Rhodesian Security Forces The Rhodesian Security Forces were the military forces of the Rhodesian government . The Rhodesian Security Forces consisted of a ground force ( the Rhodesian Army ) , the Rhodesian Air Force , the British South Africa Police and various personnel affiliated to the Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs ( INTAF ) . Despite the impact of economic and diplomatic sanctions , Rhodesia was able to develop and maintain a potent and professional military capability ; in June 1977 , " Time " magazine reported that " man for man , the Rhodesian army ranks among the world ' s finest fighting units . " The Rhodesian Security Forces of 1964 – 80 traced their history back to the British South Africa Company armed forces , originally created during company rule in the 1880s and 1890s . These became the armed forces of the British self - governing colony of Southern Rhodesia on its formation in 1923 , then part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland military in 1953 . After the break - up of the Federation at the end of 1963 , the security forces assumed the form they would keep until 1980 . As the armed forces of Rhodesia ( as Southern Rhodesia called itself from 1964 ) , the Rhodesian Security Forces remained loyal to the Salisbury government after it unilaterally declared independence from Britain on 11 November 1965 . Britain and the United Nations refused to recognise this , and regarded the breakaway state as a rebellious British colony throughout its existence . The security forces fought on behalf of the unrecognised government against the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army ( ZANLA ) and the Zimbabwe People ' s Revolutionary Army ( ZIPRA ) — the military wings of the Marxist – Leninist black nationalist Zimbabwe African National Union ( ZANU ) and Zimbabwe African People ' s Union respectively — during the Rhodesian Bush War of the 1960s and 1970s . The Lancaster House Agreement and the return of Rhodesia to temporary British control on 12 December 1979 changed the security forces ' role altogether ; during a five - month interim period , they helped the British governor and Commonwealth Monitoring Force to keep order in Rhodesia while the 1980 general election was organised and held . After the internationally - recognised independence of Zimbabwe in April 1980 , the Rhodesian security forces , ZANLA and ZIPRA were integrated to form the new Zimbabwe Defence Forces . Rhodesian Army . The majority of the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers were disbanded in 1920 for reasons of cost , the last companies being disbanded in 1926 . The Defence Act of 1927 created a Permanent Force ( the Rhodesian Staff Corps ) and a Territorial Force as well as national compulsory military training . With the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers disbanded in 1927 , the Rhodesia Regiment was reformed in the same year as part of the nation ' s Territorial Force . The 1st Battalion was formed in Salisbury with a detached " B " company in Umtali and the 2nd Battalion in Bulawayo with a detached " B " Company in Gwelo . Between the World Wars , the Permanent Staff Corps of the Rhodesian Army consisted on only 47 men . The British South Africa Police ( BSAP ) were trained as both policemen and soldiers until 1954 . About 10 , 000 white Southern Rhodesians ( 15 % of the white population ) mustered into the British forces during the Second World War , serving in units such as the Long Range Desert Group , No . 237 Squadron RAF and the Special Air Service ( SAS ) . " Pro rata " to population , this was the largest contribution of manpower by any territory in the British Empire , even outstripping that of Britain itself . Southern Rhodesia ' s own units , most prominently the Rhodesian African Rifles ( made up of black rank - and - filers and warrant officers , led by white officers ; abbreviated RAR ) fought in the war ' s East African Campaign and in Burma . During the war , Southern Rhodesian pilots proportionally earned the highest number of decorations and ace appellations in the Empire . This resulted in the Royal Family paying an unusual state visit to the colony at the end of the war in thanks to the efforts of the Rhodesian people . The Southern Rhodesia Air Force ( SRAF ) was re - established in 1947 and two years later , Prime Minister Godfrey Huggins appointed a 32 - year - old South African - born Rhodesian Spitfire pilot , Ted Jacklin , as air officer commanding tasked to build an air force in the expectation that British African territories would begin moving towards independence , and air power would be vital for land - locked Southern Rhodesia . The threadbare SRAF bought , borrowed or salvaged a collection of vintage aircraft , including six Tiger Moth s , six North American Harvard trainers , an Avro Anson freighter and a handful of De Havilland Rapide transport aircraft , before purchasing a squadron of 22 Mk . 