Chris Schulenburg

Last updated
Schulie20.jpg

Captain

Chris Schulenburg

GCV SCR
Nickname(s)Schulie
Born Union of South Africa
Allegiance Rhodesia
Service/branch Rhodesian Army
RankCaptain
Unit Selous Scouts
Rhodesian Special Air Service
Battles/wars Rhodesian Bush War
Awards Grand Cross of Valour ribbon.svg Silver Cross of Rhodesia BAR.svg

Captain Chris F. Schulenburg GCV SCR is a South-African born former Rhodesian Army soldier. He is one of only two recipients of the Grand Cross of Valour, Rhodesia's highest military honour and also received the Silver Cross of Rhodesia. Schulenburg received the Grand Cross of Valour in 1978 for an action in which he penetrated an enemy position before returning to his unit and leading a successful assault.

Contents

Early career

Schulenburg was known as Schulie. A South African by birth, he joined the Rhodesian Army as a sergeant in the Rhodesian Light Infantry. He later transferred to the Selous Scouts as a lieutenant and was key in establishing a dedicated reconnaissance troop in that unit. [1] The Selous Scouts often conducted clandestine operations within Rhodesia and abroad during the Rhodesian Bush War. Schulenburg often participated in these operations, specialising in long-range reconnaissance missions in which he would be accompanied only by a single black scout. [2] At least one of these missions took him deep into neighbouring Mozambique. [3] On another occasion, as a lieutenant, commanding a remote post he established a small poultry farm to provide his men with fresh eggs. The poultry relocated frequently with the unit. [4]

In January 1973, ZANLA fighters attacked a group of white Rhodesian land inspectors near Mount Darwin, killing two and capturing a third, Gerald Hawkesworth, together with his black staff. The staff were released or escaped but Hawkesworth was taken into Mozambique. The Rhodesian government received permission from the Portuguese to follow the group and Rhodesian Army personnel saw them cross the Zambezi River. A parachute assault was launched to attempt to recover Hawkesworth. Lieutenant Schulenburg led one of two four-man pathfinder groups that were first to land. One man in his group, Sergeant Frank Wilmot, was killed when his parachute failed to open. The paratroopers killed a ZANLA member carrying a note requesting permission from FRELIMO, a Mozambican nationalist force, to transit the area with Hawkesworth but were unsuccessful in locating or rescuing him. [5] Schulenburg received the Silver Cross of Rhodesia on 26 September 1975 for actions while serving with the Rhodesian Special Air Service. [6]

Grand Cross of Valour

On 24 March 1978, Schulenburg received Rhodesia's highest award for gallantry, the Grand Cross of Valour. [6] He was the first recipient of the award and one of only two recipients in its history (the other being SAS commander Grahame Wilson). [7] [8] Schulenburg received the award for actions whilst serving as a captain in the Selous Scouts. He conducted a number of reconnaissance operations on the north-east Rhodesian border. On one occasion, he penetrated an enemy position to count the number of defenders and note their weaponry. Upon returning to his unit, which was cut-off from support and outnumbered, he led a successful frontal assault on the position. Schulenburg's black soldiers wrote to the Selous Scouts commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald Reid-Daly to express their admiration for Schulenburg, noting "no man who has done what he has done should still be alive". [6] Schulenburg has been described by historians Paul Moorcraft and Peter McLaughlin as "the most distinguished, and decorated, Rhodesian soldier". [2]

The Rhodesian Bush War ended in 1979 with the Lancaster House Agreement and subsequent transition to black-majority rule as Zimbabwe. [9] Schulenburg returned to South Africa, and by 1983 was the Transvaal region liaison officer of the Selous Scouts Regimental Association. [10]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selous Scouts</span> Rhodesian Army special forces unit

The Selous Scouts was a special forces unit of the Rhodesian Army that operated during the Rhodesian Bush War from 1973 until the reconstitution of the country as Zimbabwe in 1980. It was mainly responsible for infiltrating the black majority population of Rhodesia and collecting intelligence on insurgents so that they could be attacked by regular elements of the security forces. The unit did this by forming small teams that posed as insurgents and usually included captured insurgents. Over time, the Selous Scouts increasingly attacked insurgents themselves and operated in the countries that neighboured Rhodesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesian Bush War</span> 1964–1979 conflict in Southern Africa

