I am so sorry for the loss of life of the farmers in Rhodesia it broke my heart as a little boy whenever I saw or heard it in the media in South Africa. It played a big role in my life , who I am today. I do not know why the Rhodesians had such an impact on my life. I was 12 when the war was over, but if I was older, I would have been there. 😢 I am sick today, the big C but it is gone for now, but it took a toll on me.
Eliminate sugar and carbohydrates as much as possible, particularly grains. Eat lots of fatty meats, paying particular attention to organ meats. That's a good diet for no reason in particular ;-)
Thanks for the thoughts. God bless you in your fight Hennie. Ja it upset me a lot that SA didn’t support us, my mother (a W Transvaal Afrikaner) always told us that SA would come to our aid. But sadly….
Thanks John, and Jannie, I appreciate all that you are doing to record the truth about the Rhodesian Bush War years. Anyway, I will be making a copy for my records of the 2 Cdo photo of 1973 as I was in there, and was soon posted to Mount Darwin
I knew Eddie Fouche well....I was SB at Rushinga 76 and 77 and Eddie had joined the RAR...B Coy...a good man....proud to have worked with him...small world
Nice chat, Our paths must have crossed John. I remember the Vermaaks from ft Vic, you guys at Kyle, Sparrows, Nels etc.. many many Ft Vic Guys. I attended Ft Vic kindergarten and junior until std 4, then to SA boarding and back to Tower house in 1973/4 then Chaplin. Thanks Johns...Keep it up.
Thank you Giff and John for this episode. I think that the aftermath of the war was in many respects as horrendous and some respects worse. We NS and regulars were armed and prepared for conflict. Farmers and their wives and children were isolated and very vulnerable. Listening to John Wynne Hopkins account of Gukuruhundi backs up this episode showing how the black Rhodesian Zimbabweans suffered in the so called enlightened golden era of the new ZImbabwe. It is tremendous that the Last of the Rhodesians history is recorded for posterity and is the truth, not sanitised historical rewritten history as is happening today in the UK and elsewhere.
In the small mercies of life I never have to call myself english, Even 22 SAS refused to get involved in a Harold Wilson brainwave that would have involved them in a fight with C Sqn, SAS. London,.. and it's so called parliament, a sham and a scam not worthy of British or Rhodesian soldiery.
Extremely interesting talk, what shameful acts of barbarism committed in the name of nothing!! I feel for you all who witnessed and lived with this senseless violence against fellow countrymen...
Just some additional comment around the night ambush in which Charlie Vermaak was killed (20.25 into the video). If my memory serves me it took place in November 1976 at Razi Dam in Chibi TTL . It had rained every night for the 3 or 4 nights before. Boetie York said we would give it one more night and if they didn't come we would pull out. I seem to remember Charlie's stick got 5 or 6 of them. The rest were tracked to Berejena Mission who as usual denied any knowledge. Charlie was buried at Shabani cemetery. The entire BCoy 2RR attended the funeral on the way back to Bilawayo at the end of the camp.
For sure the results are showing , the current situation in Zimbabwe is about power and political control, no body care,s about the welfare of the country,but l still believe Smith government was better than the black government,am ,my father was a war veterans, he mentioned to say immediately white owned farms, are invaded that s end of Zimbabwe, he settled in Zambia and said Mugabe , was a cruel man and self-centred man, my father was Africans black who loved his country
I am so sorry for the loss of life of the farmers in Rhodesia it broke my heart as a little boy whenever I saw or heard it in the media in South Africa. It played a big role in my life , who I am today. I do not know why the Rhodesians had such an impact on my life. I was 12 when the war was over, but if I was older, I would have been there. 😢 I am sick today, the big C but it is gone for now, but it took a toll on me.
Bless you Hennie.
Eliminate sugar and carbohydrates as much as possible, particularly grains. Eat lots of fatty meats, paying particular attention to organ meats. That's a good diet for no reason in particular ;-)
Thanks for the thoughts. God bless you in your fight Hennie. Ja it upset me a lot that SA didn’t support us, my mother (a W Transvaal Afrikaner) always told us that SA would come to our aid. But sadly….
Tony , one again what a good talk,John Clifford thanks for this interesting talk.
Thank you for all you do, John. These stories and history are invaluable
Thanks for listening. Much appreciated!
