Chibaya Moyo, 'Strike to the Heart' in chiShona, is an anthology of stories and anecdotes from those who served with the Masodja, the all-volunteer black soldiers of the Rhodesian African Rifles, a proud regiment that fought with distinction in two world wars, the Malayan Emergency and the Rhodesian bush war. Chibaya Moyo brings together so many voices with tales of such contrasting topics that it is, by its unique nature, fascinating, tragic, humourous, intense, inspirational and filled with pathos; above all, it is honest. It is the story of a brotherhood that transcended race and tribe, and it is a lasting memory of, and testament to, a proud and distinguished regiment, its soldiers and their actions. To have served with this regiment was an honour and a privilege.
Andrew Telfer served in the Rhodesian Army from 1975 to 1981. As a platoon commander with the 2nd Battalion, Rhodesian African Rifles (2RAR), he was decorated twice, with the Military Forces Commendation (Operational) and the Silver Cross of Rhodesia. During the late 1980s he served in the Arabian desert as a major, commanding a squadron of Arab special forces for the Sultan of Oman. In 1994 he founded the Spirit of Adventure in South Africa, an outdoor centre training young people in leadership. In 1999 he captained the South African team that completed the Discovery Channel Eco-Challenge, a 12-day expedition race in the Andes mountains of Patagonia. He has climbed Kilimanjaro three times, each time with one of his children. During 2012 and 2016 he and his wife Janette walked more than 2500 km on various Caminos de Santiago de Compostella in Spain, France and Portugal, and canoed over 400 km along the Loire River in France.They now live by the sea in New Zealand. Russell Fulton served in the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) in 1977 as a machine gunner in that elite regiment. Commissioned in February 1979 he returned to the bush war as a platoon commander with 1RAR. Posted to 3RAR as Adjutant, and then B Company 3RAR as company 2ic, he was promoted to captain before he turned 21, the youngest substantive captain in the Rhodesian Army. Sent on a six-month exchange officer attachment to the British Army, he returned to 3RAR and was then posted to the School of Infantry to instruct command courses in the new Zimbabwe National Army. Posted in as a course officer regular cadets, he served in both the Platoon and Company & Battalion Commanders (GD) Wings. MBA qualified, Russell pursued a career in sales and marketing. negotiating an exclusive licence and distribution agreement with NIKE Inc., the first on the African continent, that saw Bata Zimbabwe export over one million pairs of footwear in the first year. Russell, his wife Coralee and their three children now live in Australia.
