A Handful of Hard Men
The SAS and the Battle for Rhodesia
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A Handful of Hard Men
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Narrated by:
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Jack Chekijian
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Written by:
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Hannes Wessels
About this listen
It is difficult to find another soldier's story to equal Captain Darrell Watt's in terms of time spent on the field of battle and challenges faced. Even by the lofty standards of the SAS and Special Forces, one has to look far to find anyone who can match his record of resilience and valor in the face of such daunting odds and with resources so paltry.
In the fight, he showed himself to be a military maestro. A bush-lore genius, blessed with uncanny instincts and an unbridled determination to close with the enemy, he had no peers as a combat-tracker (and there was plenty of competition). But the Rhodesian theater was a fluid and volatile one in which he performed in almost every imaginable fighting role.
After 12 years in the cauldron of war, his cause slipped from beneath him, and Rhodesia gave way to Zimbabwe. When the guns went quiet, Watt had won all his battles but lost the war. In this fascinating biography, we learn that in his twilight years, he is now concerned with saving wildlife on a continent where they are in continued danger and devoting himself to both the fauna and African people he cares so deeply about.
©2015 Hannes Wessels (P)2017 TantorYou may also enjoy...
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What listeners say about A Handful of Hard Men
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tim
- 2020-01-03
Outstanding!
Great book, well written and well narrated. No super soldiers with millions of dollars in gear, just tough, determined men on a mission.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Heath
- 2018-04-14
Fantastic account, historically accurate.
An awesome insight into the harsh reality of the bush war with very astute summary of the Rhodesian spirit and political circumstances. The only complaint: the narrator mispronounces almost every single Rhodesian/Zimbabwean word/name.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-06-10
good book. bad narrating
Sometimes I found my mind wandering, not because of the story being told, but because of it's delivery. I recommend you buy the paper copy and read it yourself
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Will
- 2025-02-02
Rhodesia Lives On
I loved this book. One of my favorites. It's history, and it highlights a lesser known conflict which says much about human beings.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- braden
- 2019-10-21
Never forget. Pamwe Chete
A incredible story of the brave men black and white who gave their all for Rhodesia. Never forget their sacrifices. Rhodesians Never Die
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2019-08-25
Epic
if you are interested in special operations and the complexity of Africa... this is the book. I loved this book through and through. The narrator comes off as a bit intense but it is a intense book with some laughs injected into the carnage. I hope the stories in this book are true to what happened and if they are....wow. Really enjoyed this book I will definitely listen to it again. well done.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- K. Blattmann
- 2020-05-05
Very interesting: high level and details
A great combination of individual events and stories as well as a lot of big-picture stuff that I had no idea about. Very entertaining and educational. Also inspirational: these were hard men!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-07-18
9.5/10 would recommend
This is one of the better books I've came across in some time. Excellent story, with some good humor. The narration is a little dry at times, but somehow it feels appropriate for the book.
loved it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C B
- 2024-11-26
And people say “white men” are the problem….
Proof that Africa is full of savages and Leftist corruption rules the West. This book is clear on one thing: African pride = killing innocent civilians. Time and time again we see a common pattern amongst the enemy: only attacking civilians. It sickens me.
God bless all those who defended Rhodesia and all the innocent lives lost.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ryan
- 2018-06-21
great story of warriors!
excellent story of the Rhodesian SAS. had no idea that this even took place. excellent description of supreme Firepower using machine guns. however story would be much better presented if in authentic voice.
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2 people found this helpful