The Rhodesian Bush War, also called the Second Chimurenga as well as the Zimbabwe War of Independence, was a civil conflict from July 1964 to December 1979 in the unrecognised country of Rhodesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesian Light Infantry</span> Military unit

The 1st Battalion, Rhodesian Light Infantry (1RLI), commonly The Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks (Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia) as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Barely a year after its creation, it was relocated to Cranborne Barracks (Salisbury) where its headquarters remained for the rest of its existence. The Regiment became part of the Southern Rhodesian Army when the Federation dissolved at the start of 1964 and, later that year, reformed into a commando battalion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesian Special Air Service</span> Military unit

The Rhodesian Special Air Service or Rhodesian SAS was a special forces unit of the Rhodesian Army. It comprised:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Cross of Valour</span> Military decoration of Rhodesia

The Grand Cross of Valour was Rhodesia's highest military decoration, awarded for conspicuous valour by members of the Security Forces in combat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey's Scouts</span> Rhodesian mounted infantry unit

Grey's Scouts were a Rhodesian mounted infantry unit raised in July 1975 and named after George Grey, a British soldier and governor. Based in Salisbury it patrolled Rhodesia's borders during the Rhodesian Bush War, and then became a regiment of the Special Forces of Zimbabwe in June 1980. It was totally disbanded in July 1986 because of a lack of resources.

Ronald Francis Reid-Daly was a Rhodesian military officer who founded and commanded the Selous Scouts special forces unit that fought during the Rhodesian Bush War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thyssen Henschel UR-416</span> Armoured Personnel Carrier

The Thyssen Henschel UR-416 is a German armoured personnel carrier, first introduced in 1969 and based on the body of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog light truck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhodesian Armoured Corps</span> Military unit

The Rhodesian Armoured Corps, nicknamed the "Black Devils" — was the only standing armoured battalion of the Rhodesian Security Forces. During World War II, it took part in the Allied Spring 1945 offensive and the Battle of Monte Cassino as part of South Africa's 6th Armoured Division. The unit was among the first to enter a liberated Florence in July 1944. Prior to 1963, its crews were trained in the United Kingdom or Aden Colony and were known as the "Selous Scouts" under the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. After Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence, maintaining the armoured vehicle fleet became a responsibility of the Rhodesian Light Infantry until Major Bruce Rooken-Smith reactivated the former Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment in 1972. During the Rhodesian Bush War, the regiment fought in several major campaigns and battles, particularly Operation Miracle in September 1979. It was superseded by the new Zimbabwe Armoured Corps between 1980 and 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Rhodesia Flight 825</span> Passenger aircraft which was shot down in 1978

Air Rhodesia Flight 825 was a scheduled passenger flight that was shot down by the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) on 3 September 1978, during the Rhodesian Bush War. The aircraft involved, a Vickers Viscount named the Hunyani, was flying the last leg of Air Rhodesia's regular scheduled service from Victoria Falls to the capital Salisbury, via the resort town of Kariba.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Police Support Unit</span> Paramilitary wing of the Zimbabwe Republic Police

The Police Support Unit, also known by their nickname of the Black Boots, is a paramilitary wing of the Zimbabwe Republic Police. They were founded as a native police force but later developed into a counter-insurgency unit of the British South Africa Police in Rhodesia during the Rhodesian Bush War. The unit was the only paramilitary unit retained by the Zimbabwe Republic Police after the country's reconstitution as Zimbabwe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Rhodesian Light Infantry (1972–1977)</span> Late history of the Rhodesian Light Infantry

The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry, served in the Rhodesian Bush War as part of the Rhodesian Security Forces between 1964 and 1979, under the unrecognised government of Rhodesia following its 1965 Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain. During the second half of 1979 it fought for Zimbabwe Rhodesia, a black majority-ruled version of the same state which also failed to win international recognition. After an interim period under British control from December 1979 to April 1980, the RLI briefly remained active within the armed forces of Zimbabwe, but did not see action under this government. It disbanded on 31 October 1980.

The 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry, served in the Rhodesian Bush War as part of the Rhodesian Security Forces between 1964 and 1979, under the unrecognised government of Rhodesia after its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from Britain on 11 November 1965. Latterly, during the second half of 1979, it fought for Zimbabwe Rhodesia, a reorganised version of Rhodesia under a black majority government which still went unrecognised. After an interim period under British control from December 1979 to April 1980, the RLI briefly remained active within the armed forces of the internationally recognised Republic of Zimbabwe, but did not see action under this government. It laid up its colours on 17 October 1980 and disbanded two weeks later.