22 war surplus Supermarine Spitfire from the Royal Air Force which were then flown to Southern Rhodesia . In April 1951 , the defence force of Rhodesia was completely reorganised . The Permanent Force included the BSAP as well as the Southern Rhodesia Staff Corps charged with training and administering the Territorial Force . The SRAF consisted of a communication squadron and trained members of the Territorial Force as pilots , particularly for artillery observation . During the Malayan Emergency of the 1950s , Southern Rhodesia contributed two units to the Commonwealth ' s counter - insurgency campaign : the newly formed Rhodesian SAS served a two - year tour of duty in Malaya starting in March 1951 , then the Rhodesian African Rifles operated for two years from April 1956 . The colony also maintained women ' s auxiliary services ( later to provide the inspiration for the Rhodesia Women ' s Service ) , and maintained a battalion of the RAR , officered by members of the Staff Corps . The Territorial Force remained entirely white and largely reproduced the Second World War pattern . It consisted of two battalions of the Royal Rhodesia Regiment , an Armoured Car Regiment , Artillery , Engineers , Signal Corps , Medical Corps , Auxiliary Air Force and Transport Corps . In wartime the country could also draw on the Territorial Force Reserve and General Reserve . Southern Rhodesia , in other words , reverted more or less to the organisation of the Second World War . Matters evolved greatly over twenty years . The regular army was always a relatively small force , but by 1978 – 79 it consisted of some 10 , 800 regulars nominally supported by about 40 , 000 reservists . While the regular army consisted of a professional core drawn from the white population ( and some units , such as the Rhodesian SAS and the Rhodesian Light Infantry , were all - white ) , by 1978 – 79 the majority of its complement was actually composed of black soldiers . The army reserves , in contrast , were largely white . The Rhodesian Army HQ was in Salisbury and commanded over four infantry brigades and later an HQ Special Forces , with various training schools and supporting units . Numbers 1 , 2 , and 3 Brigade were established in 1964 and 4 Brigade in 1978 . During the Bush War , the army included : Rhodesian Air Force . The Rhodesian Air Force was never a large air force . In 1965 , it consisted of only 1 , 200 regular personnel . At the peak of its strength during the Bush war , it had a maximum of 2 , 300 personnel of all races , but of these , only 150 were pilots actively involved in combat operations . These pilots , however , were rotated through the various squadrons partly to maintain their skills on all aircraft and partly to relieve fellow pilots flying more dangerous sorties . British South Africa Police . The British South Africa Police ( BSAP ) were the first line of defence in Rhodesia , with the specific responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country . INTAF . Rhodesian Ministry of Internal Affairs ( INTAF ) officers were heavily involved in implementing such civic measures as the protected villages program . Guard Force . The Rhodesian Guard Force was the fourth arm of the Rhodesian Security Forces . It consisted of both black and white troops whose initial role was to provide protection for villagers in the Protected Village system . During the latter stages of the Bush War they provided a role in the protection of white - owned farmland , tribal purchase lands and other strategic locations . They also raised two infantry Battalions and provided troops in every facet of the war in each of the Operational Areas . It was a vast force having over 7 , 200 personnel . Its headquarters were at Chikurubi in Salisbury . Combined Operations . The Rhodesian Bush War required that each of the security forces work in a combined effort to combat the enemy . Therefore it became essential to establish an organisation known as Combined Operations in Salisbury to co - ordinate the efforts of each service . The Rhodesian army took the senior role in Combined Operations . Combined Operations was responsible for the conduct of all operations both inside and outside Rhodesia . Combined Operations had direct command over the Joint Operational Centres ( JOCs ) deployed throughout the country in each of the Operational Areas . There was a JOC per Operational Area . The operational areas were known as : Senior military officials in Rhodesia . Source : original regiments . org ( T . F . Mills ) via webarchive .