The important Founder’s Maquette of ‘Troopie’, the Regimental Memorial of the Rhodesian Light Infantry, presented to Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. W. Aust, the last Commanding Officer of the Rhodesian Light Infantry

Founder’s maquette in resin used by the Fiorini Foundry in the design and casting of The Trooper ('Troopie'), the full-size bronze Regimental Memorial of the Rhodesian Light Infantry, 1978-79, the statue 235mm in height, mounted on a wooden plinth 115mm x 110mm x 60mm high, with plaque inscribed ‘Presented to Lt. Col. J. C. W. Aust, MLM, last Commanding Officer the Rhodesian Light Infantry From the Regt. - October 1980’, surmounted by the Regimental badge, the reverse of the plinth with a plaque inscribed ‘”The Troopie” Original Miniature Statue by Fiorini’, extremely good condition £3,000-£5,000

The 1st Battalion, Rhodesian Light Infantry was formed in 1961 in Bulawayo and moved to the Cranborne Barracks in Salisbury (now Harare) a year later. It became part of the Southern Rhodesian Army in 1964, before being reformed almost immediately into a commando battalion.

When prime minister Ian Smith declared Rhodesian independence in November 1965, the Bush War that had been fought over control of the country had already been prosecuted for over a year. Smith’s minority-led government forces, which were not recognised internationally, found themselves up against the military wing of Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union and the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army under Joshua Nkomo. By the time the future direction of the country was settled with the Lancaster House agreement in December 1979, Smith had been replaced by Bishop Abel Muzorewa, and the ensuing elections swept Mugabe to power in April 1980.

During the 15-plus years of conflict before it was disbanded in October 1980, the Rhodesian Light Infantry had played a vital role, chiefly in putting down the counterinsurgency and ultimately serving under the Zimbabwe Rhodesia government in 1979, and then the new Mugabe government in 1980. The nature of the war meant that many of the Rhodesian Light Infantry’s actions had to be launched from the air, and in 1976 it became a parachute regiment. Its experience and effectiveness in counterinsurgent operations later provided vital lessons in tactics and planning for anti-terrorism forces across the world. In its almost 20 years of service, the Rhodesian Light Infantry suffered around 100 men killed in action, 85 of whom are listed on the Regimental Association’s Roll of Honour as being lost between March 1968 and December 1979. It was to the memory of these fallen that the Regiment decided to commission what was to become ‘The Trooper’ or ‘Troopie’ (a name given to Rhodesian Light Infantry servicemen by the Rhodesian media): a bronze of a standing Rhodesian Light Infantry soldier.

Co-ordinated by the Rhodesian Light Infantry Association, whose supporters helped raise public funds to finance the project, the commission went to soldier and artist Captain Mike Blackman, who was at that time the editor of the Association magazine The Cheetah. Blackman had to work quickly in order to ensure that the statue could be cast and in position for Regimental Day 1979 at Cranborne Barracks. Indeed, it was in position that year - an especially important achievement bearing in mind that, with the handing over of power to President Robert Mugabe in 1980, ‘Troopie’ was to survive only one more Regimental Day in place.

In October of the same year, the Rhodesian Light Infantry, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. W. Aust, was disbanded. At the final parade the Regimental Colours were laid to rest and taken for safekeeping to the Salisbury Cathedral, and after 20 years the undefeated Battalion marched into history. At that final parade on 17 October 1980, Aust gave the following address:
‘In a few minutes’ time this Battalion known to the country and to the world for a short but golden period of history as the 1st Battalion The Rhodesian Light Infantry, will march off the square and into history. To mark this dramatic and to many of us heart-rending occasion, we will shortly pay a last tribute and say farewell to our Colours, which we have carried aloft with such pride and honour for more than 14 years of war. There is so much that one can say at a time like this, yet it is a sacred moment, a moment for personal meditation and reflection. There is little I can say to alleviate our sorrow. If the world neither knows nor mourns our passing, let us rest assured that the great captains of history and those who study military affairs will know that a fine regiment is lost to the honourable profession of arms this day. I should simply add that we, the final team of this wonderful regiment, must leave the square not only in grief but with intense pride, dignity and honour. We have much to be grateful for. I am eternally grateful to those fine men who served these Colours before we did; to those among us who have lost loved ones; to those who to this day bear the scars of war received while fighting under these Colours; to those friends - and there are many of them - who have stood by us in adversity; to those who fought with such courage beside us, I’m grateful that we can shout to the world this day, There are our Colours - they are unstained, undefeated, triumphant. They are covered in glory! I would like to think that those of our number who lost their lives are paraded with us this afternoon. I believe they would be proud. We have not let them down. We know that in years to come we will say to our children and to our loved ones with the greatest pride, I served in the Rhodesian Light Infantry. Finally, I offer a personal and humble prayer: May God bless our beloved Regiment and those who on this day and in the past have served her with such honour. I thank God that we have done our duty.’

After independence in 1980 - and very aware of the sensitivity of the ‘Troopie’ - Aust, together with a small select team, dismantled the statue and it was clandestinely spirited out of the country. Some time later, the statue was transferred to the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum in Bristol, England. Eventually, the Marquis of Salisbury offered the grounds of his estate at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire as a permanent home for ‘Troopie’. Lord Salisbury had a close connection with the Rhodesian Light Infantry as his brother, the journalist Lord Richard Cecil, had been killed while reporting alongside them on the Bush War in 1978, aged 30.

Lieutenant-Colonel Aust’s family were among the original Rhodesian settlers who arrived in the country in 1892, and his personal heritage was embedded in the country. Regrettably, after losing his farm in 2001, he left his beloved country and was never to return. Treasured since the disbanding of the Regiment was the original miniature of the statue cast by the bronze founder Fiorini. In October 1980 this was presented to Aust by the Rhodesian Light Infantry Regimental Association in appreciation and recognition of his leadership and unswerving loyalty to the Battalion.

‘Troopie’ remains in the grounds of Hatfield House to this day, having been rededicated on 30 October 2010.

Sold together with the ‘Souvenir Edition’ of The Cheetah magazine, 31 October 1980, which features ‘Troopie’ on the front cover; and the 60th Anniversary Souvenir Edition of The Cheetah magazine, 1 February 2021, which contains a full account of the ‘Troopie’ story, including a transcript of Lieutenant-Colonel Aust’s speech at the rededication of ‘Troopie’ at Hatfield House in 2010.

A film of the final Regimental Parade and the laying up of the Colours can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/oJPIreBMFaU