Anybody ever write a book on the Selous Scouts?

15 December 2009, 18:59

This may not be the right forum, but there are a lot of African hands on this page who might know. Steve?

Pound for pound, they were the most successful counter-guerilla outfit in the history of warfare to ever bear arms.

15 December 2009, 19:03

tradewinds

Amazon.com

15 December 2009, 19:11

jetdrvr

Thanks. Not too many printed. They start at $89.95 and go up from there.

15 December 2009, 19:15

KINO

Pamwe Chete is highly recommended, but much cheaper if you pick it up while in Zim, or have someone get it for you while there.

15 December 2009, 19:19

shakari

There's quite a lot of good stuff out there on the Scouts. Not least amongst them, Assignment Selous Scouts by Jim Parker and Selous Scouts by Peter Stiff who incidentally wrote extensively on his time with the scouts.

If you go here: http://www.shakariconnection.com/bookshelf.html and then click on the ABE books icon on the right hand side a tad down the page, and it'll take you to the search facility.

You can either enter the author's name or just a subject such as Selous Scouts and it'll show you pretty much every book ever written on the subject with both new & used copies from sellers all over the world and some with prices from just a few dollars upwards.

Then all you gotta do is select a seller near to you who has a copy of whatever book at a price you like and it'll be dropping through your letter box a couple of days later.

How's that for service!

And by doing so, you'll be paying the same amount as you would elsewhere and helping us with the running costs of the www.shakariconnection.com website.

15 December 2009, 20:24

Scriptus

Jetdrvr, there could be an argument or a differnce of opinion here. Pound for pound, RLI, Rhodesian SAS or 32 Battalion.What about Koevoet?

15 December 2009, 20:38

jetdrvr

Point taken...although Koevoet was a different war.

15 December 2009, 20:40

500nitro

jetdrvr,
re "Top secret war" i see them regularly at the local 2nd hand bookshops here at about $5-$10, if you want I will pick one up for you next time I scrounge around there.

\john

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15 December 2009, 20:42

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by 500nitro:
jetdrvr,
re "Top secret war" i see them regularly at the local 2nd hand bookshops here at about $5-$10, if you want I will pick one up for you next time I scrounge around there.

\john

That would be great. There are only a few available here and they're quite pricey...We could work out the payment and shipping.

15 December 2009, 20:43

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by shakari:
There's quite a lot of good stuff out there on the Scouts. Not least amongst them, Assignment Selous Scouts by Jim Parker and Selous Scouts by Peter Stiff who incidentally wrote extensively on his time with the scouts.

If you go here: http://www.shakariconnection.com/bookshelf.html and then click on the ABE books icon on the right hand side a tad down the page, and it'll take you to the search facility.

You can either enter the author's name or just a subject such as Selous Scouts and it'll show you pretty much every book ever written on the subject with both new & used copies from sellers all over the world and some with prices from just a few dollars upwards.

Then all you gotta do is select a seller near to you who has a copy of whatever book at a price you like and it'll be dropping through your letter box a couple of days later.

How's that for service!

And by doing so, you'll be paying the same amount as you would elsewhere and helping us with the running costs of the www.shakariconnection.com website.

Thanks, Steve. ABE books has damn near everything.

15 December 2009, 21:09

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by jetdrvr:
quote:
Originally posted by 500nitro:
jetdrvr,
re "Top secret war" i see them regularly at the local 2nd hand bookshops here at about $5-$10, if you want I will pick one up for you next time I scrounge around there.

\john

jOHN.

That would be great. There are only a few available here and they're quite pricey...We could work out the payment and shipping.

John,

The best price I can find on ABE books for Top Secret War is about $67.00 and I don't want it that badly. If you can find a decent copy and we can work out the details, I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Fred

15 December 2009, 22:02

tradewinds

quote:
Originally posted by jetdrvr:
quote:
Originally posted by jetdrvr:
quote:
Originally posted by 500nitro:
jetdrvr,
re "Top secret war" i see them regularly at the local 2nd hand bookshops here at about $5-$10, if you want I will pick one up for you next time I scrounge around there.

\john

jOHN.

That would be great. There are only a few available here and they're quite pricey...We could work out the payment and shipping.

John,

The best price I can find on ABE books for Top Secret War is about $67.00 and I don't want it that badly. If you can find a decent copy and we can work out the details, I sure would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Fred

Check EBAY

15 December 2009, 22:14

mouse93

Here is a site dedicated to Selousies:

http://selousscouts.tripod.com/

and books available:

SKUZ' APO

P.S. There is a short history on Rhodesia in 12 parts with some coverage of Selousies available on you tube - search the "Msasa days" by Msasa enterprises (highly recomended - good stuff):

http://www.youtube.com/results...ys&search_type=&aq=f

16 December 2009, 05:20

DLS

Peter Stiff's books are excellent. One that I haven't seen mentioned but which I highly recommend is "See you in November." It is about Rhodesia's secret intelligence war, and includes information about attempted assasination plots they tried against Mugabe. It is an excellent read.

