 hours. I would not want to be a radio man back then. They still want radio men to listen un-squelched noise so that they can hear the weakest signal possible. I would not like that either....especially when listening for danger at the same time.
Maybe you have covered this and I missed it. I am curious how did soldiers from the RLI, Scouts, SAS, and your organization get on? Did you all perform operations together? Was there any rivalry (friendly or other)?
@mvubu1234 thank you for the input. Did this cause animosity? Was the country pride and understanding of the situation greater than any other issue? Are there any instances of cross organization cooperation or one service coming to the aide of another during dire times?
I've never heard of this device. There was a local invention that was supposed to prevent the barrel from climbing when fired on auto. By all accounts it simply reversed the problem and depressed the barrel too much. We did not use any accessories. We used the FAL as it was issued to us.
Great as always. Thanks for the content. One question. You frequently discus Rhodesian platoon bases. Where would you recommend searching if I wanted to find an accurate illustration of one. All the best.
100% Peter. 😂😂 Anthony invariably your platoon base would have your 2 or 3 troop trucks & maybe a water bowser. The platoon commander ( a Lieutenant) might be in a tent with troops under nylon "bivvies" normally with a fox hole /shell scrape outside the outer perimeter of each bivvy. At platoon level you had no kitchen or cooks so you ate your daily ration allocation of your "rat" packs heated in your mess tin from your camping Gaz 1 man cooker. If it was summer you invariably ate your rats cold. So you slept on the ground & ate only tinned food. Of course company bases were different & you got a fresh food meal cooked by company cooks. Some cooks were so bad that invariably you'd rather be out on patrol eating your tinned "rats" 😂😂😂
I wondered if you had any pictures of the Infantry Training School Gwelo? Im trying to create a replica model of it and need some reference pictures. Thanks!
Re the 'failure', you know 5RR, God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps your guys missing the contact was meant to be - because it was not your or their time to perhaps have loss of your life then. What seems 'bad' can sometimes be for the good.
AK Janitor. I have to confess my ignorance on that point. You know, I often listen to that song and wonder to myself how much of it really reflects Rhodesian army slang. Some of it sounds a little foreign to me...almost like the words have their origin in the South African military. It would be interesting to hear more comments on this.
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 A halo? That can't be good! Would a shave of the scalp help? 😁 We of the grey-headed faction are treated cruelly by those young whipper-snappers who offer software with 20,000 plus 1 settings!! Cheers.
Hudson Chalmers. A76 actually. The TR48 was used primarily for comms between platoon and company level...a very good and powerful radio, but not really designed for patrol or follow-up work.
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 The reason I asked , I was sent with a Intaf patrol from Sinoia, the means I was given was the TR48, and a Bedford Flatbed. 48 was working as we went into Magonde and then died , felt pretty helpless , so aborted and returned.
@@hudsonchalmers6504 Oh dear...sounds like the ni-cad battery may have ran out of juice. I think TR48 was generally regarded as pretty reliable. Probably just as well you turned round and went back.
one of these days he's got to show a picture of himself in the bush
One of the biggest problems was that we were not permitted to take cameras into the bush. And if you did you would sometimes find that when you came to collect the prints there was "a problem" in developing the film, or you may get a visit from Special Branch asking Many questions. So better not to incur the wrath of the authorities
I enjoy watching your videos. I particularly would like to commend you for a largely unbaised narrative which is devoid of racial prejudice and undertones. I say this as a Zimbabwean ( black) who was born in the early 70s. These videos give perspective to the view of the ordinary Rhodesian soldier experience and what motivated your actions. Its sad that Ian Smith predictions have come true however we believe the vision of a prosperous, multicultural / racial Zimbabwe will one day come to pass. An asymmetric warfare to liberate ourselves from our liberators turned dictators is underway and the struggle will not be fought using the bushwar formula. I wish one day all those who called Rhodesia their home will one day say Zimbabwe is our home and be proud to be associated with it. Thank you for the stories you share.
Oracle of the North...I share your dreams.
I absolutely love all of your stories, but I especially love when you tell us stories about your times with your call sign. You present it in a way that makes me feel as if I'm out there with your stick in the bush. God Bless my friend, stay well and cheers from Missouri USA.
