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

Hannes Wessels

Oct 2015 · Casemate

About this ebook

A biography of a Special Forces soldier who battled the forces of Mugabe and Nkomo, earning a reputation as a military maestro.
 
During the West’s great transition into the post-colonial age, the country of Rhodesia refused to succumb quietly, and throughout the 1970s, fought back almost alone against Communist-supported elements that it did not believe would deliver proper governance. During this long war, many heroes emerged, but none more skillful and courageous than Capt. Darrell Watt of the Rhodesian SAS, who placed himself at the tip of the spear in the deadly battle to resist the forces of Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo.
 
It is difficult to find another soldier’s story to equal 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. A bush-lore genius, blessed with uncanny instincts and an unbridled determination, he had no peers as a combat-tracker—and there was plenty of competition. The Rhodesian theater was a fluid and volatile one, in which he performed in almost every imaginable fighting role: as an airborne shock-trooper leading camp attacks, long range reconnaissance operator, covert urban operator, sniper, saboteur, seek-and-strike expert, and, in the final stages, as a key figure in mobilizing an allied army in neighboring Mozambique. 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 later years, he turned to saving wildlife on a continent where animals are in continued danger, devoting himself to both the fauna and African people he has cared so deeply about.

Ratings and reviews

I too was in this war i was stationed in inyanga 3 brg.this book was well put together on paper. The contacts were quite an eye opener for me.The contact in inyanga sounds like the one i was in but im not sure. I did not know that Margaret Thatcher was also involved in the bringing down of Rhodesia as was the Queen and Flower who was a double agent.I loved this book well done.

I will completely side-step the issue of whether or not Rhodesian government was "racist" and review this book solely as a military biography. The Rhodesian SAS was one of the most ingenious and lethal fighting forces the world has ever seen. The men you will meet in this book loved their country, feared what would happen if the communists took over, and ultimately, it turned out their fears were not unfounded. No study of asymetrical warfare would by complete without studying the Rhodesian SAS. The narrative is easy to read and you will feel like you are on patrol with these soldiers as they creep through the African bush, lay in wait, and then ambush their quarry with devastating accuracy, bravery and cunning. I see what has happened in that poor, sad country today, as well as what is happening in South Africa, and it's too bad they weren't given more time to transition gradually into a fully color-blind, democratic society.

Good read with the truth about war

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.