Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Rhodesia, Exemplary Service (768 WO 1 W. P. Maitland) nearly extremely fine £100-£140

W. P. Maitland was one of the first Rhodesian Air Force Parachute Jumping Instructors, and gained his PJI Brevet at PTS RAF Abingdon in August 1961. The following article by Derek de Kock gives further details:

‘A few years ago I asked for ex members of the Rhodesian Air Force to share their memories regarding the Rhodesian Air Force  Parachute Training School at New Sarum and was surprised to receive a contribution from Rex Taylor. I was previously unaware that Rex was on the parachute evaluation course in 1959 when the RAF sent a team to ascertain the possibility of utilising paratroops in the hot and high country of the Central African Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The team from the Royal Air Force No 1 Parachute Training School at RAF Abingdon consisted of one Officer Sqn/Ldr Errol Minter (born in Bulawayo) and two Sergeant Parachute Jumping Instructors Sgt Red Summers and Sgt George Sizeland. This team was sent to train twelve black soldiers and twelve white soldiers - all were volunteers. The only regular regiment in the Federal Army at this time, was the King’s African Rifles, and the small number of Staff Corps used for training all the Territorial soldiers on national service. The all white units of 'C' Rhodesian Squadron of British 22 SAS Regiment and a Battalion of The Rhodesian Light Infantry had yet to be formed. The result was a number of RRAF men were included in the mix - they included Chief Technician W. P. Maitland, Flying Officer Rex Taylor, Cpl/Tech Forbes, Flying Officer Basil Myburgh and W.O Wild. Chief/Technician Maitland was later sent over to RAF Abingdon with the original RRAF volunteers to be trained as PJIs and became the Parachute Training School Warrant Officer. Rex also recalled another name in his story - S/Sgt Bouch the man responsible for getting everybody physically fit before the actual parachute course started. W.O. Bouch later became a founding member of C Sqn Rhodesian SAS and was killed In action on 12 October 1966 at the start of the Rhodesian Bush War. I remember W.O. Bouch teaching us unarmed combat in the very early days and his familiar shout to, "Grab your enemy by the Throat and squeeze t' life outta him." Everybody who had any dealings with Bob Bouch will never forget him. Thank you Rex for your contribution of a time that is all but forgotten. Thanks to the experiments performed by Rex and his fellow guinea-pigs, the viability of parachuting in our particular conditions was confirmed and the dream of the Rhodesian Parachute Training School became reality.’

Sold with copied research, including photographic images of recipient in uniform.