Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982

Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982, by David Lemon. Galago, Cape Town, South Africa 2006. ISBN 9781919854212 / ISBN 978-1-919854-21-2

Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982, by David Lemon. Galago, Cape Town, South Africa 2006. ISBN 9781919854212 / ISBN 978-1-919854-21-2

Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982 (Author David Lemon)

Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982 (Author David Lemon)

Never Quite a Soldier: A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982 by David Lemon is a purely personal account of a nasty piece of southern African history and all the sometimes jaundiced opinions expressed about personalities and events are his own.

David Lemon was a policeman during the Rhodesian Bush War days. His first involvement came when ZANLA guerrillas moved into his police area and embarked on a murderous campaign targeting black and white civilians. The war throughout the country escalated and indiscriminate acts of terror like ZANLA's massacre of nine white missionaries, the shooting down of a Viscount airliner and the subsequent massacre of survivors and countless other terrible incidents decided him to join the elite Police Support Unit which comprised 12 companies of fighting policemen, most of them black. Lemon fought through numerous engagements and contacts until the war ended with elections in 1980 that brought Robert Mugabe to power and to Rhodesia becoming the new state of Zimbabwe. But for him the war was far from over and in November 1980 and again in February 1981 his fighting Charlie Company was engaged in serious fighting in Bulawayo, in attempts to keep ZIPRAand ZANLA guerrillas away from each others throats. Meanwhile, Mugabe had formed his 5-Brigade (the Gukuruhundi) — comprising ex-ZANLA guerrillas trained by the North Koreans — which embarked on a campaign of murderous genocide against Ndebele civilians in Matabeleland when they killed an estimated 15 000 to 30 000 people. Appalled by this David Lemon resigned from the police and left Zimbabwe in 1983.

Cat in a tall tree

I can't say I particularly wanted to be a policeman. Arriving in England as a youthful Rhodesian in 1963, I had my sights set on becoming a teacher of maths and Latin, but nothing worked out as planned and on 16 December 1964 I joined the Gloucestershire Constabulary as a probationer constable. There I might have stayed had it not been for a fateful speech made by Ian Douglas Smith on 11 November 1965. Just after noon, I listened to the radio while Smithy declared my country unilaterally independent. I knew nothing of politics and had not been following the arguments that led up to the UDI declaration, but for me it was a sobering moment. This was the first rebellion against British sovereignty since the American revolution of 1776 and by choosing Armistice Day, Smith was reminding the world that Rhodesia had a proud record of support for Britain in two world wars. National pride mingled with an uneasy feeling in my heart. There can be no happiness in this country', Smith told the world, 'while the absurd situation continues to exist where people such as ourselves, who have ruled themselves with an impeccable record for over 40 years are denied what is freely granted to other countries who have ruled themselves — in some cases — for less than a year. The decision we have taken today', he went on in a flat monotone that was to become so familiar, 'is a refusal by Rhodesians to sell their birthright and even if we were to surrender, does anyone believe that Rhodesia would be the last target of the communists and the Afro-Asian block?' With those words, Smith effectively spelled out the guidelines on which the battle for Rhodesian sovereignty was to be fought. Rhodesia's fight wasn't against her own black citizens, but against communism and those African leaders who were striving to bring the country into line with their own Marxist policies. [...]

This is an excerpt from Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982, by David Lemon.

Title: Never Quite a Soldier
Subtitle: A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982
Author: David Lemon
Publisher: Galago
Cape Town, South Africa 2006
ISBN 9781919854212 / ISBN 978-1-919854-21-2
Softcover, 17 x 24 cm, 268 pages, numerous bw and colour photos, map, English text

Lemon, David im Namibiana-Buchangebot

Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982

Never Quite a Soldier. A Rhodesian Policeman's War 1971-1982

Never Quite a Soldier is the thrilling and shocking memoires of a Rhodesian policeman at Bush War service during 1971 to 1982.