Booyah! From (an Old) USAF P.J.
I like these stories from the bush as well. I’ll never forget the one where his CO tapped a tree with a stick to calm the elephant herd
You're a wonderful storyteller.
I was hoping this wasnt going to be a late April fools joke....
Love the stories sir. Thank you!
Thank you for posting! Always love listening. It’s a good day when I get a Rhodesian war story!
Sometimes you don't know if it's the orders from a "West point Patton" or an Officer who "knows"!
Great Video!
Another great story!
Hey!! I love your RUclips series too!! Thank you and all Rhodesian soldiers for what you did!
@@miel1074 thank you so much!
John van Zly. Hi John! We got to get together sometime soon, hey? Keep well my friend. (Great interview with Wally Insch. He's flipping lucky to have survived that poisoned blanket! Had he not, it would have been the most ironic death of the entire war.)
6 seconds and already 7 likes that’s a good video
Another great tale , it takes a big man to admit when he's wrong, thanks for sharing 👍
As a young member of 3RTR I often found I had been billed for Brass Padlocks after I'd made a mistake, I once said to my troop sargent, you know Woody all those padlocks that keep going missing, we all know that they're on the pads ( Pad = someone that lived off camp usually married ) garden sheds.
I believe your Independant spirit paid you more dividends than deficits....it must have saved your collective skins most of the time. However your “teachable spirit “ is also a testimony to your strong character.
Thank you for amply displaying the correct balance between the two.
A powerful and enjoyable story..... Shala gashle shamwari katina.....🤝🤝
From a Churchill boy, I always look forward to your stories.
We all have army regrets. I could still kick myself about some things I didn’t do in the SADF
One of the few channels that leave me smiling ear to ear as the story ends!
Greetings from germany I love your stories so much.👍 I served the army as a conscript in the midst 1980 s
The level of humility and visual story telling was excellent. Greatly appreciated.
oh always happy to see a new story from you, thanks for this.
great stuff 5RR
Thanks for the memories, i had to pay for lost binoculars on the South African side, i am quite sure in my case it was stolen, and someone is still using it 😀
Thank you sir. May you have a blessed one as well.
Great story, as always. Former RLI 3 Commando
Man, I'm very happy to have heard this when I did. I'm starting a new job here in a few weeks and I think I took this advice to heart. Its one thing to "know", it's another thing to have what you're thinking confirmed by someone much wiser.
Thank you again for sharing!
And hey, I think I saw something in the comments about you looking talking about or reviewing more gear from your time in the service. I think that'd be a neat addition to everything you do here.
Thanks!
Agreed!
Always glad to see five romeo romeo
A delightful anecdote of a soldier's life! Thank you🙏🙏for sharing your secret! I know some young lads who have gone into the infantry recently and will share this video with them😁👍👍😎
Wonderful humility
For those out of Africa -
Gandanga - terrorist in the Shona language.
Gomo - hill or mountain. Smaller outcrops were called kopies (Afrikaans word).
I really appreciate you taking the time to recount your experiences I think that hearing from the people involved in historical events is important in understanding the reality of these times. Thank you
Please make more of these war stories videos, I've just watched the 2 previous war stories play lists and my friends your stories are so interesting and entertaining. Real men doing incredible work it such hard conditions. Top job my man 👍
Haha the part where you assure your officer you'll be there for the next ambush was too hilarious
Hi Martin
Happy Easter my friend and god bless you always, thanks for your time and your stories . Your humbleness and honesty make you a great soldier and man ! Stay well !
oh joy, another video to listen to, you are spoiling us, happy easter bru
A Sunday treat, much appreciated 5RR!
Much respect for your honesty and candor!
Glad to stumble across this channel its always a good listen
Reminds me of one aspect, maybe the most important aspect of the Christian walk...
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
And again...
Luke 11:28
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Thanks for the recollections, appreciated.
Great video, would love to hear you talking in more detail about the kit you carried in the bush.
Your honesty is amazing ! Thanks for this !
Ah the A76 radio. Our workshop foreman at the signals workshops HATED the A76.
