1976 Angola Mercenaries
The 1976 Angola Mercenaries were a group of foreign personnel recruited to take part in the Angolan civil war.
Kinshasa telegram
A British diplomatic cable of 19 February 1976, names a number of these individuals. The information is attributed to "Davies (Daily Mirror)".[1]
The following people were identified as being among 26 mercenaries who left Kinshasa to return to Europe on 18 February 1976:
- Leslie Myers
- Michael Edward Charles Morris
- Dale Richard Saunders
- [First Name Unknown] Salmon
- [First Name Unknown] Bottomley
- "Sgt Major" Ken Aitken
- Terry Malloy
- Mike (Mick) Rennie
- Max Pullen
- "Brian" from Trumpinton, Cambs.
- Keith Henderson
- Billy Young[2]
According to the telegram, the "following may have been executed by Cullen or on his orders" The name 'Cullen' may be a reference to "Colonel Callan", the nom de guerre of Costas Georgiou:
- A. Macartney
- John Kay
- Sid Carter
- William Brooks
- [First Name Unknown] Eaton
- [First Name Unknown Mike?] Jones
- [First Name Unknown] Davies
- P.P or P.D Davies
- Robin Blackmore
- [First Name Unknown] Wideman
- [First Name Unknown] Mingard[3]
The following were reported as remaining in Zaire, at the Kinshasa home of Holden Roberto:
- "Major" Norman Hall
- Peter McAleese
- Mick Sharpley
- Charlie Moss
- Mike Wainhouse
- "Uncle Dan"[4]
The telegram reported that the following members of one of two missing patrols had been killed:
- "Shotgun Charlie" of Greek Cypriot origin.
- [First name unknown] Jarman
- One other Briton, name unkown.
- Other American and Portuguese patrol members.[5]
The telegram also referred to the execution of:
- Copeland.[6]
Luanda Mercenary Trial
The following were detained by the Angolan government and became defendants in Luanda mercenary trial which took place from 11 June to 28 June 1976.[7][8]
- Gary Martin Acker
- Daniel Francis Gearhart
- Gustavo Marcelo Grillo
- Andrew Gordon McKenzie
- John Derek Barger
- Malcolm MacIntyre
- Cecil Martin Fortuin
- Kevin John Marchant
- Michael Douglas Wiseman
- John Lawlor
- Colin Clifford Evans
- Costas Georgiou
- John James Nammock[9]
External Resources
- ANGOLA (BRITISH MERCENARIES), House of Commons, Hansard, 9 February 1976.
- BRITISH MERCENARIES, House of Commons, Hansard, 10 February 1976.
- Angola, House of Commons, Hansard, 19 February 1976.
- Mercenaries, House of Commons, Hansard, 20 February 1976.
- ANGOLA (BRITISH MERCENARIES), House of Commons, Hansard, 26 February 1976.
Notes
- ↑ FCO Telegram, 19 February 1976, National Archives file FCO 45/1889
- ↑ FCO Telegram, 19 February 1976, National Archives file FCO 45/1889
- ↑ FCO Telegram, 19 February 1976, National Archives file FCO 45/1889
- ↑ FCO Telegram, 19 February 1976, National Archives file FCO 45/1889
- ↑ FCO Telegram, 19 February 1976, National Archives file FCO 45/1889
- ↑ FCO Telegram, 19 February 1976, National Archives file FCO 45/1889
- ↑ 1976: Mercenaries trial begins in Angola, On this Day - 11 June, BBC News, accessed 1 July 2010.
- ↑ 1976: Death sentence for mercenaries, On This Day - 28 June, BBC News, accessed 1 July 2010.
- ↑ Marvine Howe, New York Times, 6 June 1976, page 13, Column 1.
