Rhodesian Combined Forces Roll of Honour 1966–1981 - Tapa blanda

The dreams for which young heroes died How cheap they seem today- Except to those who loved so much And watched them march away We live because they died, and yet They live if we do not forget The intention of this publication is to honour all those who lost their lives in action or while on active service with the Rhodesian Security Forces during the period 1966-1981. This publication represents the single most comprehensive Rhodesian Combined Forces Roll of Honour covering the Bush War. Many people have researched the casualties of the Rhodesian Bush War and it is highly unlikely that a single researcher will ever compile a definitive list of all those who perished. It was Dr J.R.T. Wood who produced the first 'most comprehensive' Roll of Honour of the Rhodesian Combined Forces while many others, including Gerry van Tonder and Adrian Haggett, have used his roll as a base for expansion, correction and addition. It is, therefore, thanks to Dr Wood's original work that the Roll of Honour has been improved to this point. About the Authors Adrian Haggett immigrated with his parents and two sisters to Southern Rhodesia in 1958. He joined 1 Psychological Operations Unit (1POU) and saw service in Mtoko, Nkai and JOC Grapple. Gerry van Tonder was born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia, in 1955. He joined Internal Affairs in January 1975 and was stationed at Karoi, as a Cadet District Officer.

Adrian Haggett was born in Glastonbury, Somerset, in 1953. He immigrated with his parents and two sisters to Southern Rhodesia in 1958, where his father pioneered the Montgomery Heights institution, near Umvukwes, for handicapped adolescent men. Adrian was educated at Plumtree and graduated from the Bulawayo Teachers' College in 1974. He taught at Riverside Primary, Gwelo, until 1979. During this time, he was a member of the School of Infantry's shooting team, participating in the President's Medal at the Cleveland Range and the Southern African Service Shooting Championships at Bloemfontein in 1978. He also joined 1 Psychological Operations Unit (1POU) and saw service in Mtoko, Nkai and JOC Grapple. He taught at various schools in South Africa before settling in Botswana when he was promoted as Deputy Headmaster of Broadhurst School in Gaborone. He held the position for eight years before deciding to study in Edinburgh. He graduated again in 1996 with a Masters degree in Advanced Professional Studies and returned to Botswana to head the Computer Education faculty at the Molepolole Teachers' College. Currently he works as a Human Resources manager in Gaborone. Adrian has been awarded national colours for cricket and angling, plus four Comrades Marathon medals. He has two daughters and a grandchild. Gerry van Tonder was born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia, in 1955. After attending Hamilton High, he completed his secondary education at Thornhill in Gwelo. He joined Internal Affairs in January 1975 and was stationed at Karoi, as a Cadet District Officer. A year later, he reported to Chikurubi in Salisbury as a member of Internal Affairs National Service 4 call-up, to undergo military training. He was posted to Sipolilo, based at Fort Harrison on the Hunyani River in the Zambezi Valley. In November 1976 he was transferred to Mount Darwin where he served in the Intelligence Section. In January 1977 he undertook the Ministry of Internal Affairs' sponsored university degree programme, graduating in 1979 with a Bachelor of Administration (Honours) degree. During university vacations, he was stationed in Sipolilo and Gwelo. At the end of his studies he was posted to Mount Darwin as a District Officer, being the Returning Officer for Rushinga during the Zimbabwe election, and working through the period of transition from the ceasefire and return of the ZANLA insurgents to assembly points. In mid-1980, and with no future prospects as a civil servant, Gerry left Intaf and joined a marketing firm in Salisbury. In 1983 he was head-hunted by FAVCO, the country's largest fresh-produce marketing cooperative, where he became Managing Director. Late 1999 saw Gerry with his British-born wife Tracey and two children leaving Zimbabwe to settle in Derby, England. He is an active member of several international networked Rhodesian associations, including the Rhodesian Army Association, the Rhodesian Services Association and the Rhodesian Light Infantry Regimental Association, the latter as a result of all three of his brothers having served in that battalion.