RHODESIAN SECURITY FORCES -> My Rhodesian Library

RHODESIAN SECURITY FORCES

Updated: 2020 August 14

My Rhodesian Library

I do not have a large library of books related to Rhodesia myself yet, but I am working on building it up.
I will list here some of the books I do have that I find most interesting though.

Cover Description

OPERATION LIGHTHOUSE: Intaf in the Rhodesian Bush War 1972-1980 by G. van Tonder & D. Wall

"From 1890 and throughout its history, the men of Internal Affairs were bound by an intense loyalty to each other, combined with a deep understanding of the tribal people in their charge. Their greatest strengths were individuality and self-reliance, strengths that were called upon to the fullest during the rebellions of 189697, and again in the conflict of the 1970s.

This book chronicles Intafs rapid forced conversion in the 1970s from the original dedicated and efficient district civil administration, to a paramilitary force tasked with carrying out normal administrative functions in abnormal situations. Despite inadequate weaponry and insufficient training, Intaf was all too frequently the only armed presence. There were just not enough security forces to go around.

All elements of Intafs activities are melded in this book to give a picture of one of the least-known and least-understood aspects of Rhodesias war against the guerrilla insurgents: the role of Intaf. This book serves to set the record straight.

Intafs first priority was to defend the tribesmen and maintain the administration. In this task Intaf should have been supported by the military forces which, in common with much of the hierarchy in Salisbury, did not understand Intafs true role. Eventually Intaf found itself in operating in support of the military or, in the absence of the army, acting independently in a military role.

This book is a tribute to the tenacity and loyalty of all who served in Intaf, and their wives and families; the National Servicemen, the Vedettes, Community Advisers, Field and ADF staff, the regular members. With very little acknowledgment, support or recognition, they gave everything to the enormous dangerous tasks they faced.

As the traditional, almost paternal, guardian and custodian of these people, all the staff of Intaf found themselves at the forefront of this conflict. A virtual identity crisis arose, as they desperately, and against increasingly difficult odds, struggled to maintain a semblance of civil administration on the one hand, whilst performing armed and uniformed defensive and openly combatant roles on the other." (Quoted from seller)

Details:
Pages: 512, A4
Date published: 2020
Note: Hardcopy, Signed by authors, Limited Edition #38 of 50.

Service Before Self - A history of badges and insignia of the security forces of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland 1890-1980 by M.P Radford

Good reference book on the subject, shows many badges (only in b/w and not great quality) and nice write ups on the units & their insignia.

Details:
ISBN 10: 0952447207
Pages: Aprox. 150, the last page number says 86, but many pages not numbered, esp those just showing the badges.
Date published: 1994

SAVA Journal 5/96, Flags and Symbols fof Rhodesia 1890-1980 by Allport, Richard

Good basic reference book on many (but not all) of the flags/symbols used during the history of Rhodesia.

Details:
ISBN 10: 0620217979
ISBN 13: 9780620217972
Pages: 160
Publisher: Southern African Vexillological Association, Pinegowrie, South Africa
Date published: 1996

Insignia and History of the Rhodesia Armed Forces 1890-1980 by Wall, Dudley

While not as a complete refernece as I would like it is a good reference book on many of the insignia and badges used by the Rhodesian Armed Forces in the time period covered.

Details:
ISBN: 978-1-920315-53-5
Pages: 156
Publisher Place: Durban
Date of Publication: 2009 (4th Edition)

Badges and Insignia of the Rhodesian Security Forces 1890-1980

An illustrated reference book for collectors of Rhodesian badges and insignia.

Details:
Author: A.J Arniel
Publisher: Privately published (1987)
Edition: First Edition
ISBN-10: 0620107448
ISBN-13: 9780620107440
Condition: Very Good. The dust jacket is rubbed and scratched with creasing to edges and corners. The book itself is in very good condition.
Binding: Hardcover with dust jacket
Dimensions: 24.7 × 17 × 1.3 cm
Weight: 0.5 kg

The Military Badges & Insignia Of Southern Africa by Colin R Owen. (Signed copy)

This invaluable book is a must for all military badge collectors
It is beautifully bound in hardcover.
It has 45 pages in full colour
There 1152 colour photos of cloth badges;
3991 black and white photos of metal badges;
and 1223 colour photos of military flashes
All the badges and flashes have been accurately described and indexed... well not exactly true.. the backs of the badges are not shown, so you not sure what the back of a particular badge should look like, especially when there are numberous versions of the same badge over the years. Cannot determine the time perod a certain badge you might have in your collection was used based on the type of connector it has or other features of the back.

