Thank you for this story. My Beloved brother is Pete Kabell and I am forever Grateful for him being with us. Sad about Kufa and Willie. May their Dear Souls rest in peace. This has been interesting to watch albeit v v scary to hear what actually happened.
So glad to tell you part of his story, he's a man you can count on, brave and loyal and should have been awarded a medal in my view. Please give him my best regards I think of him often ❤
Great chat Abbo, you did the unit proud and you 2 Troop guys fought like true warriors that day. I stand to be corrected, but I'm sure 22 of those hard core ZIPRA were killed. Lt Willy Loxton and Cpl Kufa Buku were brilliant soldiers. RIP Salute.
My uncle is Peter Kabell - very interesting watch. I have never heard this story in any sort of detail - I think he finds it hard to talk about even today. Thanks.
Yes that would be fun ! Imagine having a hundred boys with a crush on you. It’s that age your’re 15 you see a pretty girl and your only goal is to marry her. 😂🤣❤️❤️
Really interesting interview, I went to school with the daughters Mother (Susan) & father (Phil) we were at Chaplin 😢 & taught by Phil’s father If you have a contact address email whatever Please advise. I live in Morro Bay California but am on holiday for another week in Arizona. Sincerely Peter W
By the by..... Mr Westwood, headmaster of Milner House, also had two beautiful daughters.....my whole dorm ( form 2, 1976 ) where in love. I remember one in particular. Her name was Jane ❤❤❤
Thanks John and Abbo great interview. John I was on the guard of honour squard from the RLI for Cpl Matt Lambs funeral . His casket was placed on a 25 pounder gun carrage we marched behind it to a slow march from an army band. After the service we gave your friend Matt a very honourable send off, with a 12 gun salute.
Am so enjoying your podcasts John, what an INCREDIBLE bunch of people, have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting the likes of, among others, Toti, Billy and the Lemmers et al. I visited Rhodesia 3 or 4 times between 1978 and March 1980 for cricket, EP vs Rhodesia, what a FANTASTIC COUNTRY and what good people. Lovely show John. Thk you.
Incredible interview. I try to learn from men like Abbo who seem to keep a positivity and Spry bounce about them despite all the trials and tribulations. Funny story, here in America our history books LOVE to tell the take of President Roosevelt charging a hill on horseback in the very early 20th century as the "last mounted cavalry charge in modern warfare". Well fellow Americans, hate to disappoint but the Rhodies were doing it almost 80 years later.
Fantastic chat guys, Abbo you are a man I want on my side. Fantastic introduction music, John. I miss the old, but this is a 9 out of 10 for me. The more I listen of Rhodesia, the more I wish I had visited when I had the chance. You guys take care, and I wish you a peaceful life forward you deserve it.
A very interesting talk by Abbo. A friend called Gary remembers Kuffa KIA often on FB. Only the Rhodesians would taking on 100 enemy with 12 men. An incredible recollection in this episode on FMOR. The Greys were involved in a huge contact near Victoria Falls with Zipra crossing the Zambesi. Tony Ballinger shared his part in this action.The section about Arab traders on the Save River in dhows is fascinating. Thank you John and Abbo for this one. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you for another fascinating talk. It was B Coy 2RR (not 4RR) under Major Nigel Norvall that relieved the Grey Scouts at Vic Falls at the time of this contact.
Another great interview; the post-ceasefire insights are particularly good. If there is anyone with experience of visiting the CT camps in both the Northern and the Southern, areas it would be interesting to have their opinions on the difference in attitudes in them.
It was a very interesting and somewhat nerve wracking time, no mater how many times you did it, walking into a camp of thousands of ZIPRA always had the spidy senses on full stick!
I was told about the iron mooring rings by an intaf guy. He said there was a broken line of date palms from there ending a little south east of Great Zimbabwe and many worn out or broken brass slaving anklets had been found along that line. Hundreds of years ago the Sabi / Save would not have been silted up, the silt mostly comes from the denuded lands in the TTLs.
One of the best recollections with very interesting anecdotes from Abbo and John. Growing up in Chipinga, I was very familiar with the Sabi River. I liked the sand dunes...mentioned in my books, namely Crocodile Creek Treehouse, The Mouldings of Chipinge, Sons of the Soil, etc.
