21 replies to this topic

[Verrieres]

Found this old cutting regarding the fate of British Mercenaries in Angola in the 1970`s .Four were executed following a trial and subsequent guilty verdicts .If its a subject anyone has an interest in I do have more,photographs and information which I can publish.Anyway heres the cutting I think its from May 1976 (Sun or Mirror thats the only two papers my dad ever got!)



Verrieres

[Owen]

Andrew McKenzie was a Swindon lad.
I remember his name from the local news.
I was a bit too young to know what was really going on.
Some friends of mine knew him.
They said he was a normal lad, a bit like me, who just got in with the wrong crowd.
If I remember correctly from reading of his execution he was sat in his wheelchair when shot as he had been wounded.

[Verrieres]

Andrew McKenzie was a Swindon lad.
I remember his name from the local news.
I was a bit too young to know what was really going on.
Some friends of mine knew him.
They said he was a normal lad, a bit like me, who just got in with the wrong crowd.
If I remember correctly from reading of his execution he was sat in his wheelchair when shot as he had been wounded.

Yes ,Spot on Owen McKenzie was nearly killed before his arrest and lost his left leg after being nursed back to health he stood trial was found Guilty and taken in his wheelchair to Revolutionary Field and shot along with three other merceneries ( including`Colonel Callan` who had been responsible for the murder of thirteen of his own men)



Andrew during his `Trial`


Verrieres

[Za Rodinu]

Crazy times and a crazy place

[James S]

I vaguely remember the trial but honestly didn't know they had been executed.
What a waste...... did the families get their bodies back home ?
(I ask this almost sure that they didn't ).

[Verrieres]

I vaguely remember the trial but honestly didn't know they had been executed.
What a waste...... did the families get their bodies back home ?
(I ask this almost sure that they didn't ).

No mention of the bodies being returned the four executed men were `Colonel Callan`,Andrew McKenzie,John Barker and an American Daniel Gearhart .Gearhart denied being a mercenary and claimed in his defence that he had gone to Angola to study the people..until the prosecution produced a copy of Soldier of Fortune Magazine where Gearhart had taken out adverts seeking employment as a Mercenary.


Verrieres

[dbf]

did the families get their bodies back home ?
(I ask this almost sure that they didn't ).

This is all I could find on the matter...

The Times, July 13, 1976:

Funeral costs: It could cost as much as £1000 each to bring the bodies of the executed British mercenaries back home, Mr Raymond Fraser, a lawyer acting for the family of Andrew MacKenzie, one the of the dead mercenaries, said yesterday. The families could not afford it, he said and the British Government should pay.
Mr Clive Stanbrook, a lawyer representing Costas Georgiou (Colonel Callan), claimed that the inactivity of the British Government in this respect was "jeopardizing the possibility of giving the three British mercenaries a Christian funeral in England."

The Times, Jul 27, 1976:

'Callan' secret burial
Costas Georgiou the self-styled "Colonel Callan," leader of the mercenaries executed in Angola, was buried secretly in London yesterday. His body was flown to England on Wednesday last week.

[Steve G]

Hucking Hell!!!! Fire Power: Amazon.co.uk: Chris Dempster, Dave Tomkins: Books

And I've had 'Both' copies of that book pass through my hands! Earlier edition had lots of photo's in. Later one didn't

For all I know, I could still have the later one somewhere in my dust covered pile of paperbacks there? Doubt it though

'Interesting' read, I do remember. Photo's made it more so. Later edition lacked that 'who was who' element.

Frankly? It was the older guy who'd 'signed up' to act as a Russian Translator whose story touched me. Poor sod.

The rest? Seemed like the boot ended up on the foot they hadn't bargained for. Kill people. Earn lots of money ..... Whoops! This wasn't how I'd envisaged it ....!

C'est la vie!

[Verrieres]

Sentenced to Death by firing squad
Costas Georgiou (Colonel Callan) Cypriot /British National
Andrew McKenzie ...................British
Derek `Brummie` Barker...........British
Daniel Gearheart.....................USA
DEATH SENTENCES CARRIED OUT 10th JULY 1976

Gustavo Grillo...............USA..........30yrs imprisonment
Gary Acker..................USA...........16yrs imprisonment
Michael Wiseman..........BRITISH......30yrs imprisonment
Kevin Marchant............BRITISH......30yrs imprisonment
Cecil Fortuin................BRITISH......24yrs imprisonment
Colin Evans.................BRITISH......24yrs imprisonment
John Lawlor.................BRITISH......24yrs imprisonment
Malcolm McIntyre.........BRITISH......16yrs imprisonment
John Nammock.............BRITISH......16yrs imprisonment

An attempted coup in 1977 saw the prison in which the Mercenaries were being held stormed but despite the temptation to escape none of the men moved from their cells.The coup itself eventually failed.In 1982 the American Government brokered a deal for the release of both Grillo and Acker (US Nationals).The British mercenaries were not freed until two years later when in 1984 the British Government secured their release.

