African War Stories

African War Stories from Bush, Borders & Sea

This section aims to signpost to war stories from the era. In most cases, the sources are personal accounts. Others link to sources that might be government controlled & as such, subject to content censorship. The webmaster is not responsible for the accuracy of these accounts, but rather aims to point to resources that give the account of all sides that were involved in this war. It is a work in progress & as always, please let me know if you would like to add, correct or remove any information.

Click “read more” to link the articles. Scroll down to browse links to accounts on other sites.
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Afrian War Stories
Soldiers of the RAR setting up a LMG on the Sea Lion. Dec 1976, Lake Kariba.
Photograph by Graham Wallace in Public Domain 

Rhodesian Bush War 

Rhodesia’s War of Independence – 1990 overview opinion article by Paul Moorcroft (author of African Nemesis: War and Revolution in Southern Africa 1945-2010)

Cde Nelson Chadamoyo – Experiences in Mozambiqueand at the front in the Buhera area in Rhodesia.

Tortured by the Rhodesian Forces – Abducted & torchured for 3 days in ’79. Comrade Mpofu’s account.

Zipra Fighter Retrospective – Why did people fight in the war & was it worth it? An article by Tsolo Dube

Liberation Struggle Memory Lane – Retired Brigadier-General Abel Mazinyane, former member of the Zipra high command looks back on losses & reflects on combat stress

Viva Chinhoyi – 1966. 21 Peking trained Zanla comrades sneak into Rhodesia from Zambia for sabotage. Article by Lovemore Ranga Mataire. The story of the song

Comrade Noah Mbira / Chemist Ncube – Interview. Speaks of 1972,  the capture of Gerald Hacksworth, recruiting, injury & killing

Althena Farm Attack – Article by Lovemore Ranga Mataire providing a version of the story of this attack on a farm run by Marc de Borchgrave Dec 1972

Ret. Major Nditsheni Dube / Smallboy /Maleveni Omncane – relating his exploits in Lupane, Nkayi and Bubi during the armed struggle

Weeping Cross – Delville – Mystery of the weeping cross in Pietermaritzburg

The Great Betrayal A candid account of life in Rhodesia during the Bush War, with background political/sanctions/daily life/troopies, by Dean McCleland

Old Soldiers who Saved a Wildlife Sanctuary – Post war story of Darrell Watt, Rafic Hariri & Jim Lafferty by Hannes Wessels

South African Bush War

Stories, shadows & dust – Scroll down to the video & listen to war vets talk of their experiences