World Orders and Decorations

A scarce Rhodesian Military Division Order of the Legion of Merit pair awarded to Sergeant-Major A. J. Balaam, Selous Scouts, late Rhodesian Light Infantry, a master ‘pseudo-operator’ during the Bush War, who thought nothing of operating behind enemy lines for stints of a month at a time, often on his own in horrendous conditions, whilst co-ordinating multiple pseudo groups.

A Mortar expert, Balaam also suffered shrapnel wounds whilst serving on a covert operation against a Frelimo target in Mozambique. Over the course of five years service with the Selous Scouts he took part in the attack on Mapai in June 1976, and the notorious raid on Nyazonya, 9 August 1976, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 ZANLA insurgents.

After the formation of Zimbabwe in 1980, Balaam was employed in 5 Reconnaissance, South African Defence Force, Special Forces. He subsequently became a civilian advisor responsible for training the Transkei Defence Force, and from there became involved with the training of both the Lesotho Liberation Army and the Ciskei Liberation Army. The latter led to a failed coup, 19 February 1987, which ultimately led to Balaam’s arrest

Rhodesia, Order of the Legion of Merit (M.L.M.), Military Division Member’s (Combatant’s) breast badge, bronze, silver-plate and enamel, unnamed as issued; General Service Medal, with Silver Pick Commendation on riband (4001 T/L. Cpl. A. J. Balaam) mounted as originally worn, with riband bar, edge bruise, very fine (2) £5,000-£6,000

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M.L.M. awarded 8 June 1979, the citation stating:

‘Sergeant-Major Balaam, a member of the Selous Scouts, has been engaged on Selous Scouts operations since 1st July 1975. He was awarded a Military Forces Commendation on 10th October 1976. Since this award Sergeant-Major Balaam has continued to operate with great success.

Sergeant-Major Balaam’s troop, operating in very difficult conditions, has located well in excess of 300 terrorists, of whom 85 have been killed and 15 captured. These successes are directly attributable to the fine leadership, outstanding initiative and the unswerving devotion to duty displayed by Sergeant-Major Balaam in trying conditions.’

Military Forces Commendation (Operational) awarded 10 October 1976, the citation stating:

‘Sergeant Balaam, a serving member of the Selous Scouts, has now been employed on five external operations. Two of these have been deep-penetration operations, which have caused the enemy to suffer considerable losses in material and men.

On the last such operation, Sergeant Balaam was the Mortar Group Officer. His task was to provide cut-off fire during the attack. This he did most successfully causing heavy casualties to the enemy. Whilst engaged on this task, he came under fire on several occasions.

During the ex-filtration phase of this exercise, the enemy attempted to cut the force off and used mortars in an attempt to achieve this. Sergeant Balaam twice engaged the enemy mortars to good effect, causing them to withdraw.

There is little doubt that his efficient and rapid deployment of his mortar group, although under fire, saved casualties being inflicted upon the strike force.’

Andrew J. Balaam grew up in Livingstone, Northern Rhodesia, one of ten children. He was called up for National Service in 1966, and decided to join the Rhodesian Army. After initial training, Balaam was posted for service with Support Group, Rhodesian Light Infantry. He carried out frequent patrols in the Zambezi Valley area checking for terrorist crossings from Zambia, and survived a Mortar fire training accident at Shamva in 1972 - which cost the life of one of his crew and the arm of another.

Having advanced to Corporal, Balaam led a three man patrol to find a Rhodesian aircraft which had been shot down by Frelimo (Front for the Liberation of Mozambique) whilst on a reconnaissance mission over Tete Province, Mozambique. Travelling over horrendous terrain, he located the aircraft several days later. His patrol also located the crew of the aircraft buried a short distance from the plane. They had been buried for several days and were in a state of decay:

‘Several hours later, after much swearing and cursing, both bodies were ready to be transported back to Rhodesia. It had taken much longer to get the corpses into the bags than I thought. The slippery, rotten skin, the rubbery flesh that seemed to have a will of its own, the smell, the dead weight, had all contributed to making what should have been a simple job into a nightmare.

The helicopter used to lift the bodies also dropped a quantity of plastic explosive. This was then used to blow up the aircraft so that it could not be used for propaganda purposes or to prove that the Rhodesian army was operating in Mozambique... During the entire rescue mission we had not seen or heard any Frelimo. The same applied to their Rhodesian comrades, ZANLA. That they were there is no doubt but why they did not attack us? Who knows.

I was to return to the same area many months later and be hunted by Frelimo using dogs.’ (Bush War Operator, Memoirs of the Rhodesian Light Infantry, Selous Scouts and Beyond, by the recipient refers)

Balaam continued to be engaged along the Mozambique border throughout 1973, coming into contact with Captain Ron Reid-Daly, a man he was to continue to know through the Selous Scouts and beyond. Balaam was deployed in Operation Hurricane in the Mount Darwin area, and survived being blown up by a mine during a sweep in front of some transport vehicles:

‘The closer I got to the store the more confident I became that the road had not been mined. Suddenly, my head felt like it was going to burst. I screamed in pain as I tried to cover my ears with my hands, my chest felt as if a great weight had been placed on it, as the force of the blast sucked all the oxygen from my lungs and threatened to rupture my eardrums.

As I lay there in the mud with pieces of metal, rubber and rocks falling around me, all I could think of was my weapon.’ (Ibid)

During one Fire Force deployment, aged 19, Balaam led his patrol into contact with a Terrorist group entrenched in their camp:

‘Walking over to where the terrorist bodies were lying, I could not help but notice the smell. It was a smell I would never forget. The combination of unwashed bodies, drying blood, wood smoke and body fluids, all baking in the hot sun, put out a smell that was sweet and nauseating, very similar to the smell around abattoirs.

Taking a closer look at the bodies, I noticed that the faces were of youngsters similar in age to mine: nineteen. I wondered what promises had been made to them when they were convinced to join the ranks of ZANLA. In the distance, I could hear the beat of the approaching helicopter coming to remove the bodies and take the trooper wounded by the mortar bomb back to base for further treatment.’ (Ibid)

Selous Scouts’ selection - a rendezvous with a rotten baboon

After a number of successful contacts Balaam volunteered for the Selous Scouts...