This is a photograph of Mhadlambudzi Police Fort. Note the blast walls, pill boxes made from railway sleepers etc.

Michael Subritzky Excuse the badges, I am one of two New Zealanders who served in the Regular Force of the Kiwi Navy, Army and Airforce.

This is the brassard that was worn in Rhodesia 1979 - 1980 by all members of
Operation Agila.

This photograph shows Lieutenant Colonel Albert Zikhali who was the communist Liason Officer at Assembly Place Lima.  He is wearing Russian Army fatigues and carrying an AKM65. It was was taken during the 1st ZIPRA Battalions move from Assembly Place Lima to Essexvale Battle Camp.  It was common for the Monitoring Force to actually hire local Rhodesian busses to move guerillas from one location to another.

Typical Guerillas at Assembly Place Lima. The guerilla one on the left has an AK47 with triangle bayonet while the one on the right has an AKM version with taped mags and a 'wire cutter' bayonet. Both men also carry a canvas shoulder bag which contained spare magazines, and as well virtually every single guerilla was in possession of a transistor radio.  They listened to news broadcasts from Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana which kept them in touch with all aspects of the war.

Lieutenant Bruce Cantell BSAP in his Kudu with Mike Subritzky.  The machine gun was a WWII vintage .303 Browning.  This was the third Kudu that had  been issued to Bruce in about a year. His previous Kudu's had been destoyed by driving over mines.

Comrade John Nunyungudza, the local Guerilla Commander.  He is carrying a Romanian version of the AK with a forward handgrip. Behind him the sign reads "Artillery Country".  This was where the Kiwi Gunners had their hoochies.

The communist on the left was "General Steve" and he was a local Commander. He was the local ZIPRA High Command Rep until one night he got licqoured up on 'Cane Spirit', cocked his AK and Makarov pistol and then threatened to shoot us all  He later proceeded to torture and whip some of the locals who just happened to be there...he was replaced by the ZIPRA High Command by a man named "General Donkey".

The communist with the binos is the Battalion Commander who's name I have forgotten but he is mentioned in the text of my article.

To the right of the Battalion Commander, the 1st ZIPRA Battalion, Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army marches into Assembly Place Lima, while the communist in the centre of the pic covers them with a WWII vintage LMG  which took a drum mag on the top.

This pic shows the 'daily' lineup of locals going to be treated by us at Assembly Place Lima. The entrance to the hospital tent is to the right of the pic.  Kiwi Sergeant's Pete Shaw NZSAS and Mike Subritzky RNZA, were the first  'Doctors' in the area for about 10 years. Some days it was busier than this especially if there were wounded.

This is Assembly Place Lima in Rhodesia taken from the air.  It was right down on the border with Botswana and to assist the Brit choppers in finding us we raised a pink cargo chute, which we also used as a mess tent. Please note that beside the HQ is a large plaque with a whit Kiwi painted  on it.  We did have Brits with us but this Assembly Place was under Kiwi Command.

Photograph of  the visit of the Chief of Staff of the ZIPRA High Command to Assembly Place Lima.  His name escapes me but he is wearing the red cap and

the other communist Senior Commander stands in the centre of the pic holding

a leather wallet.  The short guy holding the AKM65 is Commisar Sibanda, whilst to the right of the pic is Lieutenant Colonel Albert Zikhali, wearing a Russian jungle hat.

The communists had a system of 'first up - best dressed' where they always

switched both uniforms and weapons in order to confuse the Rhodesian Security Forces.

Brit General John Ackland's visit to Assembly Place Lima. (left to right) Communist 'General Steve', Colonel Drysdale RM, General Ackland, Kiwi Sergeant Paul Gregg (obscured), Major Brian Hewitt RNZA the OC of Assembly Place Lima. The sign above reads "Goodbye, Goodluck and Keep Your Head Down!"

New Zealand Peacekeepers at the entrance to Essexvale Battle Camp. (left to right) Sergeant Stuart Ashworth, Sergeant Mike Subritzky, and Sergeant Peter MacArthur.

Note the Peacekeepers armbands worn on the left sleeve.  This armsband had in the centre a erd, white and blue diamond with a yellow sun in the centre and an African Pangolan (a small anteater).  The significance being that  the animal (Pangolan), had shart claws and although small was ferocious when

messed with.

Kiwi Bombardier Peter MacArthur with several of the members of the Battalion
as we are preparing to pull out and move to Essexvale.  The guerilla on the right of the picture wearing the camouflage jacket is Comrade Bernard who was our interperator.

The weapon being carried is an on WWII era, Russian Light Machine Gun which

took a drum magazine that clipped onto the top of the weapon.

This pic was taken outside the hospital tent at Assembly Place Lima. (left to right) Kiwi's Sergeant Paul Gregg, Bombardier Peter MacArthur, Sergeant Mike Subritzky, Rhodesian Police Officer Lieutenant Bruce Cantell, and a visiting British Medical Officer from the Royal Navy.

A pic of Mike Subritzky in a Brit mine proof Land Rover outside the wire at Mhadlambudzi Police Fort. Behind him to the left is a Rhodesian troop carrying  "Crocodile",  while to the right is a Rhodesian Army "Rhino". Mike's vehicle was mine proofed by REME at Colchester.  "Thanks Mates!". Note also the heavily sand bagged blast walls and large pill box just in front of the nose of the croc.

The two kids in the foreground are wearing the Battalions fatigue uniform while the platoon doing drill with SKS's are wearing a reversable camoflage uniform which I think was Egyptian in origin. The young chap on the left has a WWII Russian 'Burp' gun while his comrade carries an RPD.

'Dust Off' for a badly wounded guerilla at Assembly Place Lima who was blown up by an RPG7 round. Cpl McDougal RNZIR is standing at rear holding an SLR and Major Hewitt RNZA is in front talking with the pilot. Note the KIWI and 'L' painted on the top left corner of the chopper's cross.

This pic shows Kiwi Sergeant Mike Subritzky marshalling in a Brit chopper into Assembly Place Lima. By that stage we had all scored a Brit 'Para Belt' and had stripped down  our webbing of it's shoulder harness but are still wearing our first line, including bandoliers.

This pic shows Kiwi Bombardier Peter MacArthur standing beside a Rhodesia "Crocodile" AFV, while a Brit Herc with Peacekeeper markings on does an airdrop into Assembly Place Lima.

This is a pic of camp HQ at Assembly Place Lima, showing us proudly flying the New Zealand ensign. We also flew the Brit Union Jack from directly above the "Ceasefire  Assembly Place" sign which we nailed to a tall tree.

These guys were guerillas and they dressed in a variety of bits and pieces from a variation of uniform to African tribal stuff. Note the Russian webbing and weapons.

These are the Officers of the 1st ZIPRA Battalion.  The kid in the rear rank, second from left was aged 16.  He was their Medical officer.

Dead guerilla, identified by Mike Subritzky as Comrade Darlington in  'French Dressing'.  Note the two varities of Russian hand grenades; he was carrying these at the time his three man stick was ambushed.

In the foreground is Kiwi Sergeant Mike Subritzky, wearing the Jungle Hat  of the Commonwealth Monitoring Force. Behind him on parade is the communist "1st ZIPRA Battalion of the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army".