16 December 2009, 06:31

jetdrvr

I know a guy who was in the Scouts, and have heard stories during my many tours in Africa about them. I have too much time on my hands, so I would like to study up on them. Too bad I'm not going back to RSA for any length of time in the future. I love browsing African bookshops. Some of those places are veritable gold mines for titles you can't get in the states unless you pay through the nose. I discovered Wilbur Smith in the old shop by the New Stanley in Nairobi in about 1989. I understnd its gone now. Nobody in the states had ever heard of Smith. I bought one, read it, and bought three more. The same with The Lunatic Express and a few others.

16 December 2009, 11:59

JTHunt

Exclusive books in Joburg airport international departures is a great place to find such books - they have a lot of paperback reprints. Perhaps one of the S.A. brethren can shop for you on way to the Conventions.

16 December 2009, 12:45

500nitro

Fred,
looks like you might have to re-mortgage the house, you are in the hole for a massive 50 South African rands (about $7.00)
Soft cover "Top Secret War" dates back from about 1988, pages and dust cover in excellent condition although yellowed commensurate with age.
Are you going to the SCI convention, I might be able to send it with an ex colleague from Phasa,
J

16 December 2009, 23:39

Scriptus

Jetdrvr, different spot on the map, the mob they were involved with, had the same bosses in either Peking or Moscow. Peter Stiff also put out a good one on Koevoet. Pound for pound as a COIN unit, they were up there, and I am pretty sure that 32 Battalion's kill rate would be a difficult one to beat. They killed Russians, Cubans, ANC, SWAPO, FAPLA and probably East Germans. They were known as Os Terriveis, the Terrible Ones. I am not knocking any of these units, I would like to keep all of their memories alive. salute

16 December 2009, 23:43

lavaca

Picked up a good one in the Joberg airport several years back, but I lent it out and never got it back, so I can't remember the exact title.

17 December 2009, 07:16

jorge

Picked up a paper back copy of the Selous Scouts at the Johannesburg Airport in 01 and was hooked! I eventually bought a hard copy, signed by the author and since have purchased a few more on the subject. The Rhodesian Bush War was a fascinating event in military history, their innovation and tactical adaptation given their limited equipment was masterful. Too bad We stabbed them in the back. Chalk up another screw up by democraps...jorge

17 December 2009, 10:27

jetdrvr

John.
Not going to either convention. I'm stuck in Florida. Maybe someone could pick me up a copy and mail it to me. I can pm you wth an address and get yours so I could send you the bucks. If it's too much trouble, don't worry about it. I can always try the library, but in this little town, I doubt if I'd have much luck. Besides, I'd like to add a copy to my small Africana collection.

Fed

17 December 2009, 10:30

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by Scriptus:
Jatdrvr, different spot on the map, the mob they were involved with, had the same bosses in either Peking or Moscow. Peter Stiff also put out a good one on Koevoet. Pound for pound as a COIN unit, they were up there, and I am pretty sure that 32 Battalion's kill rate would be a difficult one to beat. They killed Russians, Cubans, ANC, SWAPO, FNLA and probably East Germans. They were known as Os Terriveis, the Terrible Ones. I am not knocking any of these units, I would like to keep all of their memories alive. salute

I used to skydive with a guy many years ago who was in that outfit. He was from Port Elizabeth. I know he accounted for a bunch of East Germans, SWAPO and a lot of Cubans. Great guy. This was before things changed in South Africa and he and another guy who was in the paras saw the handwriting on the wall and converted their assets into something more viable and headed west. The one guy lived in a pickup camper and used to come to South Florida in the winter where I lived then and I let him park on my little ranch and plug into my electricity. He was a great field cook. He is known worldwide in the skydiving community. I met guys in Australia who knew him and had jumped with him. I was quite sympathetic to his cause.

17 December 2009, 12:40

Scriptus

Jorge, when Rhodesia was handed over, the Rhodesians on their way through South Africa to other points of the compass, used to say, "just wait, your turn is coming." 15 years into "democracy", and the slippery path to hell becomes steeper. Unfortunately it was not only the U.N. and liberal trash that sold Rhodesia out but our own PM Vorster with his ill-advised detente sold them down the Zambezi.

17 December 2009, 15:25

Bryan Chick

Try "Selous Scouts Top Secret War" by Reid Daly the OC

17 December 2009, 18:40

500nitro

Fred,
pm me and lets get something organised.
There are a bunch of AR lads going to be at the convention, and being the helpful bunch they are I am sure one of them will pick the book up and forward it to you.
cheers,
John

17 December 2009, 19:23

ledvm

quote:
Too bad We stabbed them in the back. Chalk up another screw up by democraps...jorge

Yep...courtesy of Jimmie Crapper...I mean Carter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Lane Easter, DVM

A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House

No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.

17 December 2009, 19:25

ledvm

quote:
the Rhodesians on their way through South Africa to other points of the compass, used to say, "just wait, your turn is coming."

Now they say "told you so and now y'all have one too!"

17 December 2009, 19:29

ledvm

Fred,

BN probably told you a few stories didn't he?

18 December 2009, 05:46

ALF

18 December 2009, 09:21

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by 500nitro:
Fred,
pm me and lets get something organised.
There are a bunch of AR lads going to be at the convention, and being the helpful bunch they are I am sure one of them will pick the book up and forward it to you.
cheers,
John

John,

PM sent.

Fred