7 Independent Company ( Rhodesia ) 7 Independent Company ( 7 Indep Coy ; ) was a short - lived company of francophone volunteers in the Rhodesian Army during the Rhodesian Bush War . Numbering about 120 men at its peak , it was unique in the history of the Rhodesian Army as an exclusively expatriate unit . It existed between October 1977 and May 1978 as a company in the 1st Battalion , the Rhodesia Regiment , and served two counter - insurgency tours on Operation " Hurricane " in north - eastern Rhodesia ( today Zimbabwe ) . During the Bush War , the Rhodesian Army augmented its ranks with foreign volunteers , who were accepted into regular regiments with the same pay and conditions of service as locals . Most foreign recruits enlisted in the Rhodesian Light Infantry ( RLI ) , which launched a wide - reaching and productive overseas recruitment programme in 1974 , but required successful applicants to speak good English . The Army attempted to transfer the success of the RLI campaign to French - speakers during late 1977 , and formed a designated company in the Rhodesia Regiment for them . The regiment already had six independent companies , so the francophone unit became 7 Independent Company . The company ' s men , a mixture of former French paratroopers , ex - Foreign Legionnaires and young adventurers , had trouble from the start integrating with the Rhodesian forces , and became unsettled by the respective ranks they were given in the Rhodesian Army . In an attempt to raise their morale and create a strong " esprit de corps " , the Army issued them beret insignias backed with the French tricolour and allowed them to raise the flag of France alongside that of Rhodesia each morning . Apparently under the impression that they had signed up as highly - paid mercenaries , many of the French troopers returned home after their first bush trip , unhappy to have received no more money than a regular Rhodesian soldier . On operations their performance was generally below par , but the Frenchmen were involved in some successful actions during February and early March 1978 . Their oppressive treatment of the black villagers they encountered made them very unpopular in the operational area . Following a series of disasters for the company during the latter part of its second tour , including two friendly fire incidents and several fatalities , it was disbanded on 13 May 1978 . A nucleus of men from the unit , led by Bob Denard , executed a " coup d ' état " in the Comoros on the same day , supported by the French , Rhodesian and South African governments . Background . Following a dispute with the British government regarding terms for the granting of full independence , the predominantly white minority government of the self - governing colony of Rhodesia declared independence unilaterally on 11 November 1965 . Britain and the United Nations refused to recognise this and each imposed economic sanctions on Rhodesia . Meanwhile , the country ' s two most prominent communist - backed black nationalist groups , the Zimbabwe African National Union and the Zimbabwe African People ' s Union , mobilised their respective guerrilla armies , the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army ( ZANLA ) and the Zimbabwe People ' s Revolutionary Army ( ZIPRA ) , to overthrow the government and forcibly introduce black majority rule in what they called the " Second " Chimurenga " " . The Rhodesian Bush War was the result , beginning in earnest on 21 December 1972 when ZANLA attacked Altena and Whistlefield Farms near Centenary in the country ' s north - east . The Rhodesian Security Forces launched Operation " Hurricane " in response and fought back strongly , reducing the number of guerrillas active within the country to under 300 by December 1974 . In the period October – November 1974 , they killed more nationalist fighters than in the previous two years combined . However , a South African - brokered ceasefire , which the security forces respected and the insurgents ignored , helped the nationalists to win back ground ; by 1977 there were 2 , 500 guerrillas operating in Rhodesia , with several times that number in training abroad . The Rhodesian Army , though mostly made up of local men , also included some foreign volunteers , who were integrated into regular units under the same salary and conditions of service . Almost all of the foreigners served in the Rhodesian Light Infantry ( RLI ) , a heliborne commando battalion with a glamorous international reputation . The RLI had initiated a major overseas recruitment drive in 1974 , targeting potential volunteers from Europe , Oceania and the Americas , and requiring successful applicants to speak good English . This campaign was bearing considerable fruit by May 1976 , when the RLI ' s largest ever intake included more foreign volunteers than any before , and the enlisting of men from overseas into the RLI would increase yet further as time went on . However , the Rhodesian Army remained stretched and low on manpower . Seeing the success of recruitment into the RLI , it decided in late 1977 to form a French - speaking company to alleviate the strain on its regular units . History . Formation . The francophone unit was placed in the Rhodesia Regiment ( RR ) , which already had six independent companies ; the new company was therefore designated 7 Independent Company in October 1977 . Recruitment was carried out by a former French paratrooper , Roger Bruni , operating from an apartment on Rue Bachaumont in central Paris . Advertisements , placed in newspapers such as " France Soir " , offered " a job with a future abroad . . . minimum age 22 , former non - commissioned officer s preferred " . The body of men eventually assembled varied widely in terms of age , background and experience , but was based largely around ex - paratroopers and former Foreign Legionnaires . The average age was about 25 . French - speaking veterans of a myriad of African and Middle Eastern conflicts spanning the previous two decades successfully applied , but previous service did not prove a necessity ; some of the men accepted had never before been part of a military organisation . Most of them spoke English only at a