Peter Petter-Bowyer - Winds of Destruction

Every living white Rhodesian was, and remains, incensed by the duplicity—particularly by Vorster—that led to Rhodesia’s unnecessary demise. Whereas the black folk did not recognise the dangers of voting ZANU into power, today they know better. But this late realisation cannot circumvent the unnecessary suffering and bloodshed they will surely face for bringing to power an unbelievably selfish, power-crazy, Marxist demagogue. Too late they have come to understand that ZANU’s promises of utopia in ‘liberated Zimbabwe’ were only for the good of Mugabe and his fat cats—certainly not for theirs. Even the CTs who fought and died to bring about the promises made to them by Mugabe are losers.

Yet, angry and sad as I am for the destruction of my own dreams, I look back on my days in Rhodesia as God-given and wonderful. Nobody can take away memories of life in ‘God’s own country’ amongst wonderful people of all races and creeds. Most white Rhodesians, now spread across the world, share this opinion and the vast majority of black folk trapped in Zimbabwe look back longingly to the days they lived under paternal white government. Harold Macmillan’s ‘winds of change blowing across Africa’ have for these unfortunate Zimbabweans proven to be nothing short of winds of destruction.

Twenty years on at the turn of the century, I am sad to say that I realise how successive British governments have continued the downward spiral in which their winds of destruction have turned to sweep across Britain. The deliberate destruction of Britain’s TSR2 bomber development programme by order of Harold Wilson was an early case in point. This really shook Rhodesians because the Labour Government’s order included the destruction of all data, rigs, jigs and moulds. If a British prime minister was prepared to destroy Britain’s lead in world aeronautical affairs thereby creating loss of prestige, loss of jobs, loss of huge foreign earnings and forcing English engineers to move to other countries, it is hardly surprising that he was so hell-bent on meeting other socialist communism wants, including the destruction of responsible government in far-off Rhodesia. For the Conservative Government to follow suit was mind-boggling.

That is all behind us now. President Robert Mugabe is the only one to have benefited from the policy of appeasement. But in Britain the same policy has led to appalling declines such as permitting children to enjoy power over their elders and allowing the finest rail system in the world to degenerate to its present situation. Illegal immigrants are afforded preferred treatment over British-born citizens. Major companies pass business to the Far East to escape disadvantages stemming from ongoing governmental mismanagement of the county’s affairs. Brussels sets the rules for UK trade. The euro might soon replace Sterling thereby destroying British independence and power forever.

I am a Rhodesian, first and foremost, yet I often find myself wondering why I am still proud to be British having seen the destructive forces of misguided rule by successive British governments. My simple conclusion is that, like most Rhodesians, I was brought up to be the royalist I am today. It is the British Crown that anchors us to our history and our successes. British royalty sets us apart from all other nations even though the UK Government and British media find cause to undermine it at every turn. But it seems to me that the unique position the royal family holds in ordinary British hearts is going to make political suicide just a touch too difficult for destructive politicians and pressmen.

Only a substantial change of the direction in political leadership and national thinking can save Great Britain and recover her to her rightful position of strength and selfrespect.

But above all I say, “Please God, save the Queen.”

A/S/LAir Sub-Lieutenant

ADAccidental Discharge (of a weapon)

AFAAfrican female adult

AFJAfrican female juvenile

AFSAdvanced Flying School

ALOAir Liaison Officer

AMAAfrican male adult

AMJAfrican male juvenile

amslabove mean sea level

APAssembly Point

ASIAir Staff Instructions

ASRAir Strike Report

ATCAir Traffic Control

ATOPSAnti-terrorist Operations

AVMAir Vice-Marshal

B of IBoard of Inquiry

BCRBronze Cross of Rhodesia

BFMBelt Feed Mechanism (20mm Hispano cannons)

BFSBasic Flying School

BravoRhodesian time zone (Greenwich Mean Time is Zulu) Earlier hour zone going east is Alpha then Bravo and so on

BSAPBritish South Africa Policecasevac Casualty evacuation

CFSCentral Flying School (RAF)

CMFCommonwealth Monitoring Force

CSIRCouncil for Scientific and Industrial Research (South Africa)

CSMCompany Sergeant-Major

CTCommunist Terrorist

DCDDefence Cross for Distinguished Service

DGSSDirector General of Supporting Services

DIDrill Instructor

DZDrop Zone (paratroopers and para-supplies)

EFJEuropean female juvenile

EMAEuropean male adult

EMJEuropean male juvenile

FACForward Air Controller

FAEFuel-Air Explosive

FASOCForward Air Support Operations Centre

FISFlying Instructors’ School

FLFlight level

FRELIMOFront for the Liberation of Mozambique

GACGround to Air Controller

GCVGrand Cross of Valour (Rhodesia’s equivalent to the VC)

GSUGeneral Service Unit (equivalent to RAF Regiment)

GTSGround Training School

HALOHigh Altitude – Low Opening (free-fall parachuting)

HFHigh Frequency (radios)

IFInstrument Flying

ILSInstrument Letdown System

INTAFInternal Affairs

IPInitial Point (starting position of jet run-in to attack)

ITCZInter-Tropical Convergence Zone (meeting of warm Congo air and polar air)

JOCJoint Operations Centre

JSPISJoint Services Photo-Interpretation Services

LTTLocally Trained Terrorist

LZLanding Zone (applicable to helicopters)

MIDMilitary Intelligence Services

MLMMember of the Legion of Merit (Operational or Non-operational)

MNRMozambican National Resistance

NDBNon-Directional Beacon

OAUOrganisation of African Unity

OCCOperations Co-ordinating Committee

OCUOperational Conversion Unity (advance pilot training for weapons)

OFEMAFrançais D’exportation de Matériel Aéronautique

PACPan African Congress

PAFPortuguese Air Force

PATUPolice Anti-Terrorist Unit

PJIParachute Jumping Instructor

PMCPresident of Mess Committee