Gosh John I remember going with my family to those cliffs on the Sabi to camp and fish. Beautiful place! My brother and I walked into a very large leopard there but he simply lazily got up and disappeared into the bush. We also spent time at that hot spring Oh wow the memories. Thanks Abbo a great episode. Blessings
Our family where to emigrate to Rhodesia in 1973 my father worked at Milford haven oil refinery in the UK our friends had emigrated early that summer I was 9 years old and my mother changed her mind about going so we stayed here in the UK always wondered what life would have been like in Rhodesia had we went a beautiful country and lovely people. Sunshine and great weather unlike the UK. Sold out by liberal European politicians Rhodesia wonderful days in a civilized country!
Great talk.thank you guys. I was at gwebi agricultural college with george dando and dave hunt from nyamdaslovu. Tough buggers like all those guys from that area
I hunted a massive cattle killer leopard on Dave Hunt's Nazbey Ranch , real thick bush and tall grass , hounds bayed him up in a shallow sloot. He came outa that like a rocket and Boet York managed to nail it in mid air with his FN , the momentum carried it head long into the French client and knocked him flat. A farmer across the river said it sounded like a contact. I was still nursing a crippled arm from being chewed up at Plumtree a few weeks prior.
A friend of mine was in the Greys. Clive Gobbet. He died really young unfortunately. I wonder if anyone has any knowledge of him as I would like to see something on him.
I think the grenade he is talking about is the Type 73, which is round, has a weight of 190 grams, a fuse delay of half a second to a second, and a two-piece sheet metal body enclosing a layer of 580 steel balls with an effective casualty radius of 7 meters.
We used two types of rifle grenades in the Rhodesian army, the French Strim 32 Z and 28 R which looked like an RPD. There was a 42Z as well so maybe Abbo was correct. I think the 32Z may have been discontinued as they were unstable and often blew up our ammo trailers being pulled over the corrugated roads. Both launched with a ballistite cartridge (blank).
If this is the contact known as the largest contact to occur in Rhodesia, then Cocky Benecke was K Car pilot with Bruce Jameson the gunner (no Army Commander on board). Colin James was flying the G Car and John Kidson flying the Lynx
If you read Zambezi Odyssey written by Steve Edwards, he mentions the mooring rings used by the Arabs to secure their dhows at this very point of the Sabi River. 🤝👍
Great chat. Abbo, You must have been on the follow up with Quinton Ehlers when they shoy Jack Ehlers in the farm in Nyamandlovu?? I think it was Mimosa Farm those days. @ John Van Zyl, I have a super wealthy old mate who will pay you and costs to find those rings on the Save River. Many have thought they were lower down and had been covered in silt. Are you keen for a trip?
Abbo...we picked up a stray Grays horse once near Mabalauta , saddle, reins and all..he was pleased to see us.He had long lion scratches down both flanks and haunches , which meant hed done a fair bit of kicking. This must have been post-contact. We put him in touch with his parent unit based at Twiza or Nyala. Ofter wondered how hed recovered.(1977 +-)
@@Abbonorvall Never saw an animal other than a dog look so relieved to see humans. We could have hitched him to the 1.5 and gone slowly , but he was nakkered. Maybe , in retrospect , we could have given him water in a hat. Poor bloke. But undoubtedly brave. Some lion somewhere with a broken jaw.
Mark Im fine thanks - now residing in the Uk - left Zim in 2006. I ran a Tea, Coffee and Macadamia Estate for 24 years up in Chipinge. How is Grant and family I’ve lost touch with them!
Hi Pete, Grant and family are well, he and Cheryl are in SA E Cape on a game ranch and loving it. 2 of the boys are in the UK midlands and one in the States, grandchildren are numerous so the Rhodesian plot to take over is progressing well lol
Thanks for the story. I would love to read that newspaper article. I knew Boetie York who farmed between Plumtree and Figtree. Was Noel York family of his ?
Howzit Simon, yes Noel was part of the figtree mob I think. Our place was not far from some of the York farms, there's a back road that runs from the Tjolotjo rd to Figtree through us, via Greenspan and into Yorks. I heard about your ingwe punch up on Nazeby, sounded like a hoot!