20 Uniform Prints Drawn for the Regiment (RAR) by A.Bundock (Internal Affairss,Rhodesia)

Not a book but a portfolio of 20 prints showing RAR uniforms thru out its history.
See prints HERE

Wheels: A Portfolio By Colin Eyre

Not a book but "Wheels" is a Portfolio by Colin Eyre of 17 signed prints of iconic Rhodesian Army vehicles consisting of Convoy Escort Vehicle, Rhino, Land Rover, Puma, Crocodile, Rodef 4.5, Rodef 2.5, Leopard, Kudu, Hyena, Pookie, R.L.Bedford, R.M.Bedford, Eland, M.A.P.
See prints HERE

Details:
Date of Publication: 1980
Jacket Condition: Camouflage envelope is a little worn.
Overall Condition: Prints are in excellent condition.

Serving Secretly: Rhodesia's CIO Chief on Record by Flower, Ken

Account of the Rhodesian Secret Service from 1963 to 1980, where Flower's prime task was to infiltrate the guerilla movements. Hardcover. Dust jacket. Pp. xxii,330, photos, portraits, maps.

Details:
Publisher: Galago Publisher Place: Johannesburg
Date of Publication: 1987
Edition: First South African edition
Jacket Condition: Good
Binding Condition: Good
Overall Condition: Good
Size: 8vo

Uniforms Of The Security Forces Of Rhodesia , #114 of the limited collectors edition of an edition limited to 515 numbered and signed copies. 1 - 500 are the Collectors' Edition and A - O are Presentation Copies. Loaded with color illustrations of uniforms by David Laird .

Unpaginated (about 100 pages) with 31 full page colour plates with accompanying text and other colour illustrations, bound in black elephant hide with heavy brass edges and the Rhodesian coat of arms also in brass on the upper cover.

Pros: This is a very beautiful and informative book about the uniforms of the Rhodesian Security Forces (Army, Air Foece and BSAP) during the UDI period.

Cons: This book is very expensive.. I have seen it range from 750$ for an unnumbered copy to about 1400$ for a numbered collectors editon. And presentation copies have gone for about 2400$. Page numbers and a table of contents would have been nice.

Details:
Publisher: Musketeer Press
Publisher Place: Salisbury, Rhodesia
Date of Publication: 1979
Edition: 1st edition
Binding Condition: fine
Overall Condition: vg+
Size: folio

Terrorist Weapons Handbook . Small book producted by the RIC (Rhodesiann Intelligence Corps). Covers hand weapons to tanks to aircraft. primarily USSR issued equipment used by terrorists in Rhodesia. Simple pictures with characteristics of the equipment. No printing date. And no page numbers, but is about 150 pages.

