Piloting the planes were ciabacked, anticommunist cuban exiles. In 1964 the congolese prime minister moise tshombe hired major mike hoare to lead a military unit called 5 commando group made up of approximately 300 mercenaries from all over. The congo, 1964 during the 1960s the newly independent congo was the scene of constant warfare. Sep 15, 2008 congo mercenary, initially written in 1967, describes a facet of congolese history that, even today, is known by relatively few observers. A hot, ferocious, dirty jungle war in which he served as a mercenary. Sep 15, 2008 congo mercenary by mike hoare, 9781581606393, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Jul 11, 2011 during congo rebellion of 1960s, siedfried muller was one of the first mercs to sign on in south africa. The company was called coastal surveys and was founded by a man named john peters. Latest additions to the mercenary wars and the soldiers of.
I am working on a book about the congo wars of the 1960s that will cover the katanga secession in 1960, the simba rebellion of 64, and jean schrammes mercenary revolt in 67. After the war, he was a mercenary in the belgian congo for a while. Despite a great deal of publicity, the mercenaries played a relatively minor role in the nigerian civil war, except for air force pilots. Shortly after the chaotic dissolution of the belgian congo, president moise tshombe proclaimed katanga, one of the territorys wealthiest provinces which had accounted for nearly fifty per cent of congolese revenues, an independent and autonomous nation. Originally published in 1967, and now including a new foreword by mike hoare, congo mercenary is a wellwritten and historically important account of one of the most brutal rebellions in africa, as well as an accurate and gritty depiction of the mercenary life. John peters who took over command of 5 commando from mike hoare. Congo is a 1980 science fiction novel by michael crichton. Mercenary by mike hoare meet your next favorite book. Africa airport albertville american ammunition angola appeared arms army article attack attempt belgian biafra bob denard bukavu callan captain certainly colonel command comores congo congolese contract copeland costas georgiou coup cubans death dempster denard dolinchek durban eville enemy fairbairn faulques fighting fire five commando flew. During the congo crisis mike hoare organized and led two separate mercenary groups. In fascinating detail, hoare describes how the mercenaries were recruited and trained. Mercenary congo revolt of 1967, names in command scroll to bottom of page. John peterseither a veteran or deserter of the british special air service who.
This is part of a larger collection of items belonging to a south african mercenary who served with the british parachute regiment and then went on to become a decorated mercenary officer of 5 commando of the armee nationale congolaise anc in the congo from 1966 until it was disbanded in 1967 at this stage i am still researching and am awaiting a. Oct 20, 2019 this is part of a larger collection of items belonging to a south african mercenary who served with the british parachute regiment and then went on to become a decorated mercenary officer of 5 commando of the armee nationale congolaise anc in the congo from 1966 until it was disbanded in 1967. Angola appeared arms army article attack attempt belgian biafra bob denard bukavu callan captain certainly colonel command comores congo congolese contract copeland costas georgiou coup cubans death dempster. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. His second in command was a fellow exbritish army officer, commandant alistair wicks. Mike hoare led two separate mercenary groups during the congo crisis. The battered and bruised face of former raf pilot john peters was flashed across the world after his plane was shot down during operation desert. John peters, as a few of you may know, was a mercenary who was second in command to mad mike hoare in the belgian congo during one of the many shit.
John peters, commanding officer of 5 commando, had refused a. After everybody else, including the united nations troops, had failed. During this time he married phyllis sims, an airline stewardess. Later, hoare wrote his own account of 5 commandos role in the 1960s congo mercenary war, originally titled congo mercenary and much later repeatedly republished in paperback simply as mercenary subtitled the classic account of mercenary warfare. On april 5, 1961, the secretarygeneral criticised belgian mercenaries for their service in katanga and condemned tshombe for. The dedication is to dave, who i presume to be dave braham, as the inscription refers to their time together in the congo 19651967 see photo. The film, the wild geese was a fictionalised account of this story and hoare was hired as technical advisor. Congo mercenary, initially written in 1967, describes a facet of congolese history that, even today, is known by relatively few observers.