Operation Eland, also known as the Nyadzonya Raid, was a military operation carried out by operatives of the Rhodesian Selous Scouts at Nyadzonya in Mozambique on 9 August 1976. The Rhodesians initially claimed 300 ZANLA and 30 FAM soldiers were killed and claimed documentation captured after the event suggested that more than 1,028 were killed, while ZANLA and Amnesty International claimed the people killed were unarmed refugees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Miracle (Rhodesia)</span> Battle

Operation Miracle or the Battle of Mavonde was a military raid in 1979 by the Rhodesian Security Forces (RSF) against ZANLA guerrilla bases in Mozambique towards the end of the Rhodesian Bush War. ZANLA put up stiff resistance and the tactical success of the RSF did not lead to the expected strategic changes.

Major Grahame Wilson, also known as "The Phantom Major", is a retired Rhodesian Army officer who served as second-in-command of the Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS). He is the most decorated member of the Rhodesian Army.

Operation Aztec was a military operation launched by the Republic of Rhodesia against the communist backed insurgent group ZANLA, in Mozambique from 28 May to 2 June 1977. The successful operation resulted in the destruction of Mozambique's railway in Gaza Province, limiting the movement of enemy soldiers, and equipment from Mozambique to the Rhodesian border.

Operation Long John was an operation undertaken by the Selous Scouts of the Rhodesian Army on 25 June 1976 against two ZANLA guerrilla bases located in Mozambique near Mapai. Operation Long John was an attack on a guerrilla transit camp at Mapai and staging post identified as Chicualacuala.

Late on 22 December 1972, a troop from the Rhodesian Special Air Service, followed shortly by the Rhodesian Light Infantry, reported to the police station in Centenary. The land mine in Altena's driveway was discovered, disarmed and removed. For their own safety, Marc de Borchgrave and his family were sent to Whistlefield Farm, which was owned by Archie Dalgluish and his family, while their family home was being repaired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combined Operations (Rhodesia)</span> Rhodesian Security Forces coordinating body

Combined Operations was a high level body established in 1977 to lead the efforts of the Rhodesian Security Forces during the Rhodesian Bush War. It was commanded by Lieutenant General Peter Walls. Prime Minister Ian Smith did not delegate formal authority to set overall policies or direct the actions of the security forces to Walls. The Combined Operations Headquarters also lacked the planning and intelligence staff needed to effectively carry out its functions. As a result, COMOPS mainly operated as an coordination body. Walls personally directed many attacks against Rhodesia's neighbours and other aspects of the war, at times independently of political control. Combined Operations was replaced by the Joint High Command following Rhodesia's transition to Zimbabwe in 1980.

References

  1. ↑ Reid-Daly, Ron (2002). Pamwe Chete: The Legend of the Selous Scouts. Covos-Day Books. p. 247. ISBN   978-1-919874-33-3.
  2. 1 2 Moorcraft, Paul L.; McLaughlin, Peter (2010). The Rhodesian War: A Military History. Stackpole Books. p. 52. ISBN   978-0-8117-0725-1.
  3. ↑ Greeff, Jack (2001). A Greater Share of Honour. Ntomeni Publications. p. 67. ISBN   978-0-620-27999-4.
  4. ↑ Historia. 2004. p. 142.
  5. ↑ Wessels, Hannes (19 October 2015). A Handful of Hard Men: The SAS and the Battle for Rhodesia. Casemate. p. 53. ISBN   978-1-61200-345-0.
  6. 1 2 3 Clarke, John (12 September 2000). Gallantry Medals & Decorations of the World. Pen and Sword. pp. 1765–176. ISBN   978-0-85052-783-4.
  7. ↑ Alexander, E. G. McGill; Barron, Gary K. B.; Bateman, Anthony J. (1986). South African Orders, Decorations, and Medals. Human & Rousseau. p. 137. ISBN   978-0-7981-1895-8.
  8. ↑ Dennison, André; Wood, J. R. T. (1989). The War Diaries of André Dennison. Ashanti Pub. Limited. p. 159. ISBN   978-0-620-13545-0.
  9. ↑ "Zimbabwe profile – Timeline". BBC News. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  10. ↑ "The Selous Scouts Regimental Association". Selousscouts.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.