The Road to Kalamata: A Congo Mercenary's Personal Memoir

by Mike Hoare

The famous adventurer and mercenary recounts his exploits during the Congo Crisis in this Cold War military memoir.

At the close of 1960, the newly formed Independent State of Katanga in central Africa recruited Thomas "Mad Mike" Hoare and his 4 Commando team of mercenary soldiers to suppress a rebellion by Baluba warriors known to torture the enemy soldiers they captured. In The Road to Kalamata, Hoare tells the story of 4 Commando and its evolution from a loose assembly of individuals into a highly organized professional fighting unit.

Hoare's memoir presents a compelling portrait of the men who sell their military skills for money. They are, in his words, "a breed of men which has almost vanished from the face of the earth." Originally published in 1989, this edition of The Road to Kalamata features a new foreword by the 20th century's most famous mercenary and one of its most eloquent storytellers.

Genres: History, Biography, Africa, War, World History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 1989

About the author

Thomas Michael Hoare was born in 1920 in Kolkata (Calcutta),India to Irish parents. He spent his early days in Ireland and was educated in England. He served in North Africa as an Armour officer in the British Army during World War II, and achieved the rank of Captain. In 1948, he emigrated to Durban, Natal Province, Union of South Africa, where he ran safaris and became a soldier-for-hire in various African countries.

His most well known exploits are when he served as the commander of 5 Commando in the Congo from 1964-1965 and commanded the failed coup d'état in the Seychelles in November 1981; for which he served thirty-three months in prison. Hoare also served as the technical adviser on the 1978 film "The Wild Geese" based on the novel by the same name.

Hoare married Elizabeth Stott in New Delhi in 1945 and together they had three children, Chris, Tim and Geraldine.

After divorcing in 1960, he married Phyllis Sims in 1961 and they had two children, Michael Jeremy and Simon.

Hoare died of natural causes on 2 February 2020 in a care facility in Durban, South Africa at the age of 100.

Reviews

[FellowBibliophile KvK · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is sickening. Hoare very hypocritically lavishes praise on Moïse Tshombe when Jerry Puren revealed that he had been a pro-Mobutu MI6 hack all along.

[Alexander Savage · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent diatribe in mercenaries, officers, and the Congo. a must read for anyone interested in the time period.

[Jim Fleming · Rating 3 out of 5]

Factually written account of a batshit crazy story.

[ElaineY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, easy read. Covers Hoare's mission with 4-Commando in the early 60s. I'm not into modern history, much less politics but that's inevitable if one wants to find out about mercenary soldiers. Thankfully, Hoare's personable style was able to get me to keep reading to the end. Not a long book and you can finish it in one reading.

I don't doubt a book written today about a mission would be vastly different from Hoare's and I'd probably have to find something written in the 90s and later. Hoare and many of his men possess integrity and a value system that isn't found in many these days, much less mercenaries and I couldn't help feeling that he lived in a vastly different era that no longer exists.

I still have a number of books about Mercenaries in Africa to get through and after reading Hoare's account of what those African tribes did to their captured enemies, I'm downright apprehensive of reading the other books as they are newer ones (written this century) whereas Hoare's still displays the restraint of men from his generation when recounting the nasty stuff.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written as a defense for the mercenary activities of Commando 4 in the state of Katanga following its separation from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960. Mike Hoare was a former British major hired by the government to form a supplemental unit to the Katangese army. The book touches on issues such as international legitimacy and anti-guerrilla warfare, but its main purpose is to chronicle Hoare's actions and provide a defense for them. The problem is that his book counters the perception of mercenary warfare that he provides in the first chapter. Hoare tries to present mercenary warfare as an honest industry where only the few cross the line, but he engages in many activities that are brutal and unnecessary. Hoare continually asserts that there is a difference between African warfare and European warfare, but his group of soldiers makes no attempt to rise above the perceived excesses of their enemies.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect of this book. I've always supported the idea of mercenary warfare provided you also believed in the cause you were fighting for - and weren't there just for the money. The Flying Tigers are a good example of mercenaries who were a benefit to the nation of pre-communist China - and the world as a whole. Hoare basically laid out what went on during one specific mission - and what happened afterwards. He doesn't glorify war - nor does he excuse the excesses of some of his fellow mercenaries. He believes in a disciplined force - and explains why he feels it can be a noble profession. You can judge for yourself whether he practiced what he preached. I enjoyed the book - and look forward to reading some of his other works.

[Themistocles · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you hear about mercenaries, Africa and the 60s, usually really negative stories come to mind from a tormented region and era when dictators or colonial powers would order hired guns into battle to suppress the sea of humanity (well, same happens now, doesn't it? Anyhow).

This book doesn't do much to change that picture; however, the mission and story described are among the more 'innocent' ones (assuming what Hoare is saying is true; I have no idea whether it was indeed a case of a good president trying to establish his independent country). Also, Hoare has a gift for writing, so that the pages fly by.

A very interesting -if a bit short- book, makes me want to read more on the subject; and I will, starting with Hoare's other book.

[Ken Avin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the stories of Col. Hoare and his adventures in the Congo as a leader of mercenary operations. This story deals with his work with 4 Commando and their war to defend the nation of Katanga against communist puppets in the Belgian Congo. Unfortunately, the democracy of Katanga was sacrificed, with the aid of the UN, to the communists, and has never been prosperous since. Reading about the events that led to this sovereign nations downfall at the hands of "One Worlders", from a man that had "boots on the ground", made for very entertaining reading.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing story about Mike Hoare's adventures, this time forming and running 4 Commando in defense of the Katanga state in Congo in the early 1960s. This has a good mix of accounts of operations and great stories about the people he worked with. By far the most impressive adventure here was escaping from the UN with his force from under machine gun cover and arrest, an escape in which two of his soldiers went missing, and his subsequent exploratory and punitive expeditions to recover them.

[Mike Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read by the author who struggles in this role. However, his voice is pleasant and, to me, author's voice always bring the book alive in their own way.
The book is patchy and not that much happens but it is honest. I don't regret reading it but wouldn't recommend it either.
Third star comes from honesty in controversial and uncomfortable topics.

[Doug Sundseth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unflinching and useful first-hand account of life in a mercenary company during the Katanga rebellion in the DR Congo. The details are both unexpected and interesting.

Unfortunately, the story being told, while believable and detailed, is only interesting as a historical document, not as an actual story.

Which is to say that this is useful as research, but not especially compelling.

[Mark Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a great idea, the colonial powers should abandon Africa and turn the governments over to a peoples with no tradition of civil or human right ,the rule of law, or accountability of civil leadership.

[Eralp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and to the point account of some events in Katanga in 1961. Loved it, because it is a direct account from the perspective of a mercenary commander.

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another account of Mike Hoare's adventures in Africa.

[Andrew Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grimly fascinating!

[Andreas Rocksén · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written autobiographical description of personally experiences from the Congo in 1961. If I need to chose a "shelf" it wood be Books for boys, no matter the age.