Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Rhodesia, General Service (110770 P/O K. Mitchell) good very fine £30-£40

Kenneth Mitchell served with The Support Unit. The Support Unit (known as the "Black Boots" due to their footwear) was a Police field force staffed by about 50 white and 1700 (1980) black regular and national servicemen. From early 1978 to 1980 Support training and selection consisted of 3 phases culminating latterly in 6 months or 24 weeks training. The first phase lasting as long as 11 weeks (RLI first phase was 6 weeks). Emphasis in selection depended on extreme physical fitness and aggression (running excess of 120 kilometres per week), mental strength in decision making and problem solving under extreme duress. The selection course consisted of a junior leader assessment in all areas concerning leadership. All Counter Operations Insurgency (COIN) battle drills being held in Battle camps at Concession and Shamva. The pass rate among recruits amounted to only 30%.

On passing out recruits were deployed to one of 13 and latterly 14 Troops (Troop company strength 120 men, Mantle Mounted and November troop being new additions in 1981). The Support Unit supported the Police in rural problem areas (latterly dissidents) as well as in urban emergencies. In November 1980 during The Entumbani One uprising, 2 sections of 60 men each from 5 Support Unit Troops, Mantle Echo, Mantle Charlie, Mantle Juliet, Mantle Hotel, Mantle Lima, 300 men in all, travelled from all over Zimbabwe to reach Bulawayo in 11 hours. Due to the Support Unit Troops being independent with their own vehicles, stores, ammunition, medical supplies, tents etc., they could deploy anywhere at a moments notice all over Zimbabwe. During the bush war the Support Unit's primary task was to patrol the long distances in the Tribal Trust Lands, to maintain and reinstate order in the kraals (native villages).