Fighting Men of Rhodesia ep56 | Al J Venter 1st Talk
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- Опубліковано 18 чер 2021
- As a highly experienced war journalist perhaps nobody knows more about African wars than Al Venter. In this interview Hannes questions him about his experiences in Rhodesia and bordering Mozambique. Embedded with units like the RLI & RAR he looks back into those historic times and makes some future predictions.
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Thanks John , Hannes And AL Venter .. really enjoyed this interview.. too short chaps .. please get him back for part two and more . Israel is much like Rhodesia and it’s people.. proud .. hard working.. great fighting men .. no fear .. no nonsense people. May god be with them and fight the good fight ! Long live Rhodesia and all Rhodesians … long live Israel ! God bless you all ! 🙏🏻
I believe the RLI was the best fighting machine in Africa and second to none in the rest of the world. But then again that was the Rhodesian spirit we all had no matter what unit you were in and that went for the Rhodesian women as well. The love and support we had from our families was brilliant. Such energy such patriotism. I am proud to be RHODESIAN.
As do I believe it was the South African contingent that made the Rhodesian forces so great.
Men who were either born in SA or who were 1st, 2nd and even 3rd generation Rhodesians of South African decent.
A glance at names gives it away. Nel, Wessels, Van Der Riet, Van Der Byl, Scheepers, Ratte, Shulenberg, Coetzee, Joubert etc. Hardly Anglo Saxon names those.
By late 70's there were more South African born members of the RLI than there were Rhodesian.
Less Sadza Mr Snake and more reality please.
@@mazambane286 many thanks for your point of view because that sir is all it is, your point of view. If the expertise we enjoyed in Rhodesia can be attributed to the 1st 2nd and 3rd generation South Africans as you have pointed out because of the names of these Rhodesian Legends then hell let’s just call the Dutch the true experts. After all South Africa was settled by the Dutch and names like:Nel, Wessels, Van Der Riet, Van Der Byl, Scheepers, Ratte, Schulenberg, Coetzee, Joubert Etc were hardly the names of the “Khoisan” are they? We had many fine soldiers in Rhodesia from all countries, from all walks of life. USA, England, Belgium, France, Australia, New Zealand, Northern Rhodesia, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and many more. So to make a statement like the one you have is both naive and Frankly insulting to all who served in Rhodesia. Hell we could say that the South African Defence Force got their military expertise from England. There were literally thousands and thousands of 1st, 2nd and 3rd, 4th and 5th generation Englishmen in South Africa. Names like Smith, Cunningham, Davidson, Langton, Palmer, Roper, Purchase, Oldfield, Beatty, Porter, McKenzie etc. etc. etc
Hell prominent hero’s of the Battal of Britain from Rhodesia were Squadron Leader Ceaser Hull (Rhodesian Born) John Chomley, (Rhodesian Born) John Holderness (Rhodesian Born) Ian Douglas Smith the Prime Minister of Rhodesia (Rhodesian Born)
These were Some South African born aces in the Battle of Britain: fight officer N. J. Barry, squadron Leader G. F. Charter, Pilot Officer C. A. Clark, Flight Officer I. B. Difford, Pilot Officer G. J. Drake, Flight Officer C. W. Goldsmith, Pilot Officer L. W. Graham, Flight Officer I. B. Hay, Fight Lieutenant G. D. Haysom, Flight Officer M. R. Hill. I could go on and on. Hardly South African names or Dutch names are they?. These are English names. So do we disrespect the South Africans and say that their South African expertise in Air Combat is attributed solely to Britain. . . . ?
Hell no. They were English speaking South Africans who were trained in South Africa who fought for their country of birth and the country they loved. Making the statement you have made is both immature and naive and hugely disrespectful to those that fought honourably in Rhodesia. I myself am descendant from South Africa, Beaufort Wes to be precise but do I class myself as South African. Hell no I may be from Southern Africa but I am and always will be a Rhodesian. I hope Sir the penny has dropped in your redundant statement.
@@sadzasnake1755 interesting story. However you failed to mention the Pioneer Column was raised in Kimberly, Northern Cape. Not in London.