Michel is a member of the french foreign legion parachute regiment, he is thought to be loosely based on famous french mercenary bob denard. Original 2nd issue 5 commando shoulder title featuring the flying wild goose, from the estate of bill jacobs, a south african mercenary who served in the british parachute regiment prior to joining 5 commando in the congo in 196667. If you go to the book section of this site you will find all of mike hoares books featured and at this moment in time you can get them personally signed the road to kalamata a mercenarys personal memoir. Mercenaries, usually white and recruited from the former colonial powers, became familiar and generally despised figures in africa during. Folks such as mad mike hoare formed and led the legendary 4 commando and later 5 commando in kataganese service, jean black jack schramme, john peters, rolf steiner, robert faulques, taffy williams and robert denard created the mercenary legend during these years as swashbuckling soldiers of fortune.
The epithet mad mike hoare comes from broadcasts by east german radio during the fighting in the congo in the 1960s. Mercenaries have earned a dubious name for themselves throughout history. The novel centers on an expedition searching for diamonds and investigating the mysterious deaths of a previous expedition in the dense tropical rainforest of the congo. Men who knew only one job and did it well, professional soldering. I n war some cities fall in battle, others by starvation. But in early august 1964 stanleyvillepresentday kisangani, in the democratic republic of the congofell to black magic. Soldiers of fortune, witch doctors, guns, and belgian colonialism. A list of known soldiers of fortune who served in the congo conflict. The story of a congo mercenary by ivan smith is a superb action packed memoir that covers the turbulent period in the congo in the 1960s. John was, in some ways, the most widely known terrorist in recent history, but in other ways remains one of the least known members of that rather exclusive group of people. The nigerians had egyptian pilots loaned to them by the russians, and john peters, a brit who had also been in the congo. In 196465 soldier for hire mike hoare and a handful of mercenaries defeated a horde of drugaddled communist simba rebelsand che guevarato reclaim the congo. The dogs of war 1980 frequently asked questions imdb. Mike hoares personal story of his astonishing and horrifying experiences in the congo in 1965.
They proceeded to terrorize stanleyvilles 300,000 congolese residents and. Mar 21, 2015 the battered and bruised face of former raf pilot john peters was flashed across the world after his plane was shot down during operation desert storm in the first gulf war in 1991. He later joined 5 commando as an officer and served under mike hoare, was destined to become commanding officer after john peters, but was murde red by another mercenary while he slept. All the mercenaries excesses would be forgiven if they could retake stanleyville. A catalogue record for this book is available from the british library. While the word mercenary has pejorative connotations in the western world, the mercenaries that hoare shaped and commanded bring to mind henry vs st. The events recounted in this book occurred in the congo during the katanga campaign of 1961. In 196465 soldier for hire mike hoare and a handful of mercenaries defeated a. Is an account of mike hoares time while with 4 commando. He is thought to be loosely based on john peters, a former sas soldier who served as a mercenary with mad mike hoare during his campaign in the congo in the 1960s. You conduct breakneck advances into the heart of enemy territory, seize critical objectives and, just as important, return to home base. Throughout the french mercenarys career, wherever a state was failing, denard could be found either propping up or dismantling the government roughly in accordance with frances desires. One mans shocking truelife account of a bloody rebellion. The history of the hired soldier from the congo to the seychelles, mockler, anthony.
When asked to form a new commando unit mike hoare choose to name it 5 commando to prevent confusion. Deep in the african rain forest, near the legendary ruins of the lost city. A bit dated now with recent events in the balkans and iraq but does give an account of the heyday of the mercenary. Operation dragon rouge at exactly 0600 hours on the morning of november 24, 1964, as the sun was breaking over the former belgian colony of congo, five fourengine turboprop lockheed c hercules transports appeared only 700 feet above the sabena airport on the outskirts of the city of stanleyville. Faced with this situation, the congolese government hired legendary mercenary leader mike hoare to quell the uprising and bring order to the country. A massive man of very few words, john peters prefers to let his actions speak for him. The book is based on colonel mike hoares time as a mercenary fighter in the congo war of the early sixties. The murderous john peters was put in charge of 5 commando during its mostly garrison duty until being disbanded in may 1967. Thomas michael hoare 17 march 1919 2 february 2020, known as mad mike hoare, was a. During this time he married phyllis simms, an airline stewardess. See more ideas about congo, african and congo crisis.
