Men Who Made Rhodesia

The classical record of the BSACP - authorised in 1889 and disbanded in 1891. The first 85 pages tell the story of the unit’s origins and pioneering services in protecting he settlers and merchants who were flooding into Mashonaland and Matabeleland. Never exceeding the Battalion strength, and with only limited British Army support, it ensured an initially peaceful British conquest of the area which would later be known as Southern Rhodesia. The occupation was so peacefull, in fact, that the Force was soon disbanded (with just 40 men being retained inservice as civil force, the Mashonaland Police). The bulk of the text is then devoted to a compilation of detailed biographical notes on each of the 897 men who served with the BSACP. They were recruited from a very broad range of European Adventures and soldiers of fortune.