@@mazambane286 (Peanut) I could not care less about the Kimberly column. You address the Dutch issue first before I destroy your Kimberly Column theory. Your serve boet. Don’t evade the question with a question because it doesn’t work in Rhodesians and I t shows your weakness
“Interesting diversion from facts” you must be a Democrat.LOL
Re:@@mazambane286 right Peanut. Just had your statement checked out and as I suspected you are way off the map with your claim that, and I quote you verbatim. “By late 70’s there were more South African Born members in the RLI than there were Rhodesian”. So I challenge you to put your facts and indeed your integrity on the table. So we can see them. . . . . . . . Somehow I suspect I won’t be hearing back from you with an intellectual answer to this (but you will probably throw something totally irrelevant as you did previously like, What about the Battle of Blood river or something similar to deflect) because as I said peanut “it is Your opinion only”.
Al Venter & Cliff Saunders always had our undivided attention whenever they appeared anywhere. I, for one, am delighted to be celebrating the long overdue departure of KK.
AJ is reputedly the oldest war correspondent still actively reporting. I'll take that a step further - he's by far the best war correspondent that ever reported
Thank you so much for your extremely interesting series. I grew up in Rhodesia from 1955 to 1976 and was attached to the Rhodesian air force as a territorial conscript. I have taken issue with the comments relating to Israel where Mr Venter mentions the "numbers game" and continues with " I cannot see Israel surviving"...."a career threatening comment in this world.." Well, Mr Venter, you may have been thinking of leftist American Democratic Jews, but I think you may be a little off the mark because I think Israel is here to stay as a Jewish nation state in the long term. The innovative, hard working Rhodesians do certainly remind me of the Israeli. World media at large is not sympathetic to Israel. I don't think that this is a forum to elaborate this subject in too much detail. Nevertheless, keep up your much appreciated work on the various topics and thank you for having Al J Venter as your guest speaker.
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Wonderful stuff. Of incalculable value those who still care.
I care! 😎
@@skuzapo9365 likewise, with every breathe I take.
Our eyes ears and conscience in africa for 50 years
I have enjoyed every episode of this series.
WOW Al is a legend! I could chat with him forever!
AJ Venter ......The Master storyteller.................Thank you both for these sobering dose of reality.
Most likely one of if not the best war correspondent and journalist in the world. Certainly in that particular era. Most certainly on African conflict. What a privilege to have been able to watch the interview. Thank you.
What a series. Haven’t missed one yet. Please keep it going. Please if possible can you do a few stories on those behind sanction busting. For example the old Deutz tractor known as the Buffalo Tractor etc. Thanks to you John and Hannes.
That's the plan! My next release will be about sanctions busting and the story of Jack Malloch
Altyd goed om na Al te luister
Just come across this now but already sitting on the edge of my seat cause I just know this is gonna be good. Bit bummed it's less than an hour though. Surely Al could speak for days.
thankyou Hannes and John. i was just thinking about when you guys would have AJ in an episode and you didn’t disappoint!! keep up the hard work, gents.
@John van Zyl time for a follow-up talk with Al!
Another great interview, guys, interesting man indeed! I really like his voice-over of P.K. van der byl, wish P.K. was still, around to do an interview. The Piccadilly Dutchman, has to be the most colorful man in Rhodesian politics. A really great man, Vorster hated him!
Whatever will be said or has been said about the Portuguese troops in THREE different war theatres thousands of miles away from home one must admire how well they handled them. They were absolutely fantastic and if compared to the Americans in Vietnam.....
Very interesting. Agree that Venter must know more about African soldiering than any other guy on the planet.
The book Gunship Ace I noticed was about Capt. Neall Ellis. He was our close air support during an ops deep in Angola some 300km in. Capt William Ratte (ex RLI, SAS, Selous Scout) the oc of 32 recce wing had found a pretty large base of PLAN insurgents. About 8 pumas had trooped in a company of the terrible ones. I was sitting on my ratel 90 watching as the pumas came over head. How Capt Neall and his squadron of Alouette 20mm gunships went into action to give them cover as they disembarked from the pumas. The fighting was raging. The pumas and alouette would break off and refuel and reload at the HAA about 25km behind us. A company Parra Bats were the last to be trooped in. Four more pumas were coming and the top cover of Capt Neall. They were flying at tree top level along the Mui river when a PLAN 14.5 AA crew picked them up. Fuck me they downed a puma, puma 132 The command radio became alive with orders, We were to turn our ratel around and go and help them. They crashed about 10Km behind us. It to over a hour to get to them. Capt Neall had turned and very quickly attacked the PLAN insurgents that were cheering around the stricken puma. He ran out of ammo and fuel and had to return to the HAA. By the time we arrived at the wreck it was to late and a massive cluster fuck. There is a lot more to the story maybe another time
I read his book by Al J Venter, great read.