@@Abbonorvall I now realise Noel was in fact Boetie. I only knew him as Boetie. Yes Debbie nursed me a bit while I was mending up , Boets young managers took turns giving me my daily antibiotic jabs. I had not even seen the doc yet but half the locals popped in to see me lying on the floor in the surgery waiting my turn - all had a fat laugh and joked , all in good faith , typical bush boytjies. Boet paraded me around like a celeb to tell the story all over. Busters rugby club never cost us a cent , the rounds kept coming so long as the story was re- told. Sadly Boet no longer with us.
@@simonsparks5738 yes very sad indeed, he was larger than life old Boetie, being in a contact with him and Mart was an experience of note, no take cover, just forward at speed and spit lead on target!
John van Zyk , Hannes Wessels - please tell me why when I was talking to some SAS guys (bout 15 years ago) about a reunion for Rhodesian army veterans….. they told me Gen Peter Walls was not welcome. Why is this? Please tell us. I grew up on a farm in the war years and we left Rhodesia in 1981 so I am really not sure what the issue is. It sounds really bad.
There was a plan that was a possibility to basically carry out a coup should the election result being non optimal, the belief was that Walls was the person to give the go ahead to trigger the operation which had been thoroughly prepared for, the call never came and we were ordered to stand down. A lot of people blamed Walls, but what actually went down at HQ during the time is pretty well unknown.
I believe there were operational plans to respond to a mugabe win. Walls did not give the order to enact these plans, and essentially guaranteed mugabe power unchallenged.
@@mattyallen3396 lol, in those days anything inside of half a K was done if I had that old sibamu. I even remember the smell of that old gat, it was a killer and you could pump the rounds at a good rate too.
Very proud to call Mark my big brother. Brave men all of you!
Thank you for this story. My Beloved brother is Pete Kabell and I am forever Grateful for him being with us. Sad about Kufa and Willie. May their Dear Souls rest in peace. This has been interesting to watch albeit v v scary to hear what actually happened.
So glad to tell you part of his story, he's a man you can count on, brave and loyal and should have been awarded a medal in my view. Please give him my best regards I think of him often ❤
Great chat Abbo, you did the unit proud and you 2 Troop guys fought like true warriors that day. I stand to be corrected, but I'm sure 22 of those hard core ZIPRA were killed.
Lt Willy Loxton and Cpl Kufa Buku were brilliant soldiers. RIP Salute.
hehehe the arms cache part.... yup i had the same in ZA
Great interview "Abbo " thoroughly enjoyed listening to your stories with that touch of Aussie humour you have picked up.
God bless.
Markus this brought back so many memories. Difficult times for us all but what amazing people the Rhodesians were - are! ❤ proudbof you boys xxx
My uncle is Peter Kabell - very interesting watch. I have never heard this story in any sort of detail - I think he finds it hard to talk about even today. Thanks.
I am sure he finds it difficult, the mind locks things away and it can be painful to let it out, my best regards to Pete, an absolute champion.
@oliie76 Did he farm by any chance?
@@gregmcmurray6112 yes until his farm was snatched like many others. Still farming tobacco now for someone else in Zim.
@@76ollie centenary by any chance?
@@gregmcmurray6112 yes exactly
God bless, hope you find peace sir.
The "Todd Daughters" are world famous on this channel. We need to have a talk from these girls!
Yes that would be fun ! Imagine having a hundred boys with a crush on you. It’s that age your’re 15 you see a pretty girl and your only goal is to marry her. 😂🤣❤️❤️
Really interesting interview, I went to school with the daughters Mother (Susan) & father (Phil) we were at Chaplin 😢 & taught by Phil’s father
If you have a contact address email whatever
Please advise. I live in Morro Bay California but am on holiday for another week in Arizona.
Sincerely
Peter W
By the by.....
Mr Westwood, headmaster of Milner House, also had two beautiful daughters.....my whole dorm ( form 2, 1976 ) where in love. I remember one in particular. Her name was Jane ❤❤❤
Thanks John and Abbo great interview. John I was on the guard of honour squard from the RLI for Cpl Matt Lambs funeral . His casket was placed on a 25 pounder gun carrage we marched behind it to a slow march from an army band. After the service we gave your friend Matt a very honourable send off, with a 12 gun salute.
Thank you my friend!
@@fightingmenofrhodesia oops make that squad.
Thank you so much Abbo !!!
