Royal Rhodesian Air Force
Volunteer Reserve

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A History of the Royal Rhodesian Air Force Volunteer Reserve

This account was extracted and recompiled by Eddy Norris in 2011 from the magazine "Fighting Forces of Rhodesia" written by Colin Black, dated May 1974, Pages 53, 55 and 57. Material supplied to Eddy Norris by Phil Wright (BSAP).

COLIN BLACK, who wrote the story of Rhodesia's Fighting Forces, was an ex-journalist, wartime soldier, Civil Servant and public relations practitioner who came to Salisbury from South Africa at the beginning of 1939 to work on the Rhodesia Herald.

Extract from first Volunteer Reserve policy directive issued on 17 August, 1961.

Signed by Air Commodore H. Hawkins for Air Vice-Marshal Bentley.

1.: The R.R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve is formed to provide an additional source of trained manpower to support the R.A.F. Regular Force in an emergency.

2. Primarily, such an emergency is conceived as being an internal security situation within the Federation. It is becoming increasingly apparent, however, that a potential external threat to the Federation could develop across our northern, and later perhaps across our eastern and western borders. It is not possible for the present Regular Force to provide all the necessary manpower to meet the developing situation.

3. The importance of an adequately manned, organised and trained Volunteer Reserve cannot, therefore, be overstressed.

4. The aim is to organise and train the Volunteer Reserve to the point where it can give immediate and wholly effective assistance to the Regular Force in an emergency.

Development of the Volunteer Reserve

At the second meeting of the Standing Joint Committee of the V.R., on 23 August, 1961, it was decided that local unit establishments should be compiled for Woodvale (Bulawayo), Umtali, Blantyre (Nyasaland), and Ndola and Lusaka (Northern Rhodesia).

RHODESIA'S small European population dictated the financial considerations that limited the number of Regular officers and airmen who could be employed. This naturally meant that there were trained officers being used in administrative capacities who could, in an emergency, be flying aircraft. The same applied in a smaller way to Regular trained airmen, it was thought that the time that under operational conditions these Regulars would revert to their trades and branches, thus leaving a number of vacancies, and it was planned that the Volunteer Reserve would fill these vacancies.

The man chosen to raise and lead the Volunteer Reserve was Charles Green (right), an ex-Royal Air Force fighter pilot of great repute and an experienced administrator. He became Group Captain and Officer Commanding Volunteer Reserve.

Headquarters were in Dolphin House, Salisbury, and recruiting was started from there to cover both Northern and Southern Rhodesia. Two Regular officers, Wing Commander Dickie Bradshaw and Flight Lieutenant Don Holliday flew to Lusaka to install an operations centre for use and training by Volunteer Reserve members there.

Units were formed and gradually most centres of the Federation were serviced by V.R. units.

Group Captain Green then had to relinquish his command due to pressure of personal work and his place was taken, as an interim measure, by Wing Commander Chris Hudson.

He was replaced by Squadron Leader Graham Smith (promoted to Group Captain), who found teething troubles a-plenty. Many men, war memories still fresh, joined with understandable ardour, but it was found that some were inclined to use the Reserve as a club for reminiscences and war stories rather than as an operational unit. These "old warriors" had to go.

Time soon proved that the original concept needed drastic change. There was a definite need for V.R. members to become specialists in certain operational branches and, when necessary, to serve in the field in these capacities. Thus the concept changed and the V.R. became a viable Air Force Unit specialising in certain fields that were not covered by the Regular Force.

Under any type of mobilisation there would be a need to activate a number of formations and units in the field. The Regular Force, with its limited numbers, would have had difficulty in coping with the situation, and so V.R. personnel were to be trained in specific- roles, to operate in the field next to Regular personnel.

V.R. squadrons were based on all major cities in Rhodesia and also in some of the more heavily populated farming areas, thus ensuring the maximum use of available manpower.

The current terrorist threat demanded an increase in the V.R. establishment to meet this new commitment, and it is safe to say that few "bush" airfields were activated either in past or present operations where the V.R. had not helped in manning and administering them. The Administrative Commander of this type of airfield was usually a V.R. officer. He had vast responsibilities: from the mundane complexities of pay and allowances to the more ticklish problems of discipline, housing, feeding and welfare, to name some. With him were the Intelligence and Operations personnel, V.R. officers and airmen who, closely integrated with the operational flying side of operations, were a vital factor in the successful running of an operational airfield.

With a wide field of responsibility, the Security Section had the vast job of "making safe" all operations emanating from the airfield. There are many other jobs, mundane sounding but nevertheless just as essential, such as Field Supply and Air Movements, all of which need specialists. Pay tribute, finally, to the men who should be at the top of the list, the volunteer pilots.

A senior officer said: "These indomitable spirits, so few in number, so great, in the time they give, are a key factor in the continuing efficiency of the squadron in which they serve."

The Volunteer Reserve could not survive without an efficient administrative service, provided by the O.C.V.R. (later Group Captain O- D. "Ossie" Penton,(right)) and his Staff Officers, whose responsibility it was to organise and guide the necessary training programmes so that the Volunteer commitment to the Regular Force was maintained overall. Training, whether it was in the field or the lecture room, was essential for the "part-time"' airman who must re-orientate himself from the civilian to the efficient military "cog" in a complicated machine.

It is the end of the day. The businessman, the executive, the manual worker or the craftsman, arrives home and tosses his hat or ease into the comer. And to his wife, that patient person who through the centuries has seen her man go off to war, that he says: "I've got to go to the nether regions tomorrow, so I'll want an early breakfast - say 0530."

End of Article

The Strong "Back-Up" Force

Written by Group Captain Charles Green.

The creation of the Air Force Volunteer Reserve was one of the brighter decisions in a Rhodesian world still somewhat dull after the devastation of World War II.

If anyone doubts the value of volunteers in a national military effort, look at Israel. That small state would have been smashed long ago without the terrific effort produced by all its people.

And Rhodesians, especially the post-war newcomers, should remember that Rhodesia has been the only country in the once-great (and now eroded) British Empire and Commonwealth, which had to introduce conscription to keep its volunteers out of the Services, in order to have enough men and women available to keep their shoulders to the wheels of industry and commerce.

As first C.O. of the R.A.F.V.R., I can say now I felt that it would be stupid not to use the latent ability of so many experienced airmen from World War II, when it was essential that our small Air Force should have a strong back-up force. The matter had been raised with Ted Jacklin, and was strongly supported by Barney Benoy, who had to fight many people over the idea, the cost and the control of the V.R. Raf Bentley, and Harold Hawkins, when they in turn succeeded Jacklin as Air Vice Marshal, really got the V.R. going. The volunteers came in on their own time, quite willing to forget their war-time ranks, and much praise is due to these 'old sweats' who got the scheme off the ground. Many of them have gone, but the important factor - continuity of effort - remains, so that today the R.A.F.V.R. is a vital part in the Rhodesian military machine.

Commanding Officers:

Dates in the History of the VR

March 1966 No.105 (VR) Squadron was formed in the Lomogundi area.

1967 saw the formation of No. 107 (VR) Squadron in the Lowveld.

March 1972, Group Captain Graham Smith, the second officer commanding of the VR retired. He was succeeded by Group Captain Ossis Penton.

There were 8 VR Squadrons and 2 Flights. Each was trained and equipped for specific tasks.

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