rhodesianmilitaria

The British always referred to Rhodesia as Southern Rhodesia even after the federation disbanded and Northern Rhodesia became Zambia and Nyasaland became Malawi. Part of the argument between Ian Smith and various UK governments was if Zambia and Malawi had become independent from the Britain in 1964 why wasn't Rhodesia allowed to become independent.

Two issues of RhSAS stable belts. Two issues of Grey's Scouts stable belts. I have the info somewhere on my PC. One issue of Selous Scouts stable belt.

He has the largest KIA RhGSM collection. Never seen a fake Rhodesian award that I couldn't tell was fake including the stamping. I had a good teacher.

Yes. I have all of the rosettes and all of the ribbons. I have yet to display them. One day.

First issued in January 1981. Approximately 40k members of the BSAP and Reserve had to be issued with it alone.

The Zimbabwe Independence Medal wasn't created by Mugabe. It was created by Lord Soames the British governor of Southern Rhodesia from 1979/80. I also had a conversation many years ago with one of the Rhodesians who helped design the medal. Of course Mugabe had a say in the design to where certain things had to be put eg the AK47 and the Zimbabwe Ruins which ironically the ruins had no connection to Mugabe's Shona tribe. Ah well nothing like marketing. No they didn't. Rhodesian awards started from at least 1967. In case you think I'm wrong this is part of my collection that I once owned. At one stage I had four BCR groups including to a famous pseudo terrorist KIA Selous Scout Corporal Obert Mabaleka. Lieutenant-Colonel R.F. Reid-Daly dedicated a number of pages to Obert in his book 'Pamwe Chete.' The UK GSM was issued to a Rhodesian member of C(Rhodesia) Squadron 22 Special Air Service for service in Malaya 51-53.

It's funny how so much of Rhodesia's militaria ends up back in the country that turned it's back on it at the time of it's greatest need.

I hope you realise three things. One that a lot of medals issued during Mugabe's reign including for gallantry were political. Point two is that the construction of the Zimbabwe awards and medals was utter rubbish compared to the superb construction of the Rhodesian awards. Point three is that Mugabe copied some of the Rhodesian awards and just changed the name, the design and the ribbon and made them from inferior metals.

Lots of differences. I had a lot of info about them on my website but last week I shut my site down after 7 years. Two examples below, both worn after 1970. Second photo shows two different variations of the RhSAS para wings for the camo (combat) uniform.

Sorry this is not a RhSAS para wing it's a British army para wing.

BSAP had a leather belt with brass buckle and I believe a white belt with silver buckle but no stable belts. Stand to be corrected as BSAP is not my area of collecting.

Absolutely and the above stable belt is an excellent example.

No the Member of the Legion of Merit (MLM) was bronze but silver plated. The next award was the Officer of the Legion of Merit (OLM) which was solid Rhodesian silver. All the Legion of Merit Awards above the MLM were solid silver although some were gold plated. This one is genuine but there are many copies. I have a civil MLM & CLM. Both excellent pieces of work and detail like all of the Rhodesian medals from that period. The enamel work is also excellent on all of the genuine Rhodesian awards. Quite a few of the copies have a lower standard of enamel (possibly painted on) and in one case I have seen a copy where the centre that would normally be enamelled was painted instead.

The RhSAS stable belt is 1st issue. Comparison photos & descriptions can be seen here. http://www.rhodesianmilitaria.com/page16.html

The Zim Independence Medal was approved on the 17 April 1980 — two days before the renamed Colony of Southern Rhodesia became the Republic of Zimbabwe.