Auction Catalogue

16 & 17 September 2010

Starting at 1:00 PM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 573 x

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17 September 2010

Hammer Price:
£3,100

An outstanding Rhodesia Police Cross for Conspicuous Gallantry (P.C.G.) group of four awarded to Assistant Inspector E. Mazarire, Zimbabwe Republic Police, late British South Africa Police (Support Unit), the fourth recipient of Rhodesia’s highest Police decoration for remarkable bravery after receiving multiple wounds in a terrorist attack: he was originally recommended for the Grand Cross of Valour - of which just two were ever awarded - both to members of the Rhodesian S.A.S.

Zimbabwe Independence Medal (34645); Zimbabwe Service Medal (22327 P.O. E. Mazarire); Rhodesia Police Cross for Conspicuous Gallantry (22327 Const. E. Mazarire), with original investiture pin for wearing; Rhodesia General Service Medal (22327 Const. E. Mazarire, P.C.G.), generally good very fine or better (4) £2500-3000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Keith Holshausen Collection.

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One of only five Rhodesia Police Crosses for Conspicuous Gallantry ever awarded.


Rhodesia Police Cross for Conspicuous Gallantry (P.C.G.)
Force Orders 445 of 1977, the citation for which states:

‘On 17 February 1977, Constable Mazarire, a member of Echo Troop of the Support Unit was travelling with other members of his Troop on the back of an open heavy vehicle with a Land Rover following, in the operational area.

At approximately 7.30 a.m. the convoy was ambushed. At the time, the heavy vehicle driven by the Troop Commander, Section Officer Hewitt, was travelling slowly up an incline when it was subjected to heavy, sustained and accurate machine-gun and small arms fire from a concealed position 30 metres from the road.

The Troop Commander was seriously wounded in the abdomen by the first burst of fire, a Constable on the rear of the vehicle was killed and others wounded.

Constable Mazarire, armed with a M.A.G., and having sustained minor shrapnel wounds to the right knee, was one of the first to return fire from his open position on the vehicle and covered the debussing of his comrades. He expended one belt of ammunition and was in the process of loading a fresh belt when he was struck by a bullet above the right elbow which passed straight through the arm. Notwithstanding this injury, Constable Mazarire completed re-loading and commenced firing again until his wound, which was bleeding profusely, forced him to desist.

At the same time Constable Mazarire saw that enemy fire was still being directed at the cab of the vehicle which was now stationary, and his Troop Commander, obviously injured, was struggling to open the driver’s door.

Constable Mazarire jumped to the ground and deliberately exposing himself to close range fire, assisted his Troop Commander out of the cab and round the front of the vehicle to the disengaged side. In doing so, Constable Mazarire sustained three further bullet wounds in the left arm, thigh and back. It was not until Constable Mazarire satisfied himself that his Troop Commander was in a position of relative safety in the cover of the vehicle’s front wheel that he himself sought cover in a nearby ditch. From this position he encouraged his comrades to continue the battle.

The attack was driven off after some ten minutes. Section Officer Hewitt subsequently died in hospital from his wounds and in all, 17 members of Echo Troop were wounded in the action.

Whilst in the presence of the enemy and under heavy and accurate fire, Constable Mazarire performed deeds of the most conspicuous gallantry and valour with complete disregard for his own life in going to the assistance of his severely wounded Troop Commander.’

Edwin Mazarire was born near Fort Victoria in the Gutu District of Rhodesia in 1956, the son of a peasant farmer and a member of the Makaranga Tribe. Joining the British South Africa Police in May 1974, he was posted to Support Unit’s Tomlinson Depot. Keith Holshausen’s article - “A Black Boot Hero” - which was published in
Medal News in April 1997, takes up the story:

‘The Rhodesian bush war was escalating at this time and on completion of his second year of service he had already seen some action. His Troop Commander, Section Officer Tim Hewitt, noted in his annual report that Constable Mazarire ‘has proven in action that he can remain calm and shoot straight’. He went on to comment that Mazarire was an ‘energetic and reliable man who has a very positive approach to his job and is a good Bren gunner’.


In August 1976, Echo Troop was based at Nyamapanda Police Camp on the north eastern border with Mozambique. The camp was attacked at 2 a.m. on the morning of 15 August and was subjected to R.P.G. rocket, mortar and small arms fire. Some 65 rockets and mortar bombs landed in the camp and two B.S.A.P. were killed. During the attack Mazarire and his Troop Commander, Section Officer Tim Hewitt, climbed to the top of the camp water tower in an effort to locate the enemy firing positions and to return some effective fire (The author personally witnessed this attack as he was on a border patrol at the time and in fact visited the camp the following day).

Mazarire’s third annual performance report was again prepared by Hewitt, in January 1977, and he reported that ‘Constable Mazarire is an extremely capable machine-gunner who has distinguished himself in numerous contacts and camp attacks. He is an asset to his troop. He appears to be fearless and has a very positive and aggressive attitude.’



Within three weeks of writing the above report, Hewitt was to be fatally wounded in a vehicle ambush whilst his faithful machine-gunner was to courageously attempt to save his Troop Commander’s life ... ’

In fact such was the calibre of Mazarire’ courage that a report from the Honours and Awards Board subsequently recommended he be awarded the Grand Cross of Valour (G.C.V.), Rhodesia’s highest award, but the Board’s proposition was not approved by the Minister of Law and Order - at this time the G.C.V. had not yet been awarded and in the end it was only granted to two recipients, both members of the Rhodesian S.A.S.

Nonetheless, his award of the Police Cross for Conspicuous Gallantry was a rare distinction indeed, and he was invested with the decoration by the President, the Honourable J. J. Wrathall, G.M.L.M., I.D., at the B.S.A.P’s Support Unit’s Tomlinson Depot, Salisbury, on 13 March 1978. Interestingly, Mazarire’s Rhodesia General Service Medal was awarded after his gallantry award and it is officially impressed with the post nominal letters ‘P.C.G.’, a unique touch in itself - the latter granted in
Force Orders 399 of 1980.

Mazarire served for six years in the B.S.A.P. and thereafter in the Zimbabwe Republic Police until he retired on a pension in 1994.

Sold with the recipient’s original P.C.G. citation, in B.S.A.P. blue folder, together with further original documentation, including Commissioner Sherren’s congratulatory letter and a similar communication from President Wrathall, and the recipient’s Certificate of Service; photographs of Mazarire in Support Unit camouflage taken soon after his award of the P.C.G. and a studio portrait in colour of him in Z.R.P. Support Unit uniform with medal ribands; and a large quantity of research, not least the findings of the Honours and Awards Board for the award of a Grand Cross of Valour, and the relevant copy of
Medal News with the above quoted article.