The Bush War in Rhodesia: The Extraordinary Combat Memoir of a Rhodesian Reconnaissance Specialist

by Dennis Croukamp

The Rhodesian Bush War. It was a ferocious guerrilla warfare campaign between the regular and elite units of the Rhodesian Army doing battle against Communist-backed terrorist groups in the valleys, jungles and bush country of Rhodesia, Mozambique and Zambia. Warrant Officer Dennis Croukamp fought in the conflict from its beginnings in the 1960s to the very end in 1979, and his combat memoir is an extraordinary chronicle of that bitter struggle from inside some of the most highly regarded elite combat units to ever take the field.

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

484 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

"Dennis Croukamp was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and lived an idyllic life in the bush. As a young boy he spent his free time fishing and hunting and had shot his first buck at the age of seven. After leaving school he was called up to do his national service and thereafter in January 1965 enlisted in the Rhodesian Light Infantry as a Private. He served in the Rhodesian Army until 1980, rising through the ranks to eventually retire with the rank of Warrant Officer.

In his career as a soldier, Dennis at first served in an infantry unit, but later served as member of the elite Selous Scouts under the command of Lieutanant-Colonel Ron Reid-Daly. During the late 1960's the Rhodesian bush war started and ZANU and ZAPU guerillas infiltrated into the country. As a member of the armed forces, Dennis was often involved in skirmishes with the guerrillas. In 1970, not only did he become the most junior rank officer to be awarded the Rhodesian Bronze Cross, but also the first recipient for gallantry and determination in action after a fierce battle.

As a member of the famed Selous Scouts, Dennis became a reconnaissance specialist and carried out numerous reconnaissance mission in Mozambique. Whilst on one of his missions he became seperated from his two companions and spent the following six days making his way back to Rhodesia, all the while being pursued by FRELIMO soldiers. During this epic escape and evasion saga, Dennis had no communication with his base; he had no food or support and had to walk nearly 200 kilometres to get back to Rhodesia.

Dennis experienced guerrilla warfare from its inception in Rhodesia in 1967 until the cease-fire in 1979 and the eventual transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe. He had an exciting and adventurous career; was wounded in combat, and saw action on all border areas of Rhodesia and also in Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana. Some senior officers have told their experiences of the Rhodesia bush war, but this book gives the views and experiences of a man in the rank and file of the Rhodesian Army. He pulls no punches in telling his story and the book reflects his ability as a narrator."

(This was taken from the his site: http://www.crouks.co.za/ )

Reviews

[Apteryx · Rating 5 out of 5]

"After being in the Rhodesian Army from 1964 to 1980, a total of 16 years, what amazed me more than anything else was how time flew when one was having fun." Dennis Croukamp.
An amazing book. Thanks Dennis!

[Anton Van Reenen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book

A very interesting book on the Rhodesian bush war. I loved this book and would love to look Dennis up to sign a copy for me.

[Greer Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

An articulately documented account of the bush war in Rhodesia from a soldiers perspective. It depicts the bravery and fearlessness of one of the most formidable and elite fighting force there was at the time. Their frustrations in being held back by politics and the pressures of the outside world was tantamount to holding back a pack of high-spirited pit-bull with lengths of knitting yarn. The suspense in following their tactics in the many skirmishes with the enemy is heart-stopping. Told as it was, this 'no-frills' report of one of the most daring bush wars ever attempted is a 'must-read' for those who were there and for those who are interested in raw bush warfare. The charm of it is NOT that it was written for a literary award (because it wasn't), but that it was written by a Selous Scout revered by his fellow soldiers.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Croukamp recounts some very personal and individual events he lived through and gives an intimate "boots-on-the-ground" perspective of the Rhodesian military life and small bits and pieces of relevant historical information. This was my first piece of literature on Rhodesia and didn't know what to expect going into it. After reading I can say that it is not a great read for anyone looking for an in-depth, comprehensive understanding of Rhodesia and what it was. However, anyone looking for a personal account of a fascinating military man would most likely enjoy this. The only gripe I had were the few, somewhat lengthy sections where Croukamp slammed on the brakes of his retelling to display the recounts of certain events from people he knew that were also involved. Once I drudged through those I was off again, finishing the rest of the book quite quickly.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book read like listening to war stories over a beer or two. This isn't a historical account of the Bush War as one traditionally thinks of historical records, it's very much the grunts-eye view of the war, from the creation of an independent Rhodesia to the creation of Zimbabwe. This might be rough for folks who can't relate to soldiering but is definitely worth a read.

[Jared Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by my dad’s old diving instructor lol. A gripping narrative of one of the most insane survival stories in the Rhodesian war.

[Roger Kaminsky]

Half way through the book I lost it and can't get it back.