1980



Southern Rhodesia was a British Colony in Southern Africa. Due to international pressure to work towards Black majority rule, the Government made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) from Britain on 11th November, 1965. This had the effect of making it a rebel colony and Rhodesia, as it now called itself, was not recognised by the international community other than South Africa.
 
Following UDI, Rhodesia was engaged in a vicious bush war against the Patriotic Front (PF) guerrillas (formed from the combined resources of both the ZANLA and ZIPRA parties) who operated from across the borders of hostile neighbouring countries. By 1979, after 14 years of war and sanctions the Rhodesian government realised that it could not continue as it was, and entered into negotiations with the guerrillas. These talks were sponsored by the British government and took place at Lancaster House in London. After many months of negotiations, the Lancaster House Agreement was signed in late December 1979.
 
The main conditions of the agreement were that British rule was temporarily re-imposed and the country once again become the colony of Southern Rhodesia. Sir Christopher Soames was installed as Governor of the colony, and it is interesting to note that he was an officer in the Coldstream Guards during the Second World War. Another major condition was that both the Rhodesian Security Forces and the Nationalist Guerrillas would cease operations. The ensure that this happened the Commonwealth Cease-Fire Monitoring Force (CMF) was established with troops drawn from across the British Commonwealth, predominantly from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Kenya.


 
The Second Battalion, at this time based at Caterham Barracks, dispatched 26 men to join the CMF. These were predominantly officers and Senior NCO’s and were headed by the Commanding Officer, Lt Col W.E.Rous MBE.
 
The CMF’s task was basically two-fold. Small teams were attached to the various elements of the Rhodesian Security Forces from the General Headquarters down to Company Bases with the aim of monitoring the activities of the Rhodesian SF. Lt Col Rous with a small staff of Coldstreamers operated in this role in the Operation Thrasher area in the east of the country, based in Umtali.
 
The role of the troops ‘on the ground’ was in two separate phases; the Rendezvous Phase and the Assembly Phase.
 
CMF troops set up and ran Assembly Places (AP) where guerrillas who came out of the bush were assembled and held until the elections. However, for the first week of the operation small teams of approximately 4 to 8 men operated Rendezvous Points (RV’s) in the bush. They were equipped only with Land Rovers and small arms and their aim was to encourage the guerrillas to come out of the bush and then to organise their transport to the AP.
 
The RV Phase was scheduled to last for 7 days but this was extended in several areas as guerrillas were still arriving to go to the AP’s. Once the RV’s were collapsed the troops operating them were re-deployed to assist at the AP’s.
 
Several Coldstreamers were deployed to AP Foxtrot which they ran with the men from the Irish Guards and other units. This was a particularly dangerous tasks as the black guerrillas were particularly suspicious of white men, especially those in uniform, and these AP’s were often tense and volatile. However, they were won over by the tact and diplomacy of the CMF troops, and the guerrillas grew to trust them.
 
Elections were held in February 1980 which resulted in Robert Mugabe of the ZANU Party being elected President. Troops were withdrawn from the AP’s in early March and the Coldstream Contingent, less those who remained as part of the British Army Training Team to the new Zimbabwean Army, was complete in Caterham by the middle of March.
 
The country gained independence from Britain with the new name of Zimbabwe on the 18th April, 1980. The deployment of the CMF to Rhodesia was without precedent. It was fraught with danger and Rhodesia Security Forces predicted that they would all be dead within 48 hours. There were moments of intense danger in the AP’s but these were always handled with a measure of coolness, courage and common sense, ultimately leading to a reduction of tension.
 
Each member of the CMF received the Rhodesia Medal 1980 and the Zimbabwe Independence Medal.
 

Related Pictures

Message to the Commonwealth Monitoring force

It is believed that this picture is a Guard of Honour in Rhodesia? If you know different, please let us know.