Both ZANLA and ZIPRA forces made extensive use of  anti-tank landmines and the Rhodesian authorities soon began to look for ways to counter the troop and equipment losses that land mine blasts and vehicle ambushes were beginning to have.   Mandatory, comprehensive sanctions  applied against the Rhodesian government by the United Nations made it impossible for the Rhodesians to acquire suitable armoured vehicles, so vehicles were designed and produced locally.

The pictures shown below will be replaced shortly by a selection from the RLI Battalion albums.  We have obtained permission from Lt.-Col Ron Reid-Daly to do so, and as soon as these images have been processed, a selection from the RLI albums will be posted here.

MAZDA CONVOY ESCORT VEHICLE

The ever present threat of ambush meant that civilian vehicular travel around Rhodesia was severely disrupted.  Travel was restricted to cumbersome daylight movement in convoys with armed escort vehicles.  The photograph to the left is a typical convoy escort vehicle.   The one ton pickup was fitted with an armoured cupola on the rear.  Inside the cupola, sat a single gunner who operated a Browning .303 belt-fed machine gun.  The gunner could traverse the cupola and fire through a 360° field.  The pickup itself was not armoured.  Photo credit: Chick Van Moerkerken.

CROCODILE TROOP CARRIER

Based on a commercial 5 ton diesel truck, the Crocodile troop carrier was produced in some numbers and in various model variants.  The angled steel shell of the hull provided ballistic protection from grenade fragments and AK-47 rounds.  The charcteristic deep "V" of the hull was designed to deflect the blast of landmines away from the occupants inside the veihle.  The sturdy roll bars further protected the occupants in the vent that a land mine detonation rseulted in the vehicle overturning.  Bullet resistant glass was provided for the driver.  The hatches visble along the sides are viweing / firing ports.  Crocodiles continue to serve in the Zimbabwe National Army today.  Photo credit: Chick Van Moerkerken.

SELOUS SCOUTS "PIG"

This strange vehicle was a one-off example,  built by intrepid Selous Scouts engineers and it began life as a Unimog.  The design was copied from a West German APC and the vehicle saw service exclusively with the famed Selous Scouts regiment.   The vehicle was not mine protected, but certainly had ballistic protection against all small arms fire.  The weapons visible are Belgian belt-fed 7.62mm MAG light machine guns.  Photo credit: Chick Van Moerkerken.

LEOPARD - Mine and ambush protected vehicle

The VW Beetle formed the donor vehicle for the Leopard.  The monocoque hull provided ballistic protection against AK-47 rounds and the sturdy externally mounted roll cage protected the occupants from the inevitable roll-over in a mine incident.  The wheels were off set from the hull, a feature designed to minimise the blast around the hull.  The vehicle could seat 5 - 6 people.  The vehicles visible in the background are Kudus. Photo credit: Chick Van Moerkerken.

KUDU - Mine and ambush protected vehicle

The KUDU armoured vehicle was based on a Land Rover and provided protection from both AK-47 rounds and land mine blasts.  The armoured hull was mated to an existing long wheel base chassis.   The external cladding (mounted approximately 150mm from the steel hull) was designed to "tumble" incoming rounds.  Note the roll cage and bullet-resistant glass for both driver and passengers. A non-mine protected variant of the KUDU was produced for the BSA Police to use in urban areas.  Photo credit: Chick Van Moerkerken.