very basic level . Once signed up , each man was instructed to travel to Switzerland , where appropriate visas were quickly procured from the South African Embassy . In early November 1977 , the French company flew from Zurich to Johannesburg on a South African Airways liner , then to the Rhodesian capital Salisbury by Air Rhodesia . Already in Rhodesia waiting for the men were their leaders : Major L ' Assomption , an ex - officer of the French Army ' s crack 11th Shock Parachute Regiment , and a former officer of Gabonese President Omar Bongo ' s guard ; and Major Laviola , once a non - commissioned officer in the Foreign Legion ' s 2nd Parachute Regiment . Beneath them were the Antillean Captain Toumi , who became the first black officer in the regular Rhodesian Army as the unit ' s second - in - command , and " Colonel " Bob Denard , an infamous French soldier of fortune widely nicknamed " le chien de guerre " – " the dog of war " . According to an anonymous veteran of the unit , the company mostly comprised recently - discharged servicemen from the French forces who were having trouble adapting to civilian life ; " they didn ' t know how to do anything else , only how to jump with a parachute and obey orders , " he explained , " and they liked that kind of thing . " Others , he said , were members of the political far right who had joined up " to kill commies and blacks " , and some were criminals hoping to escape the attention of the French police . An anglophone Frenchman already serving in the 2nd Battalion , RR warned his superiors against offering the potential recruits service contracts , but was ignored ; each signed on for two years . On their arrival , the Rhodesian Army sought to forge a strong " esprit de corps " among them , and to this end extended them several sentimental allowances : for example , morale amongst the Frenchmen rose when they were informed that the Rhodesian insignia on their berets would be backed with the French tricolour . In a similar vein , their request for permission to raise the flag of France alongside that of Rhodesia outside their headquarters each morning was approved . French - speaking men already in the army were attached to the unit to act as interpreters and assist with coordination and tactical instruction . Most of these were Mauritians , who had the advantage of speaking both English and French at a native - like level . The company itself , which numbered about 120 men , was assigned headquarters near Salisbury at Cranborne Barracks , the home of the Rhodesian Light Infantry . It was organised in the same manner as a standard Rhodesian independent company , the only exception being its exclusively francophone personnel . Spirits were high during the unit ' s brief training period as the men enjoyed playing sports , observing the country scenery and experiencing the night - life of the nearby capital . They were not adequately trained , receiving only a basic medical examination , a few days ' fitness training and a cursory explanation of proper conduct in the bush , and were surprised to be told to paint stripes of camouflage green on their weapons and combat boots in the Rhodesian fashion , having never before heard of such an instruction . The first dent to morale came after about a week when they were first issued ranks in the Rhodesian Army . In the eyes of some of the French - speaking soldiers , the ranks assigned appeared to have been chosen almost at random by their superiors , and did not reflect their actual respective levels of training , ability and experience . Some men who considered themselves to have been overlooked began to have problems with discipline . The brazen attitude of most of the company ' s soldiers jarred strongly with that of their Rhodesian commanders , who had high standards regarding presentation and dress which many of the Frenchmen had little inclination to meet . Service . The francophone company was first deployed out of its barracks in late November 1977 , when they were sent to Bindura , about north - east from Salisbury , for a few days in the bush on Operation " Hurricane " , the Army ' s operational area which covered Rhodesia ' s north - east against guerrilla activity . After this passed without major incident , the Frenchmen were despatched to Rusambo , a camp in the Chimanda Tribal Trust Lands , near Rushinga , about north - east from the capital and less than from the border with Mozambique . Most insurgents in this area belonged to ZANLA . A company of men from the Territorial Force was already stationed at Rusambo , advised by a team of intelligence officers . " Sticks " of four men ( three FN FAL riflemen and an MAG gunner ) would be sent out into the bush from Rusambo for periods of up to two weeks , equipped with a radio to communicate with the base . Their task while in action was to seek out guerrillas by means of patrolling , ambushing and operating observation and listening posts . Once a group of insurgents was spotted , the stick leader would report their positions ; Rusambo would then alert the Army and request a Fireforce . If Fireforce were available , it would arrive and engage the cadres ; if not , the stick in the field would have to handle the situation itself . At first , men from 7 Independent Company were sent out in sticks mixed with the Territorials , but problems soon arose regarding proper regimen and the language barrier . When the Frenchmen were then sent out alone , their Land Rovers prominently flying the tricolour , the issue of language was resolved , but that of indiscipline remained . Though discretion was paramount if they were to observe enemy movements covertly and effectively , the men of 7 Independent Company were found to have difficulty maintaining this and sometimes made careless mistakes which risked revealing their presence . Moreover , when investigations were made of local kraal s , marked tension soon arose between the Frenchmen and the local black population ; the soldiers ' ignorance of English or Shona made it very difficult for discussions to take place and , according to other Rhodesian units who came into contact with them , the French soldiers took out their frustration on the villagers , often using excessive force in their attempted interrogations . Nyamahoboko Police Station even received a report of a 7 Independent Company man raping a young tribeswoman in a dense thicket , but did not act on it . Shocked and disappointed by these developments , the Rhodesian Army re - assigned 7 Independent Company in late November to Marymount Mission , a small settlement to the east of Rusambo where there was a minor police station . The number of patrols they would embark on was reduced . Two of the company ' s vehicles were ambushed by cadres between Marymount and Rusambo on 6 January 1978 , resulting in two men being injured , one fatally so . A week later another truck was surprised on the same bush road , resulting in one death and three serious casualties . The company was brought back from the bush four days later for rest and recuperation ( R & R ) in Salisbury . During their 15 - day rest periods , which came once every six weeks , the company ' s men would congregate around the Belgian - owned Elizabeth Hotel , in the centre of the city at the corner of Causeway and Manica Road . Many of the Frenchmen became seriously disaffected when they first received their salary from the Rhodesian Army ; having apparently been misled about wages of up to R $ 1 , 000 per month ( ₣7 , 000 ) by the French recruiters , they were surprised to find that their basic monthly pay was actually R $ 245 ( ₣1 , 800 ) , the same as a regular Rhodesian soldier . Moreover , some were upset that they had been paid in Rhodesian dollar s , which because of the country ' s international isolation could not easily be exchanged for foreign currencies . Although it was not as much as they had been expecting , one disenchanted veteran of the unit did say that the R $ 245 wage , which came with a $ 10 special - unit supplement , was more than enough money to sustain them comfortably in Salisbury during their time off , especially as each man ' s pay was exempt from tax for the duration of his two - year contract . The pay dispute split the unit . About two thirds went on strike , saying they would not return to action unless the Army upped their wages and paid them in foreign currency . By contrast , some of the more contented Frenchmen made steps to remain permanently , having their wives join them in Salisbury , and buying cars – particularly popular amongst the company ' s men were the classic Jaguar s available at the city ' s dealership . The Army detained the strike ' s ringleaders for insubordination , and told them that in line with Rhodesia ' s policy of not engaging mercenaries , they would get the same pay , conditions of service and treatment as regular soldiers and no more . With neither side willing to budge , the strikers were soon repatriated to France at their own request . The Rhodesian Army considered disbanding the unit altogether , but persevered when L ' Assomption convinced his superiors that his remaining men were still loyal and eager to continue serving . Starting on 11 February 1978 , 7 Independent Company spent half a week at Mount Darwin , where there was a major Army base . The company acquitted themselves well during this time , but one of their number was badly injured in a motor accident . They returned to Rusambo , where the camp was now manned by the British South Africa Police ( BSAP ) , Criminal Investigation Department and Special Branch , guarded by a group of Coloured and Indian - Rhodesian soldiers . On 26 February , the Frenchmen spotted a group of seven cadres indoctrinating tribespeople at a local kraal , and called up Fireforce . The RLI men who arrived killed four of the seven , including one carrying detailed documents . The next day 7 Independent Company observed 11 guerrillas entering another kraal , but this time the Fireforce took too long to arrive . The French company took part in a large battle on 1 March , fighting alongside an RLI Fireforce against 28 cadres ; 18 insurgents were killed in this contact without loss for the Rhodesian Army . Soon after this , two sticks from 7 Independent Company were despatched to Marymount , led by a deputy intelligence officer who began sending them out on more regular night patrols . The following months were a disaster for the locally - based Rhodesian forces ; first one stick fired on another , causing an injury , then a BSAP Land Rover hit a mine , killing two members of the French company . A further Frenchman died in an ambush by insurgents before another friendly fire incident on 19 April 1978 resulted in a fatality . On several occasions during this bush trip the area was " frozen " ; regular army units were confined to their camps while the Selous Scouts operated against the guerrillas . With morale amongst the Frenchmen plummeting , bringing their unit close to collapse , its officers at Rusambo frantically worked to keep it together , at least until they were next withdrawn for R & R . Aftermath . The company did not last much longer once back in Salisbury . Soon after three of its troopers were placed in detention at Llewellin Barracks , the unit was formally dissolved on 13 May 1978 . The only personnel retained by the Army were the interpreters , who were returned to their former units . Supported by the French , Rhodesian and South African governments and with Rhodesian logistical assistance , some of the remaining Frenchmen , led by Denard , took part in a " coup d ' état " in the Comoros the same day , toppling Ali Soilih ( who Denard had himself put into power three years earlier ) . The Comoros subsequently became a key location for Rhodesian " sanction - busting " operations , providing a convenient end - user certificate for clandestine shipments of weapons and equipment bound for Rhodesia in spite of the UN embargo . South Africa , also under a UN arms boycott because of apartheid , received war materiel through the Comoros in a similar fashion . Other 7 Independent Company men became civilians in Rhodesia ( which was reconstituted as Zimbabwe in 1980 ) . Two of them , Gervais Henri Alfred Boutanquoi and Simon Marc Chemouil ( both former Foreign Legionnaires ) were executed for the murder of Richard Kraft , a Karoi café owner , in May 1983 .