Correction!, Willem Ratte. Was not in the Selous Scouts
Can't wait for the second talk!!! Al brings much background and rounds out the big picture. Thank you gentlemen for another amazing talk!🙏🙏😎👍👍
Very interesting talk could have listened another few more hours from Al and Hannes. Will certainly look up his publications. There have been a lot of comments about his touching on the Israel predicament, having spent quite a lot of time in the Middle East there is a very subtle shift taking place between some Arab nations and their relationship with Israel, politics, economy and nationalism musn't be confused. The colour of money is the dominant shift right now and it is not in some ME interests to speak up against Israel.....we don't hear much of the Arab world protesting about the Palestinian settlements and bombings. As I said money is King and even the worst of enemies become frenemies.
Al J Venter is a living legend. As a portuguese that likes african history i follow him for over a decade
Ha - I remember those four articles. Was the reason I bought Scope of course...
Another excellent interview.
Keep them coming and more frequently if possible!!
Well done again for such an interesting chat....Al, I've always admired your works and guts. Not sure I agree with your prediction about Israel. Always remember that this is Gods country and the Isralites have always been outnumbered for centuries. On the Scope issue, we only bought the magazine for the centrefold but must admit it did have interesting articles (Joke). So look forward to hearing more from you and Gods speed as you continue with your works during these trying times.
Loved the walk down memory lane. Thanks
Such a nice person.
Israel will never disappear despite its numbers issue. Its not about the size of your fight, but about the size of the God in your fight.
Whosoever comes against Israel is squaring off against the living God.
I use to enjoy listening to J VENTER on his documentaries on TV but now his Afrikaans accent has gone it is not the same (remember that the ones fighting in the SADF were most Afrikaans sons). I like his books well detailed.
@@zippitydoohdangtwang Are you suggesting Afrikaners don't make up at least 70% of South Africa's white population?
Salute much respect
One of my heroes Al J keep after the money
What the actual hell? The dude is like 85, he looks 65, and talks like he's 35. What a beast of a man.
Thank you, incredible background to an interesting period that some of us will never forget.
Great interview,please take your camera for a ride
Thank you so very very much.... As an almost 50 year old Rhodesian Boy.... I desperately want to experience full on combat... Only for the love of my beloved country... I would more than likely be an embarrassed due to the Madison and Carling Black Label....???
Why did Smith having being warned about Flower as a double agent, tolerate Flower at head of the CIO?
Lekker interview, very interesting and I can not Believe a particular EMBWA lives with himself. KARMA will be the judge 🙏.
The mighty God of Israel, Yahweh will take care of the numbers situation in Israel.
very interesting interview; flooded 70s memories, Scope magazine, the Al Venter articles on military and stuff were irresistible, and of course the bikini clad blonde centrefolds which were to die for ( ie Anneline Kriel, the Rachel of SA those days ) parochially orientated with the odd feminist article about which lounge suite to buy - today is You and Husigenoot, and helava boring, changed completely to matriarchally orientated, lots of crap about Harry & Meghan etc, as wives are usually the controller of household funds today, and the magazine is in the queue rack as you wait to pay at Woolworths
the non PC cartoons back then were brilliant, Wizard of Id with Spook hanging on the wall in chains Sir Rodney with big nose and a half-witted dwarf King being warned about the peasants becoming restless,,,, and the BC cartoons, the wrestler sized woman in an animal skin with a club going around beating up a snake,,,, my wife daily reminds me of that,,,,,,, am unsure which were in Scope, but remember them
I agree with Venter's challenging numbers comment on Israel, didn't mention today's debilitating neo-liberalism media ambushing on that country, feel desperately sad when communicating with my old school friends there, some whom became high up and now retired
was reminded of the disparaging ''Slope'' word, as related back then to '' oh, yes of course'' with the palm of the hand slapping the forehead, creating an ever increasing gradient to the fore of the cranium, and the ''Rope '' word, coarse, hairy, and thick was that insulting reason. I don't know how the South Africans put up with all that, but their sojourns were very temporary, so could escape back to the flesh spots of Hilbrow, Sandton and Durbs By the Sea in TJ numberplates after learning the Rambo bit up north and forgetting about the insults.