Am so enjoying your podcasts John, what an INCREDIBLE bunch of people, have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting the likes of, among others, Toti, Billy and the Lemmers et al. I visited Rhodesia 3 or 4 times between 1978 and March 1980 for cricket, EP vs Rhodesia, what a FANTASTIC COUNTRY and what good people. Lovely show John. Thk you.
Thank you so much!
Amazing stories with these guys. Just mind blowing what you all went through. God Bless you all.
Absolute respect. Such brave and modest people. But hey, that's Rhodesian. 🙏
Respect!
Between The Rhodies and SADF forces they were some of the best men in world on and off the battle field
God bless all the fighting men of Rhodesia!
Incredible interview. I try to learn from men like Abbo who seem to keep a positivity and Spry bounce about them despite all the trials and tribulations.
Funny story, here in America our history books LOVE to tell the take of President Roosevelt charging a hill on horseback in the very early 20th century as the "last mounted cavalry charge in modern warfare". Well fellow Americans, hate to disappoint but the Rhodies were doing it almost 80 years later.
Fantastic chat guys, Abbo you are a man I want on my side. Fantastic introduction music, John. I miss the old, but this is a 9 out of 10 for me.
The more I listen of Rhodesia, the more I wish I had visited when I had the chance.
You guys take care, and I wish you a peaceful life forward you deserve it.
A very interesting talk by Abbo. A friend called Gary remembers Kuffa KIA often on FB. Only the Rhodesians would taking on 100 enemy with 12 men. An incredible recollection in this episode on FMOR. The Greys were involved in a huge contact near Victoria Falls with Zipra crossing the Zambesi. Tony Ballinger shared his part in this action.The section about Arab traders on the Save River in dhows is fascinating. Thank you John and Abbo for this one. I really enjoyed it.
Thank you for another fascinating talk. It was B Coy 2RR (not 4RR) under Major Nigel Norvall that relieved the Grey Scouts at Vic Falls at the time of this contact.
Thanks for that John.
Great interview Abbo 🍺, tatenda !!
Red haired chopper pilot must've been Malcom Baldwin, excellent pilot and tenacious operator.
Another great interview; the post-ceasefire insights are particularly good. If there is anyone with experience of visiting the CT camps in both the Northern and the Southern, areas it would be interesting to have their opinions on the difference in attitudes in them.
It was a very interesting and somewhat nerve wracking time, no mater how many times you did it, walking into a camp of thousands of ZIPRA always had the spidy senses on full stick!
Another great interview. Thanks John and Abbo. You make us OPs proud.
Good Onya Abbo! Great interview!
Cheers Boet
Thanks!
Thankyou so much! I really appreciate it :)
@@fightingmenofrhodesia Love this channel - wish and hope i can do more
Thanks
Thank you so much James! Much appreciated
I was told about the iron mooring rings by an intaf guy. He said there was a broken line of date palms from there ending a little south east of Great Zimbabwe and many worn out or broken brass slaving anklets had been found along that line. Hundreds of years ago the Sabi / Save would not have been silted up, the silt mostly comes from the denuded lands in the TTLs.
One of the best recollections with very interesting anecdotes from Abbo and John. Growing up in Chipinga, I was very familiar with the Sabi River. I liked the sand dunes...mentioned in my books, namely Crocodile Creek Treehouse, The Mouldings of Chipinge, Sons of the Soil, etc.
Thank you so much great to hear your memories.
Gosh John I remember going with my family to those cliffs on the Sabi to camp and fish. Beautiful place!
My brother and I walked into a very large leopard there but he simply lazily got up and disappeared into the bush.
We also spent time at that hot spring
Oh wow the memories.
Thanks Abbo a great episode.
Blessings
These stories are phenomenal. Obviously born way after these events. Would be amazing if they could be written down as well.
Great interview Abbo. Take care Les Bushney B Squadron😊
THAT’S my pop
( pop means grandpa if anyone is wondering)
Thanks Abbo and John. Great conversation. RIP to the soldiers that paid the ultimate price.
Red headed chopper pilot?
Malcolm Baldwin?
Yip, Baldi Baldwin. His nick name was Rooster.