We are cursed to live in interesting times. Be safe and keep on doing these awesome pieces of forgotten history.
Thank you for another wonderful adventure. I keep trying to imagine, what it would be like if I was there.
I enjoyed this story. This is the first time Iv watched ur channel and I’m glad I did. U seem like a very down to earth and humble person. So I look forward to seeing or listening to all ur videos that Iv missed so far. Thank u for sharing this story with us. Keep up the good work and stay humble my friend.
You had me laughing by the end, with the quartermaster anecdote! Another wonderful video! Keep up the great work.
Thanks for a great story, so well regaled.
Really don't remember how i came across your channel but it quickly became one of my favorites. Thank you for the excellent content.
Signing for lost kit! Someone is running a racket!
You should not beat yourself up. It is not always easy to accept an instruction when you are on patrol, it often meant you had to make a on the spot decision.
Thanks so much for making these videos. Wishing you health and happiness and hopefully many videos to come.
That was a very good listen, thank for sharing memory and wisdom learned.
Great story - lessons learnt! Stay safe 🇬🇧
Great story! take care too, Cheers 🍻
incredible content again
Any ex soldier can relate to your experiences thank you great story
Dear 5RR, off the subject: Assuming you are still / now in Cape Town, here is an interesting titbit (and I am trying to keep it short): Some will know about Rhodes's little cottage in Muizenberg. I (and I assume many others) saw this as Rhodes actually liking things simple. Only in the past month did I become aware: To the 'north' of the cottage, right next to it, Rhodes was building a huge mansion. Google-view of this mansion does not give one a proper impression, neither does driving 'north-south'. Driving 'south-north' though, there is a rise in the road (drive slowly, or go for walk) just before the cottage, where one can catch a glimpse of this mansion.
And here is the extra sting in the tale: The Meikles-family recently bought that very mansion...
I love your videos sir, great stuff!
I'm sure turning your radio off helped keep you alive
Always look forward to hearing your stories.
Made my day. Thank you.
Your stories of your time 'in Country' are brilliant. So interesting, so well told. I close my eyes, listen, and let myself be transported back in time ( from the safety of my arm-chair, I might add ). Cheers. Stay safe.
I'm always so happy to see a new video from you, thank you. God bless and happy Easter 2021
Thank you
Yes yes the US Marine Corps also holds you responsible for lost kit and they also write it off if its lost during a punch up but I will say the supply Sargeant always seems to have this ability to predict that it wasn't lost during the punch up but just prior or after but never during lol 😀
Thanks a lot for this one too! And well, nobody can decide with hindsight :)
Another lekker story, many thanks
Great Stuff
Love these.
Thank you sir for this new story, Happy Easter and stay safe.
thank you sir! it is always a pleasure to listen !
Absolutely love these stories, man. is there any chance you could speak on how to pursue tracks in the field, and maybe even touch on anti tracking measures? seems everything you can find online about it is related to digital footprints, not real ones; and whatever few relevant articles there are come from people who i seriously doubt have had any experience with it
Great story, thank you and a Happy Easter. 😊
A Blessed Easter to you!
Can't remember the times we were told, don't get shot, there is no casevac available within 7 hrs and only by truck
Keep up the good work
Baie goed oom. Baie dankie
Cheers!
A good one like all others, you too take care 👍
The difference in the size and weight, and battery life of today's radios verses just 20 years ago is fantastic. The inexpensive Chinese radios are under $100.oo USD, well under 2 pounds in weight, can transmit with 50 watts and on 4 bands, HF, VHF, and UHF in the same radio. Lithium batteries, under one pound will last for more than 24 hours. I would not want to be a radio man back then. They still want radio men to listen un-squelched noise so that they can hear the weakest signal possible. I would not like that either....especially when listening for danger at the same time.
Great story mate
Maybe you have covered this and I missed it. I am curious how did soldiers from the RLI, Scouts, SAS, and your organization get on? Did you all perform operations together? Was there any rivalry (friendly or other)?
great question
@mvubu1234 You could have mentioned the rather well founded fear of leaks in the case of Reid-Daly. In his defense :-)
@mvubu1234 thank you for the input. Did this cause animosity? Was the country pride and understanding of the situation greater than any other issue? Are there any instances of cross organization cooperation or one service coming to the aide of another during dire times?