there are tiny roads in the middle of Moçambique which are tarred ( still in quite good condition today as unused ) these were hardened to be mine proof ( could see a digging) for the Portuguese armoured patrols which went daily only to the extent of the hard surface road, a few kilometres
Zimbabwe is a beautiful country, however Moçambique is outstanding; why the Rhodies holidayed in Beira and Santa Carolina pre 74 - my grandfather was born in Beira in 1900 or so, schooled at St Georges, and lived by hunting buffalo in the Pungwe flats circa 1925, shipping in bags of salt and shipping back the biltong after a few weeks in winter via rail to Beira as they didn't have meat back then - he also guided Edgar Whitehead hunting into Moçambique in '35 or so, looking for horns bigger than anything found in the Roland Wards, open sight double 400's, amongst huge herds, exhilarating, avoiding stampedes and horns in small tree woodlands
interesting as a young journo, met PK & Smith, and the SA politicos weren't happy: Venter wrote as he saw it, without agenda, that's what was so appealing about his articles.
agree that Vorster was into detente, trying to extend apartheid system whilst hurriedly strengthening the homelands political and industrial system, PW was contrary, moving toward dismantlement as he could see the last chapter of the numbers game, sources informed me at the time, the '85 Rubicon speech was to announce the release of Mandela and do what FW did in 1990, but was encouraged by the CIA to not do so, Eugene was not a major playa, and hang in to help put the Soviets into insolvency which happened in '89 ( the Cold War ended via whom had the most cash to spend, like a corporate battle on a global scale, and SA was just another proxy )
Allowing FW to step up, and take the accolade. apparently PW wanted the accolade and the saintly reputation himself, but he had a stroke. Pik, in the background, was an outstandingly astute advisor, somewhat the opposite to PK v.d.B whose eccentricity exceeded his capability, somewhat similar to that twit, Koornhof.
v.interesting this interview, many memories, Slopes & Ropes, glossy magazines, blonde centrefolds, gold, labour, homelands, vestments, Ruskies, Cubans, Rubicons, dust, mopanes, guns, politics and war.
Al's right at the end, a lot of hard lessons were learned in Africa and ignored by the rest of the world to their detriment because they weren't politically correct.
And if Rhodesia got the amount of international support Israel did (like having the USA subsidize a quarter of its defence budget), a steady stream of recruits like the IDF has, and other supports, there's a good chance it would be around today. And it looks like Israel is here to stay considering the support Zionism has with the Jewish diaspora and allies like American Christians.
Hi mate just a suggestion have you ever thought to do apparel with cap badges or symbols of rhodesia? Or sayings or the like
In regards to Mr. Venters comments on Israel. He would be totally correct in his analysis if this was a normal situation but in this case God is protecting his people against her enemies. Israel should have already been defeated on several occasions already but miraculously it did not happen.
Great episode. Mr Venter in your opinion had the Flechas won the war in Angola by 1974? Or were they just part of the combined effort there.
I heard that AJ Venter grew up in Carletonville
How is this gent in his 80s? He's as fit as ever
You cannot put Israel down to a numbers game. God is the majority in the Middle East and Israel is the apple of His eye.
John Foster was a square lol
Wow. Into Angola and War in the mountains and and and....all brilliant. His comment about the Israelis might be true. Unfortunately.
Israel has some very powerful allies...the USA being the biggest of them. Israel is also a bastion against Islamic fundamentalism which brings Russia and even China into the equation too. It's therefore in the interests of the most powerful nations in the world that Israel doesn't go down the tubes.
@@alastairhenderson6709 Yes couldnt agree more. Read several articles though which mentioned that fewer and fewer american jews are supporting israel, especially the younger ones. Quite worrying
@@alastairhenderson6709 The US is going down the tubes.
None of the West's enemies fear them. Russia and China are on the rise.
Howzit John.
I got a reply to a comment I made on this vlog from a person who goes by the profile name of “Mazambane” who states that there were more “South African Born” members in the RLI than Rhodesians. Can you fact check that statement please because frankly I am struggling with it. If it is the case then I put my hands up in Submission, but if that statement is incorrect then let it be known. I am sure the Association could verify or debunk that claim.
Tatenda
When I was in the RLI in the mid 70's about 80% of the guys were Rhodesians. In fact in 14 Troop only one was born in SA, Harry Pfiel. Not sure about Marius Marais, he was Afrikaans but then a lot of Rhodesian farmilys were Afrikaans but born locally. I think more foreigners joined later but still a minority..
Many thanks John as I suspected. I never knew one South African born dude when I did my NS. Have a great evening.