Verrieres

[starrygrl171]

You were there? My grandfather is Daniel Gearhart. Obviously I never got to meet him, my dad was 3 when all this happened. He was able to get home and have a proper funeral but it took many, many donations from my grandmothers community and friends and her church to make the 2,000 dollars. Did you know him?

[phylo_roadking]

Been a long time now since I lent out my copy of Firepower - and never got it back, one of several incidents that taught me a valuable lesson! For a long time I kept tripping over copies in 2nd-hand bookshops and always meant to buy it again....tomorrow - but haven't seen one now for a very long time

[Mike L]

Blimey! I have a copy of Firepower, the paperback one shown on ebay. Never knew it was worth anything. I got the impression this sad episode of the Congo Mercenary scene was rather amateurish, brutal but met with some measure of success.

Mike

[Len Trim]

I well remember mercenary recruiting types going about the Aldershot pubs in 1976 trying to recruit soldiers especially Paras.

Len

[David Layne]

I well remember mercenary recruiting types going about the Aldershot pubs in 1976 trying to recruit soldiers especially Paras.

Len

The same happened to me at Fort Benning, circa 1968.

[phylo_roadking]

but met with some measure of success.

...if extremely limited in scope to the area of Georgiou's command - but going by the book at least, there was no faulting "Colonel Callan's" bravery - on at least two (maybe three?) times charging Cuban or Cuban-stiffened columns and routing them basically singlehanded, tanks and all!

Unfortunately as he lost the plot bigtime, that bloodlust was turned on his own men...

[Len Trim]

One thing I remember is that some mercenary's returned. They were obviously interrogated by our security services. One line of questioning was about the efficiency of weapons. We were told that our one shot hand held anti tank weapons (66s?) were useless against armoured vehicles and should ideally only be used gainst soft skinned vehicles.
Len

[Campfreddie]

Hello Verrieres,

If you are still posting here I would be interested in other articles you have on this incident. I'm especially interested in any material you have on Callan, the trial in Luanda , news paper clippings, TV news etc. I was an Army cadet with 3RRF in north london in the late seventies and we had at least one bloke who had been a member of our unit who went there via John Banks. I've read Dave's book "Fire Power" but info on this little piece of history is quite sparse. You can email me direct on onyesoh [at] hotmail.com or post here. Thanks in advance ~ Camp

Edited by Paul Reed, 21 September 2010 - 09:50 AM.
removed email address

[urqh]

Col Callan was responsible as a real ranker nco in Ulster for armed bank robbery whilst on duty was he not? Colonel my left foot.

[bern]

If I remember rightly wasnt there a couple of Blues & Royals involved? Anyone know?

[gliderrider]

If I remember rightly wasnt there a couple of Blues & Royals involved? Anyone know?

Not as far as im aware.

[Verrieres]

Hello Verrieres,

If you are still posting here I would be interested in other articles you have on this incident. I'm especially interested in any material you have on Callan, the trial in Luanda , news paper clippings, TV news etc. I was an Army cadet with 3RRF in north london in the late seventies and we had at least one bloke who had been a member of our unit who went there via John Banks. I've read Dave's book "Fire Power" but info on this little piece of history is quite sparse. You can email me direct on xxxx or post here. Thanks in advance ~ Camp

Try The Modern Mercenary (Dog of War or Soldier of Honour?) by Peter Tinkler it should tell you all you need to know.When posting this thread I did not take into consideration how relatively recent these events were nor the consequences/feelings for the families involved and what painfull memories it brought up once again.I have apologised in private to those concerned and do so publically here. I am sorry but I do not wish to post either privately or on any forum details which relate to these events/times.Sorry.
Best Wishes
Verrieres

Edited by Paul Reed, 21 September 2010 - 09:50 AM.
email address removed

[Paul Reed]

Thread closed on the wishes of the topic starter.