War in the Air by Dudley Cowderoy and Roy C. Nesbit. The Rhodesian Air Force (Inscribed by Lieutenant-Colonel Ron Reid-Daly). 1987.

Inscribed by Lieutenant-Colonel Ron Reid-Daly.

Reid-Daly was not an airman; he was one of the most famous, controversial, and formidable army bush warfare commanders of the 20th century. A veteran of the British SAS during the Malayan Emergency and a former Regimental Sergeant Major of the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI), he was handpicked in 1973 by General Peter Walls to form and command the Selous Scouts.

The Operational Connection

Though Reid-Daly belonged to the army, the Selous Scouts and the Rhodesian Air Force shared a fiercely symbiotic operational relationship.

The "Fireforce" Doctrine: The Rhodesian military relied heavily on a rapid-response vertical envelopment tactic known as Fireforce.

The Mechanics: Selous Scouts specialized in "pseudo-operations"—disguising themselves as insurgent cadres to infiltrate enemy networks and establish hidden observation posts in the bush. Once they located a guerrilla group, they called in the Air Force. RhAF Alouette III helicopters (serving as gunships and troop carriers) and Dakota transport planes would instantly deploy infantry directly into the engagement zone.

Having Reid-Daly’s signature in a volume dedicated to the Air Force perfectly bridges the gap between the covert trackers on the ground and the air support that ensured their survival.

Minor edge wear. Inscribed.
175mm x 250mm
R1,000