One Commando: Rhodesian Light Infantry [Paperback]

Dick Gledhill (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 218 pages
• Publisher: Covos Day Books; 2nd edition (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1919874356
• ISBN-13: 978-1919874357
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #456,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Capturing the horrors of war, December 15, 2002

By 

J.C. Neff (North Salem, IN, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Commando: Rhodesian Light Infantry (Paperback)

Mr. Gledhill as captured all the horrors of guerilla warfare in this hard to put down book. Gledhill has written a no holds barred book of fighting counter insurgency in Rhodesia. The main character, Ray Hunter, is a compilation of many men that Gledhill served with in the Rhodesian Light Infantry. The battle scenes are fast paced and so highly descriptive it feels that you are there fighting beside Ray Hunter. Although a work of fiction this book is a must read for anyone interested in the Rhodesian's fight against communism or for those that study counter insurgency actions. You will not be disappointed!!!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT!, March 2, 2003

By 

Otto Steiner (Rosario, Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Commando: Rhodesian Light Infantry (Paperback)

Five stars does not do this book justice! "One Commando" was an outstanding autobiographical account of the Rhodesian Bush War, told from the eyes of a Rhodesian Light Infantryman. If you want a geopolitical dissertation, don't look here, but if you want a gritty account of what it was actually like fighting marxist terrorists in Southern Africa, this book has no equals. Interestingly, the book shatters the myth that the Soviet-backed insurgents were fighting a humanitarian "people's war" by graphically exposing the atrocities they committed against non-combatants of both colours. Gledhill also provides an illuminating look into the "fire force" tactics that allowed the vastly outnumbered Rhodesian army to decimate their foe. The lessons Gledhill provides in what worked for the Rhodesians in their own "war on terror" twenty years ago are still useful today, making this book insightful long after the fall of Ian Smith's regime.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Fiction???? Hmmm......, September 15, 2008

By 

HBHCFSU (HB, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Commando: Rhodesian Light Infantry (Paperback)

As stated in other reviews, this book is written as "fiction," but it seems like it's based on a lot of true events. Having read several books on the Rhodesian Bush war, I recognized a lot of different scenarios and stories from elsewhere. The author has done a great job of blending what one may assume are his own experiences with the experiences of others, giving the reader a pretty good over all picture of what the war in Rhodesia was like. At times the "hero" seems a bit like a superman, but no more so than other heros in other books.

This book is a fast read and I thourougly enjoyed reading it. I was a little dissappointed in that I when I purchased the book, I was under the impression I was getting a non-fiction book. (I got mine on e-bay, which has no book reviews) I typically don't read fiction when it comes to the military because my military experience often leaves me laughing at some of the ridiculous things authors purport military men are capable of. BUT, this book is an enjoyable read. If you liked The Rain Goddess, by Peter Stiff, (also ficiton about the Rhodesian Bush War) you should like this book.