I came very close to enlisting in the rhodesian army or becoming a mercenary in angola. Colin baker, some photos, soft cover, 256 pages, scarce book. European mercenaries interviewed about killing congolese. Congolese prime minister moise tshombe hired major mike hoare to lead a military unit called 5 commando anc later led by john peters made up of about 300 men most of whom were from south africa. Peters, the leading american conradianwho plugged a glaring gap with his essential study, conrad and impressionism 2001has coedited a collection of millers essays. The congo is, perhaps, a special case in the light of the political chaos which followed independence, but it does share with most of its african contemporaries one distinctive feature in its internal administrative structure. Jul 28, 20 the nigerians had egyptian pilots loaned to them by the russians, and john peters, a brit who had also been in the congo.
I just watched the siege of jadotville on netflix because it looked interesting and i had never heard of the true story before. In 20, he published his last book, a novel entitled the last days of the. Jan 24, 2016 the murderous john peters was put in charge of 5 commando during its mostly garrison duty until being disbanded in may 1967. Hoare led two separate mercenary groups during the congo crisis. Major mike hoares first mercenary action was in katanga, a province trying to break away from the newly independent congo. How extensive was the use of white mercenaries in the post. Photos of mercenaries in 1960s and 70s axis history forum. This book accurately portrayed being a mercenary in the congo and it is just a damn good read. Mercenaries, guns, and witch doctors katanga, the congo wars. This is the heavyweight wool backed variation of the insignia and is less common than the more extensively used lightweight.
Describes the involvement of mercenary troops in 20th century wars in africa and other areas. In fascinating detail, hoare describes how the mercenaries were recruited and trained, and then recounts their adventures through four combat campaigns over an 18month period during which they liberated stanleyville, fought rebels in. Congo mercenary by hoare, mike and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The congo, algeria, yemen, benin, nigeriadenard and his small band of mercs, in keeping with cold war sensibilities, fought for whichever paymaster was. My question mostly comes from the postmovie credits where they said the french mercenary leading the attack on the village rene something i think inspired and led. My book will tell the story of the wars that ripped apart the congo in the 1960s and. For the next decade, the closest hoare came to mercenary activity was by serving as technical advisor for a movie about his african adventures, the wild geese, starring fellow wildmen richard burton and richard harris. Mercenary warfare in congo, nigeria, rhodesia todays zimbabwe, angola. During congo rebellion of 1960s, siedfried muller was one of the first mercs to sign on in south africa. Mulundu requested the death penalty for each of the five charges against the two defendants. Armee nationale congolaise 5 commando anc later led by john peters. Additionally, the characters tasked with finding the lost city of zinj expedition leader karen ross, mercenary charles munro, gorilla expert peter elliot, and of course. As youd expect from the title mike hoare features quite a lot in this book. May show signs of minor shelf wear and contain limited notes and.
Congo merc is a solitaire game that puts you in the middle of that fighting with a task force of elite commandos. Mike hoares first mercenary action was in 1961 in katanga, a province trying to break away from the newly independent republic of the congo. Congo mercenary by mike hoare, 9781581606393, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In those days, honor was not yet a dirty word as it is in the us these days. In 1964, congolese prime minister moise tshombe hired major mike hoare to lead a military unit called 5 commando, armee nationale congolaise 5 commando anc later led by john peters. It is for these reasons that the congo mercenary is being studied. They would precede their commentary with the mad bloodhound. Crichton calls congo a lost world novel in the tradition founded by henry rider haggards king solomons mines, featuring the mines of that works title. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as cds or access codes. On their journey they discover the lost city of zinj and a new species of killer gorillas, which they must overcome to survive. Memories of savage mercenary actions in the congo were still fresh in african minds when the nigerian civil war began and at first, there was reluctance to use them.
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