Chris Cocks - FIREFORCE: One Mans War in The Rhodesian Light Infantry

By the same author:

Survival Course
Cyclone Blues
The SaintsThe Rhodesian Light Infantry

PRINT ISBN 9780958489096
EPUB ISBN: 9781908916815

eBook co-published in 2012 by:

Helion & Company Limited
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Solihull
West Midlands
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Tel. 0121 705 3393
Fax 0121 711 4075
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and

30 South Publishers (Pty) Ltd.
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Copyright Chris Cocks, 1988, renewed 2006
eBook Chris Cocks, 2012

Cover painting by Craig Bone
Design and origination by Pointset, McManus & Dando, Randburg, 1997
Maps by Richard Wood

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, manipulated in any retrieval
system, or transmitted in any mechanical, electronic form or by any other means, without the prior written
authority of the publishers except for short extracts in media reviews. Any person who engages in any unauthorized
activity in relation to this publication shall be liable to criminal prosecution and claims for civil and
criminal damages.

This book is dedicated in loving memory to my two friends who were killed in action

SERGEANT HUGH McCALL

and

LANCE CORPORAL PETE GARNETT

They were there and are with me now

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks to:

The editors of Cheetah, the no longer extant RLI magazine for the excerpts I have used. Scope, for the extract in the Epitaph.

The Rhodesia Herald for the three articles I have included.

Charlie Norris for his unflagging support and for gathering photographs and material.

Tom Argylle for the loan of his wonderful collection of photographs, many of which I have included in the book. And also for his enthusiasm and joie de vivre even after losing a leg in a freak hunting accident.

Claude Botha, Mike MacGeorge, Mike Orylski, Keith Holshausen, Craig Fourie, Lome Knox, Ian Cuthbertson, The Rhodesia Herald and particularly Tony Coom and Steve Prowse for photographic material. Some pictures are unacknowledged although the publishers have made every effort to establish the authorship. For this, the publishers apologise and will be glad to amend or add credits in subsequent editions.

Geoff Higgs for the superb sketches.

Dr Richard Wood for the map.

Rod Smith.

Paul Moorcraft

John Coleman in Colorado.

Sue Evans and Lt. Col. David Wilson in Australia.

Craig Bone for the cover artwork.

John Connelly, who was tragically killed in a motorcycle crash in 1994.

Paul Abbott for being alive.

and especially to Jacky for retyping the manuscript.

EXTRACTS

from the RLI magazine Cheetah, 1978 .

In 1960 it was decided for the first time to include a regular European (white) Battalion in the Army order of battle and as a result No. 1 Training Unit was established at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo. No. 1 Training Unit not only provided personnel for the Battalion, which was formed later, but also provided personnel for C Squadron, the Special Air Service and the Selous Scouts, a reconnaissance squadron.

The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, was officially formed on 1st February 1961. This is now recognised as the Regimental Birthday.

In the latter part of 1961, the Battalion moved from Bulawayo to the new barracks in Salisbury, Cranbome Barracks, having just returned from operations on the Northern Rhodesia-Congo border.

In 1964 the organisation and role of the Battalion was changed from the conventional infantry unit to a Commando Battalion, The wearing of the green beret was also introduced.

Colours were presented to the Battalion on 19th June 1963 by the then Governor, Sir Humphrey Gibbs, K.C.M.C., O.B.E., on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

On 27th June 1970, the Regimental Colour was trooped before the Prime Minister, The Honourable I.D. Smith.

Regimental traditions which form an important part of Battalion life, are quickly being built up. Two are noteworthy, namely the Regimental Quick March, The Saints, and the mascot the Cheetah.

For the past few years the Battalion has borne the brunt of border control operations against terrorist gangs that have infiltrated into Rhodesia.

CONTENTS

BOOK ONE
AN ORDEAL AHEAD

BOOK TWO
1976 INNOCENCE LOST

BOOK THREE
1977 THE ESCALATION

BOOK FOUR
1978 A LUTA CONTINUA!

BOOK FIVE
BREAKING POINT

FOREWORD

The horror of guerrilla warfare in Africa

Fireforce is the compelling, brutal but true account of Chris Cocks service in 3 Commando, The Rhodesian Light Infantry , during the bush war.

Serving in 3 Commandos elite ranks, other than born Rhodesians were Englishmen, Irishmen, Scots, Welshmen, Americans, Norwegians, South Africans, Portuguese, Brazilians, Australians, New Zealanders, West Germans and Canadians , plus a host of other nationalities.

It was the closest parallel to the French Foreign Legion in recent times.

Chris Cocks joined the RLI as a National Serviceman in 1976 for 12 months at the age of 18, then signed on as a regular for three years. He soon became a stick leader and at times, after promotion to lance corporal, acted as Troop Commander. His upbringing had been a sheltered one and he knew little of life but he was due for a radical change.

Fireforce, a method of combat developed by the Rhodesians and perfected by the RLI, involved troops being helicoptered or parachuted into an area immediately after a guerrilla presence had been reported or a sighting made.

The combat strain on a fighting soldier was almost unbelievable, for the Rhodesians, who were always desperately short of ground troops to deal with guerrilla incursions, sometimes parachuted the same men into as many as three contacts a day.

While estimates of enemy casualties vary, there seems little doubt that the RLI successfully accounted for at least 12,000 ZANLA and ZIPRA Communist-trained and equipped guerrillas during the long years of war.

Fireforce is not for the squeamish. Although it has been written with an unforgettable pathos and humour, it tells of face-to-face combat in the bush and death at point blank range. It is a book which does nothing to glamorise or glorify war. For as Chris Cocks found at such a young age, war is merely a catalogue of suffering, destruction and death.

Fireforce has been described by critics as being to the Rhodesian War what All Quiet On The Westerm Front was to World War I.

Read it it will be an experience you will never forget.

BOOK ONE

AN ORDEAL AHEAD

PROLOGUE

Harare, Zimbabwe, Monday 30th June 1986