Rhodesian plaque with matching dog tags - signed at the back by members V Troop

Rhodesian plaque with matching dog tags - signed at the back by members  V Troop

Intelligence collaboration:

Following RSF deployment of South African Police (SAP) in late 1968 a detachment of South African Signal Corps, called V Troop, moved to Chirundu to monitor radio messaging in Zambia. The African National Congress (SAANC) had set up its headquarters in Lusaka and formed a military alliance with ZAPU to overthrow the Rhodesian Government. This would bring the final fight for South Africa that step nearer for SAANC. The Soviet Union was backing these two groups as part of their own strategy to spread communism to the 3rd world.

The arrival of the South African Signal Corp inspired the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) to establish its own radio monitoring surveillance network based at King George VI barracks which eave dropped on Zambian and Tanzanian telecommunications and later on FRELIMO in Mozambique. Equipment was secured by CIO from South Africa. Both the V Troop and CIO shared intelligence gleaned.