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Cover	Description
	OPERATION LIGHTHOUSE: Intaf in the Rhodesian Bush War 1972-1980 by G. van Tonder & D. Wall "From 1890 and throughout its history, the men of Internal Affairs were bound by an intense loyalty to each other, combined with a deep understanding of the tribal people in their charge. Their greatest strengths were individuality and self-reliance, strengths that were called upon to the fullest during the rebellions of 189697, and again in the conflict of the 1970s. This book chronicles Intafs rapid forced conversion in the 1970s from the original dedicated and efficient district civil administration, to a paramilitary force tasked with carrying out normal administrative functions in abnormal situations. Despite inadequate weaponry and insufficient training, Intaf was all too frequently the only armed presence. There were just not enough security forces to go around. All elements of Intafs activities are melded in this book to give a picture of one of the least-known and least-understood aspects of Rhodesias war against the guerrilla insurgents: the role of Intaf. This book serves to set the record straight. Intafs first priority was to defend the tribesmen and maintain the administration. In this task Intaf should have been supported by the military forces which, in common with much of the hierarchy in Salisbury, did not understand Intafs true role. Eventually Intaf found itself in operating in support of the military or, in the absence of the army, acting independently in a military role. This book is a tribute to the tenacity and loyalty of all who served in Intaf, and their wives and families; the National Servicemen, the Vedettes, Community Advisers, Field and ADF staff, the regular members. With very little acknowledgment, support or recognition, they gave everything to the enormous dangerous tasks they faced. As the traditional, almost paternal, guardian and custodian of these people, all the staff of Intaf found themselves at the forefront of this conflict. A virtual identity crisis arose, as they desperately, and against increasingly difficult odds, struggled to maintain a semblance of civil administration on the one hand, whilst performing armed and uniformed defensive and openly combatant roles on the other." (Quoted from seller) Details: Pages: 512, A4 Date published: 2020 Note: Hardcopy, Signed by authors, Limited Edition #38 of 50.
	Service Before Self - A history of badges and insignia of the security forces of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland 1890-1980 by M.P Radford Good reference book on the subject, shows many badges (only in b/w and not great quality) and nice write ups on the units & their insignia. Details: ISBN 10: 0952447207 Pages: Aprox. 150, the last page number says 86, but many pages not numbered, esp those just showing the badges. Date published: 1994
	SAVA Journal 5/96, Flags and Symbols fof Rhodesia 1890-1980 by Allport, Richard Good basic reference book on many (but not all) of the flags/symbols used during the history of Rhodesia. Details: ISBN 10: 0620217979 ISBN 13: 9780620217972 Pages: 160 Publisher: Southern African Vexillological Association, Pinegowrie, South Africa Date published: 1996
	Insignia and History of the Rhodesia Armed Forces 1890-1980 by Wall, Dudley While not as a complete refernece as I would like it is a good reference book on many of the insignia and badges used by the Rhodesian Armed Forces in the time period covered. Details: ISBN: 978-1-920315-53-5 Pages: 156 Publisher Place: Durban Date of Publication: 2009 (4th Edition)
	Badges and Insignia of the Rhodesian Security Forces 1890-1980 An illustrated reference book for collectors of Rhodesian badges and insignia. Details: Author: A.J Arniel Publisher: Privately published (1987) Edition: First Edition ISBN-10: 0620107448 ISBN-13: 9780620107440 Condition: Very Good. The dust jacket is rubbed and scratched with creasing to edges and corners. The book itself is in very good condition. Binding: Hardcover with dust jacket Dimensions: 24.7 × 17 × 1.3 cm Weight: 0.5 kg
	The Military Badges & Insignia Of Southern Africa by Colin R Owen. (Signed copy) This invaluable book is a must for all military badge collectors It is beautifully bound in hardcover. It has 45 pages in full colour There 1152 colour photos of cloth badges; 3991 black and white photos of metal badges; and 1223 colour photos of military flashes All the badges and flashes have been accurately described and indexed... well not exactly true.. the backs of the badges are not shown, so you not sure what the back of a particular badge should look like, especially when there are numberous versions of the same badge over the years. Cannot determine the time perod a certain badge you might have in your collection was used based on the type of connector it has or other features of the back.
	20 Uniform Prints Drawn for the Regiment (RAR) by A.Bundock (Internal Affairss,Rhodesia) Not a book but a portfolio of 20 prints showing RAR uniforms thru out its history. See prints HERE
	Wheels: A Portfolio By Colin Eyre Not a book but "Wheels" is a Portfolio by Colin Eyre of 17 signed prints of iconic Rhodesian Army vehicles consisting of Convoy Escort Vehicle, Rhino, Land Rover, Puma, Crocodile, Rodef 4.5, Rodef 2.5, Leopard, Kudu, Hyena, Pookie, R.L.Bedford, R.M.Bedford, Eland, M.A.P. See prints HERE Details: Date of Publication: 1980 Jacket Condition: Camouflage envelope is a little worn. Overall Condition: Prints are in excellent condition.
	Serving Secretly: Rhodesia's CIO Chief on Record by Flower, Ken Account of the Rhodesian Secret Service from 1963 to 1980, where Flower's prime task was to infiltrate the guerilla movements. Hardcover. Dust jacket. Pp. xxii,330, photos, portraits, maps. Details: Publisher: Galago Publisher Place: Johannesburg Date of Publication: 1987 Edition: First South African edition Jacket Condition: Good Binding Condition: Good Overall Condition: Good Size: 8vo
	Uniforms Of The Security Forces Of Rhodesia , #114 of the limited collectors edition of an edition limited to 515 numbered and signed copies. 1 - 500 are the Collectors' Edition and A - O are Presentation Copies. Loaded with color illustrations of uniforms by David Laird . Unpaginated (about 100 pages) with 31 full page colour plates with accompanying text and other colour illustrations, bound in black elephant hide with heavy brass edges and the Rhodesian coat of arms also in brass on the upper cover. Pros: This is a very beautiful and informative book about the uniforms of the Rhodesian Security Forces (Army, Air Foece and BSAP) during the UDI period. Cons: This book is very expensive.. I have seen it range from 750$ for an unnumbered copy to about 1400$ for a numbered collectors editon. And presentation copies have gone for about 2400$. Page numbers and a table of contents would have been nice. Details: Publisher: Musketeer Press Publisher Place: Salisbury, Rhodesia Date of Publication: 1979 Edition: 1st edition Binding Condition: fine Overall Condition: vg+ Size: folio
	Terrorist Weapons Handbook . Small book producted by the RIC (Rhodesiann Intelligence Corps). Covers hand weapons to tanks to aircraft. primarily USSR issued equipment used by terrorists in Rhodesia. Simple pictures with characteristics of the equipment. No printing date. And no page numbers, but is about 150 pages.