Treasured memories..
Good video 👍🏻
Martin, what did you think of the Belgian compensators they used on the FALs?
I've never heard of this device. There was a local invention that was supposed to prevent the barrel from climbing when fired on auto. By all accounts it simply reversed the problem and depressed the barrel too much. We did not use any accessories. We used the FAL as it was issued to us.
Great as always. Thanks for the content. One question. You frequently discus Rhodesian platoon bases. Where would you recommend searching if I wanted to find an accurate illustration of one. All the best.
Any tactically suitable spot to put up a CP for an operation (hopefully with Bilharzia free water). Just add dirt and vegetation.
100% Peter. 😂😂 Anthony invariably your platoon base would have your 2 or 3 troop trucks & maybe a water bowser. The platoon commander ( a Lieutenant) might be in a tent with troops under nylon "bivvies" normally with a fox hole /shell scrape outside the outer perimeter of each bivvy. At platoon level you had no kitchen or cooks so you ate your daily ration allocation of your "rat" packs heated in your mess tin from your camping Gaz 1 man cooker. If it was summer you invariably ate your rats cold. So you slept on the ground & ate only tinned food. Of course company bases were different & you got a fresh food meal cooked by company cooks. Some cooks were so bad that invariably you'd rather be out on patrol eating your tinned "rats" 😂😂😂
Nice.
Thoughts on Operation Gatling?
I wondered if you had any pictures of the Infantry Training School Gwelo? Im trying to create a replica model of it and need some reference pictures. Thanks!
I don't, but we can put the question to the channel. Someone might be able to assist, but they would need an email address to forward the pics to.
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 Aye that would be great, Should I just drop the email in the comment section or do you need it in a more direct manner?
I'll send out the post now. If you could list your preferred email address in the post's comments section that would be great.
I don't know if you have answered it but you should listen to Rome - Passage to Rhodesia.
Bòjangles. Love it.
Re the 'failure', you know 5RR, God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps your guys missing the contact was meant to be - because it was not your or their time to perhaps have loss of your life then. What seems 'bad' can sometimes be for the good.
I'm surprised yall didnt run comms windows
👍👍👍
May that be the worst regret in your life.
Nice
What were wikey/wickey bars? From the song "check your rear aperture, move your wikey bar to the rear".
AK Janitor. I have to confess my ignorance on that point. You know, I often listen to that song and wonder to myself how much of it really reflects Rhodesian army slang. Some of it sounds a little foreign to me...almost like the words have their origin in the South African military. It would be interesting to hear more comments on this.
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 indeed sir, thank you.
Im worried, its been a year
Hahahahahaha what a great story sir.
That cruel 'green screen' just begs for some background snaps of a free Rhodesia, the people, the soldiers and equipment....
Peter Clark...I know, and I have experimented but it leaves a distracting green halo around my head. I'll keep trying.
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 A halo? That can't be good! Would a shave of the scalp help? 😁
We of the grey-headed faction are treated cruelly by those young whipper-snappers who offer software with 20,000 plus 1 settings!!
Cheers.
I am already late so what is 20 mins more?
You must be talking about the TR48
Hudson Chalmers. A76 actually. The TR48 was used primarily for comms between platoon and company level...a very good and powerful radio, but not really designed for patrol or follow-up work.
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 Thanks
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 The reason I asked , I was sent with a Intaf patrol from Sinoia, the means I was given was the TR48, and a Bedford Flatbed. 48 was working as we went into Magonde and then died , felt pretty helpless , so aborted and returned.
@@hudsonchalmers6504 Oh dear...sounds like the ni-cad battery may have ran out of juice. I think TR48 was generally regarded as pretty reliable. Probably just as well you turned round and went back.
@@fiveromeoromeo5225 Glad you are back with your stories
What exactly does "gook" mean? Is it just another word for enemy?
@mvubu1234 Thanks!
Gentleman Of Occasional Kindness.
Grim, Ornery, Out-of-place-and-time, Knowbody. (have fun)