Thanks John, and Jannie, I appreciate all that you are doing to record the truth about the Rhodesian Bush War years. Anyway, I will be making a copy for my records of the 2 Cdo photo of 1973 as I was in there, and was soon posted to Mount Darwin
Salute, John's Gifford and J van Zyl - to Brave fellows so that we may live.
I knew Eddie Fouche well....I was SB at Rushinga 76 and 77 and Eddie had joined the RAR...B Coy...a good man....proud to have worked with him...small world
It's amazing how some people have such good memories. I remember squat.
Brilliant stories and interview much respect
Thanks for sharing your stories, very revealing comments too
Nice chat, Our paths must have crossed John. I remember the Vermaaks from ft Vic, you guys at Kyle, Sparrows, Nels etc.. many many Ft Vic Guys. I attended Ft Vic kindergarten and junior until std 4, then to SA boarding and back to Tower house in 1973/4 then Chaplin. Thanks Johns...Keep it up.
Really great talk by John!
Thank you Giff and John for this episode. I think that the aftermath of the war was in many respects as horrendous and some respects worse. We NS and regulars were armed and prepared for conflict. Farmers and their wives and children were isolated and very vulnerable. Listening to John Wynne Hopkins account of Gukuruhundi backs up this episode showing how the black Rhodesian Zimbabweans suffered in the so called enlightened golden era of the new ZImbabwe. It is tremendous that the Last of the Rhodesians history is recorded for posterity and is the truth, not sanitised historical rewritten history as is happening today in the UK and elsewhere.
We knew Martin and Cathy, went to a party there at their farm just a few weeks before he was killed. My anger persists
In the small mercies of life I never have to call myself english,
Even 22 SAS refused to get involved in a Harold Wilson brainwave that would have involved them in a fight with C Sqn, SAS.
London,.. and it's so called parliament, a sham and a scam not worthy of British or Rhodesian soldiery.
You are leaving a legacy here of the untold war -historically relevant and the documentation thereof long overdue.
Cheers to the team
Great talk John, I wondered if you were related to Cathy, we were neighbors of Martin and Caths. I was in Aus when they took Mart out, just terrible!
So Sorry about Phil. Tragically it, as many others were, was avoidable.
Our enduring respects 🙏
Extremely interesting talk, what shameful acts of barbarism committed in the name of nothing!! I feel for you all who witnessed and lived with this senseless violence against fellow countrymen...
Just some additional comment around the night ambush in which Charlie Vermaak was killed (20.25 into the video). If my memory serves me it took place in November 1976 at Razi Dam in Chibi TTL . It had rained every night for the 3 or 4 nights before. Boetie York said we would give it one more night and if they didn't come we would pull out. I seem to remember Charlie's stick got 5 or 6 of them. The rest were tracked to Berejena Mission who as usual denied any knowledge. Charlie was buried at Shabani cemetery. The entire BCoy 2RR attended the funeral on the way back to Bilawayo at the end of the camp.
@johngibbons5049 please can you get in touch with John Gifford re Charlie Vermaak at john@giffco.com.au
Thanks John and John that was great.
You should , we have all seen these things . I saw horrors after the fact . Lets not hide them
John, you must have had 9 lives.
Martin Olds saved George Parkin ( I think) from the croc attack near Chete.
The desert rats were the 7th Armoured
Division not the LRDG
Fuck we should have joined on the German side with what happened in the ultimate end.poms sold Rhodesia down the river!
Thank John and John for bringing the truth our after all these years. Yes the british really have a lot of blood of innocent people on their hands.
Funnily enough my old man, also RAF said the same thing.
For sure the results are showing , the current situation in Zimbabwe is about power and political control, no body care,s about the welfare of the country,but l still believe Smith government was better than the black government,am ,my father was a war veterans, he mentioned to say immediately white owned farms, are invaded that s end of Zimbabwe, he settled in Zambia and said Mugabe , was a cruel man and self-centred man, my father was Africans black who loved his country
Kanyemba ?
Did Rhodesians go to Korea?
Malaysian Campaign. Not sure on Korea.
Yes we were in Korea
Memories never die,let the truth be told as it was from all sides!! John, any relation to Gifford who managed Vivian & Watson in Byo?