My Memoirs of the British South Africa Police, 1966-1981: ... and a Colonial Upbringing in Northern Rhodesia

Description

Throughout the author's life in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) his father was a member of the Northern Rhodesia Police and the author sets about recording various incidents in the life of a youngster growing up on the numerous towns and police stations at which his father served. The family moved to Southern Rhodesia in 1964. Finalizing his secondary schooling at Chaplin School, Gwelo, Rhodesia, in 1965, the author joined the British South Africa Police (BSAP) in March 1966 and elected to go into the district branch of the Force. The author traces his career from a young patrol officer, through the various ranks and district police stations on which he served, to his retirement in August 1981 as a superintendent, in what was then Zimbabwe. He highlights the typical lifestyle associated with a district 'copper', including anecdotes from the Bush War that was raging. Apart from the lighter side of the book- hitting an elephant at Makuti at 1 a.m. in a Mini Moke; realizing five minutes before presenting his men on parade to the Officer Commanding, at an annual inspection, that he had left his trousers at home; attending an internal disciplinary hearing as the accused for being drunk off duty where the presiding officer commented that the author's main defence witness appeared more drunk than the author and dismissed the case-there are some more serious chapters involving terrorist incidents, some of which are captured on an original station Incident Log which the author has included in the book.

John Shaw was born in Ndola in 1947, in what was then Northern Rhodesia and received his primary and most of his secondary education in that country. Shortly before Zambian independence in October 1964, his father, a chief superintendent in the Northern Rhodesia Police, resigned and his parents immigrated to Rhodesia. John attended Chaplin School, Gwelo, to complete his GCE certificate. In March 1966, he joined the British South Africa Police and served in the district branch of the Force until his retirement in August 1981, with the rank of superintendent. Shortly after Zimbabwean independence he moved to South Africa with his wife and three daughters, securing a job with Johnson & Johnson, Midrand, in the security field where he remained for 28 years, retiring as their Industrial & Employee Relations Manager in 2008. He settled in White River where he spends his time writing, playing tennis and visiting the Kruger National Park.

This is a fascinating book that is of interest primarily to those who are seeking to know more about the role of the police more broadly in colonial Rhodesia. * Miniature Wargames - Paul Jackson *