A Handful of Hard Men: The SAS and the Battle for Rhodesia

Hannes Wessels

Aug 2017 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Jack Chekijian

About this audiobook

It is difficult to find another soldier's story to equal Captain Darrell Watt's in terms of time spent on the field of battle and challenges faced. Even by the lofty standards of the SAS and Special Forces, one has to look far to find anyone who can match his record of resilience and valor in the face of such daunting odds and with resources so paltry. In the fight he showed himself to be a military maestro. A bush-lore genius, blessed with uncanny instincts and an unbridled determination to close with the enemy, he had no peers as a combat-tracker (and there was plenty of competition). But the Rhodesian theater was a fluid and volatile one in which he performed in almost every imaginable fighting role. After twelve years in the cauldron of war his cause slipped from beneath him, however, and Rhodesia gave way to Zimbabwe. When the guns went quiet Watt had won all his battles but lost the war. In this fascinating biography we learn that in his twilight years he is now concerned with saving wildlife on a continent where they are in continued danger, devoting himself to both the fauna and African people he cares so deeply about.

Ratings and reviews

I'm very disappointed to have purchased this as an audio book. I'm sure this is a good book, and to be honest i was quite looking forward to listening to it, but i'm going to have to give this a miss. It's extremely hard to listen as the narrator is monotone and robotic which spoils the book.

the impression i take from this Book,is that it was a very brutal war. Fantastic read.

so good.

About the author

Hannes Wessels is part-owner of a lodge and game ranch in Zambia on the Zambezi and remains keenly interested in all matters relating to African wildlife and conservation. He has published Strange Tales from the African Bush, a collection of anecdotes from his hunting days. He is also a syndicated writer for Outdoor Life.

Jack Chekijian has narrated and produced over five hundred hours of audio in his first five years as a full-time narrator of audiobooks. He was designated an Audible Approved Producer in January 2013, and he enjoys narrating nonfiction as well as exploring new approaches with the classics.