THE SAINTS: The Rhodesian Light Infantry
"The Saints is a tremendous contribution to the history of this conflict, filling a gap in the record of the Bush War. The history of the 1st Battalion, RLI is one of courage, adaptability and combat effectiveness throughout the conflict. Initially, the battalion was formed as a standard light-infantry formation, but the progression of the insurgency war prompted it to reorganize to a commando role and to adopt new tactics. . . One of the greatest strengths of The Saints is the use of personal narratives of members of the 1st Battalion, RLI that make up the book. Supported by descriptions of the development of the unit, the narrative of the soldiers themselves tells the story of the unit, its training and combat operations. These give the text a gritty  feeling of the troop's eye view  of the RLI's history. Rather than sounding like an analytical history of the battalion, the real, on the ground history of the unit in the counterinsurgency war comes though. The Bush War was, in essence, a campaign of small-unit actions. It was fought by the RLI in section- and troop-sized elements led by junior leaders. By telling the story of the 1st Battalion using the troop's own words, The Saints has a personal and realistic texture. Accompanied by a fantastic array of personal contemporary photographs, most never before published, this book becomes a vivid testament to the fitting pride and outstanding valor of this fighting unit." --Special Warfare Magazine