Operation Gatling: The Green Leader Tape

[baboon6]

Operation Gatling was a series of raids by the Rhodesian Air Force, Rhodesian SAS and Rhodesian Light Infantry on ZIPRA training camps in Zambia on 19 October 1978. "Freedom Camp" at Westlands Farm near Lusaka was attacked by Canberras (Green section) using Alpha bombs (300 cluster munition bomblets dropped directly out of a hopper in the bomb-bay of each aircraft), Hunters (Blue, Red and White Sections) using Frantan (frangible tank-napalm) and Golf bombs (a kind of primitive fuel-air explosive bomb) and K-Cars (Alouette IIIs armed with either 1x20mm cannon or 4x .303 Browning machine guns). This was the first target to be attacked and the raid commenced at about 0830.

 

The second raid, at a camp near Mkushi containing about 2000 ZIPRA guerillas and supporters, also commenced with aerial attacks by Hunters and Canberras, and was followed at 1145 by six Dakotas dropping 120 SAS operators. Another 48 SAS operators were brought in by Alouettes (G-Cars, armed with twin .303 Brownings) from Mana Pools. K-Cars again provided support and the camp was secured by 1600, with heavy losses to the enemy. The SAS troops and the forward air base established near the camp were evacuated the follwing day. The third raid occurred in the afternoon, at a camp known as CGT-2. Vampire and Lynx aircraft and K-Cars supported RLI paratroopers and heli-borne troops staging out of Kariba and Mana Pools. This raid could only commence after the Mkushi raid because it used the same Dakotas and helicopters to insert the troops. This gave time for most of the inhabitants to escape and only a few dozen were killed or captured.

 

About 3000 or so ZIPRA guerillas and supporters were killed in the raids. It must be acknowledged that some were women or children. One Rhodesian soldier was killed.

 

A map of the operation:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Green Leader was the callsign of the lead Canberra pilot, Sqn Ldr Chris Dixon, on the Westlands Farm raid. Here is an mp3 of the tape recorded in his cockpit during the raid, including the famous "Lusaka Tower, this is Green Leader" bit. Most of the talking is between him and his navigator/bombaimer. 57mb, 25mins:

 

http://www.cuba2006.me.uk/downloads/Operation_Gatling.mp3

 

 

Transcript of the tape:

 

http://www.filefactory.com/file/5a3851/

 

 

 

 

RhAF Canberra B.2:

 

 

RhAF Hunter FGA.9:

 

 

Hunter with weapons, Golf bomb is the blue cylindrical thing near the aircraft with the rod sticking out of it:

 

 

RhAF K-Car and G-Car:

 

 

 

 

Lynx (Reims-Cessna 337 armed with twin .303 machine guns, could also carry mini-Golf bombs and rockets):

 

 

Vampire T.11:

 

 

Dakota:

 

Edited November 10, 2007 by baboon6

[Sardaukar]

Good stuff !! Thanks !

[Sikkiyn]

I could not get the transcript to d/l.

[baboon6]

I could not get the transcript to d/l.

 

Sorry that site is no good. Anybody got a suggestion where I can upload the file? Word document, 50k or so. I cannot use Rapidshare.

Edited November 10, 2007 by baboon6

[Tomas Hoting]

Sorry that site is no good. Anybody got a suggestion where I can upload the file? Word document, 50k or so. I cannot use Rapidshare.

 

Does another file hoster like Megaupload work?

 

http://www.megaupload.com

[baboon6]

Okay I've changed the url for the transcript in my first post, it definitely works now. Go File Factory!

 

Here's a pic of RLI paratroops about to embark in a Dakota. In this raid they would have been carrying CSPEP containers:

 

 

I must add that in many ways Operation Gatling was not typical of external operations. It was the first major op into Zambia and therefore met little in the way of prepared opposition, though the enemy forces certainly had plenty of weapons available, the camps were not really fortified. Other raids, like Operation Uric into Mozambique in 1979, met enemy (both ZANLA and FPLM) forces in prepared positions. 12 Rhodesians (11 Army, 1 RhAF) and 3 SA Air Force aircrew were killed on Uric, in two aircraft (a Rhodesian Agusta-Bell 205 "Cheetah" and a South African Puma).

 

An account of Operation Uric:

 

http://www.rhodesianforces.org/OperationUr...AMazambique.htm

[Tomas Hoting]

Very interesting reading!

 

One would think that the other guerilla forces learned a thing or two after Operation Dingo in November 1977 when the Rhodesians attacked the ZANLA headquarters of Comrade Bob in Mozambique. Operation Uric's outcome might have been the result of not making the same mistake twice.

 

Still, form a military perspective, both raids were highly effective. The Rhodesians managed to inflict heavy casualties on their enemies while suffering only very light losses themselves.