Our family where to emigrate to Rhodesia in 1973 my father worked at Milford haven oil refinery in the UK our friends had emigrated early that summer I was 9 years old and my mother changed her mind about going so we stayed here in the UK always wondered what life would have been like in Rhodesia had we went a beautiful country and lovely people. Sunshine and great weather unlike the UK. Sold out by liberal European politicians Rhodesia wonderful days in a civilized country!
I left Milton in 1962 and remember the Norval Family
Great talk.thank you guys.
I was at gwebi agricultural college with george dando and dave hunt from nyamdaslovu.
Tough buggers like all those guys from that area
I hunted a massive cattle killer leopard on Dave Hunt's Nazbey Ranch , real thick bush and tall grass , hounds bayed him up in a shallow sloot. He came outa that like a rocket and Boet York managed to nail it in mid air with his FN , the momentum carried it head long into the French client and knocked him flat. A farmer across the river said it sounded like a contact. I was still nursing a crippled arm from being chewed up at Plumtree a few weeks prior.
Howzit Mike, George is in the UK, Dave is here in Aus.
@markienorvelli5004 great to hear they are good.
Good interview thanks Abbo. John, Martin Olds was in fact in Lloyd and not Grey. 1969-1974
Correct, my memory is a bit faded. Apologies!
Respect
A friend of mine was in the Greys. Clive Gobbet. He died really young unfortunately. I wonder if anyone has any knowledge of him as I would like to see something on him.
My father was a gray scout tracker from 1975-1978. Bruce Meeser. Any one know him on here?
Thank you Gentleman... Too Lekker and Too Correct...
Great storys that contact must of been one of the biggest of the ware . Can call it the Allan Wilson revenge contact
Great talk
Enjoyable talk
Good one guys!
I think the grenade he is talking about is the Type 73, which is round, has a weight of 190 grams, a fuse delay of half a second to a second, and a two-piece sheet metal body enclosing a layer of 580 steel balls with an effective casualty radius of 7 meters.
We used two types of rifle grenades in the Rhodesian army, the French Strim 32 Z and 28 R which looked like an RPD. There was a 42Z as well so maybe Abbo was correct. I think the 32Z may have been discontinued as they were unstable and often blew up our ammo trailers being pulled over the corrugated roads. Both launched with a ballistite cartridge (blank).
If this is the contact known as the largest contact to occur in Rhodesia, then Cocky Benecke was K Car pilot with Bruce Jameson the gunner (no Army Commander on board). Colin James was flying the G Car and John Kidson flying the Lynx
If you read Zambezi Odyssey written by Steve Edwards, he mentions the mooring rings used by the Arabs to secure their dhows at this very point of the Sabi River. 🤝👍
John Van Zyl and I have seen them with our own eyes.
Nice Talk thanks
Matt Lamb bloody good guy and soldier, 3 Commando
Hi Mark good interview. Its been Yonks since Middle Sabi days 👍
Many moons Pete, hope you're well shamwari!
Lynx pilot possibly Cocky Benenke
Chopper pilot sounds like Alistair Middleton
Awasome chat🤛🏻👍🏻🙏🏻
Rhodesian Legends
Great chat. Abbo, You must have been on the follow up with Quinton Ehlers when they shoy Jack Ehlers in the farm in Nyamandlovu?? I think it was Mimosa Farm those days. @ John Van Zyl, I have a super wealthy old mate who will pay you and costs to find those rings on the Save River. Many have thought they were lower down and had been covered in silt. Are you keen for a trip?
Hahaha sure, I'm up for it! I will try to locate them on Google maps. Can you message me on FB Messenger?
@@fightingmenofrhodesia hi there fan of the channel and history of the ancients could I request a chip in about info for these rings 😎🧐
Sorry to hear about your health issues John…..hope you are feeling ok. Was the ginger Chopper pilot Thorogood🙏? Big bloke.
Thanks brother!
Always interesting hearing Plumtree memories of Gaul, Enows, Norvalls, Priors, Chennels etc. Good times
Indeed!
What would happen to the horses during these contacts??
Tony they would move off a little way and generally hang around in a group.
Abbo...we picked up a stray Grays horse once near Mabalauta , saddle, reins and all..he was pleased to see us.He had long lion scratches down both flanks and haunches , which meant hed done a fair bit of kicking.
This must have been post-contact.
We put him in touch with his parent unit based at Twiza or Nyala.
Ofter wondered how hed recovered.(1977 +-)
@@petervanwyngaard4788 yes Pete, he recovered well and went on to carry many a soldier. Buggered if I can remember his name though.
@@Abbonorvall Never saw an animal other than a dog look so relieved to see humans.
We could have hitched him to the 1.5 and gone slowly , but he was nakkered.
Maybe , in retrospect , we could have given him water in a hat.
Poor bloke.
But undoubtedly brave.
Some lion somewhere with a broken jaw.
@@petervanwyngaard4788 yes they were incredibly tough animals!
Mark Im fine thanks - now residing in the Uk - left Zim in 2006. I ran a Tea, Coffee and Macadamia Estate for 24 years up in Chipinge. How is Grant and family I’ve lost touch with them!
Hi Pete, Grant and family are well, he and Cheryl are in SA E Cape on a game ranch and loving it. 2 of the boys are in the UK midlands and one in the States, grandchildren are numerous so the Rhodesian plot to take over is progressing well lol
Abbo, did the T's know the Grey's were in pursuit?? Is this the reason why the T's were jettisoning kit??
Yes Tony, that's what they did to try and outrun Greys, lighten the load so they could run faster.
Thanks for the story. I would love to read that newspaper article. I knew Boetie York who farmed between Plumtree and Figtree. Was Noel York family of his ?
Howzit Simon, yes Noel was part of the figtree mob I think. Our place was not far from some of the York farms, there's a back road that runs from the Tjolotjo rd to Figtree through us, via Greenspan and into Yorks.
I heard about your ingwe punch up on Nazeby, sounded like a hoot!
@@Abbonorvall I now realise Noel was in fact Boetie. I only knew him as Boetie. Yes Debbie nursed me a bit while I was mending up , Boets young managers took turns giving me my daily antibiotic jabs. I had not even seen the doc yet but half the locals popped in to see me lying on the floor in the surgery waiting my turn - all had a fat laugh and joked , all in good faith , typical bush boytjies. Boet paraded me around like a celeb to tell the story all over. Busters rugby club never cost us a cent , the rounds kept coming so long as the story was re- told. Sadly Boet no longer with us.
@@simonsparks5738 yes very sad indeed, he was larger than life old Boetie, being in a contact with him and Mart was an experience of note, no take cover, just forward at speed and spit lead on target!
You had to hate the TR48 if you were carrying it
Felt like you were floating on air when you took it off.
But l tell you that when you were in the shit & it was the only thing that gave you coms, it suddenly didn't feel so heavy 😂😂
Tswiza ?
One of a few.
John van Zyk , Hannes Wessels - please tell me why when I was talking to some SAS guys (bout 15 years ago) about a reunion for Rhodesian army veterans….. they told me Gen Peter Walls was not welcome. Why is this? Please tell us. I grew up on a farm in the war years and we left Rhodesia in 1981 so I am really not sure what the issue is. It sounds really bad.
There was a plan that was a possibility to basically carry out a coup should the election result being non optimal, the belief was that Walls was the person to give the go ahead to trigger the operation which had been thoroughly prepared for, the call never came and we were ordered to stand down. A lot of people blamed Walls, but what actually went down at HQ during the time is pretty well unknown.
I believe there were operational plans to respond to a mugabe win. Walls did not give the order to enact these plans, and essentially guaranteed mugabe power unchallenged.
Where his Allegiances lay at this point (Britain/Rhodesia) were questionable. Saying more would be speculation on my part.
That bloke is as Australian as they get!
When in Rome Matty
@@Abbonorvall Too slot a CT with a Lee enfield. Thats fucking legendary
@@mattyallen3396 lol, in those days anything inside of half a K was done if I had that old sibamu. I even remember the smell of that old gat, it was a killer and you could pump the rounds at a good rate too.
He has been there a long time but the war and life in Rhodesia and Zim is still very much a part of him. Always will be
No, he is as Rhodesian as they get, with an Australian accent!!
Rhodesian - he sounds like an Aussie?
The lingo grows on a man , mate!
I've been in Aus for 25 years.
What a ridiculous comment...after 25 yrs of course he has the easy Aussie accent. Should rather refrain from commenting!!
Most of us Rhodesian servicemen emigrated to Australia after the Marxists took over.
@@leojmullins and there were quite a few Aussies in the Rhodesian Army too.
No lekkrr.