Rhodesian Farmers Defensive Arrangements

Jonas Parker · Sat Sep 18, 2010 12:26 pm

I found the original (quoted) article on another forum. I think there is some good information here that could be adapted for general use... JP


	Quote: Rhodesian Farmers Defensive Arrangements 1) Most farmers fitted hand-grenade grills to the outside of all windows. Doors leading outside were likewise security grilled.

Hand grenade grills? Probably not... but have the plywood handy to "board up" your house, much like they do on the Gulf Coast when a hurricane approaches.. It would look vacant, which might invite trespassers, but it would also be much more defensible. Working shutters of sturdy construction would do the same.


	Quote: 2) Many farmers built thick walls about a meter in front of bedroom windows to stop bullets, but particularly to deal with RPG 7`s. Beds were never placed against the outside walls of a farmhouse.

Not a bad idea. As an alternative, how about gravel-filled "decorative" wooden flower boxes attached to the house extending from the first floor bottom windowsills down to ground level to stop flying bullets. Good idea about bed placement.


	Quote: 3) It was usual to have a designated safe room within the farmhouse that could be defended until support arrived. Sometimes this was a central corridor that allowed the farmer to move into other rooms to attack those outside through the windows. In the loft or ceiling over the safe room, some farmers laid sand bags to deal with possible mortar attack.

Depending on the layout of your house, this might be feasible.


	Quote: 4) Every farmhouse in a given area was linked by a radio system called “Agric Alert”. This allowed radio contact with other farmers who formed their own defence units... It performed admirably as well when dealing with criminal activity such as stock theft. The alert system arranged for all farmers to check in with each other at a given time in the morning and evening as a means of monitoring their status.

This could be done inexpensively with battery operated CB radios to cover a neighborhood. The twice-daily check-in is an excellent idea.


	Quote: 5) Around all farmhouse gardens were erected security fences with barbed wire (or razor wire) and which often had simple alarm systems built into them... Within the fence boundary, every farmer usually had a couple of large dogs. The dogs were fed their largest meal in the morning instead of the evening, in order to help keep them awake at night... Gardens were kept deliberately trim so as to keep clear fields of view and fire etc. The farm houses also had outside flood lighting erected in such a way as to blind those outside the fence, but not to interfere with the vision of those within the farmhouse.

Rather than razor wire or barbed wire, why not use hawthorn bushes, raspberry bushes, or climbing roses as decorative and "stealth" security fences. Everyone should have a dog, not necessarily as an "attack dog" but rather as a 24/7/365 intruder alarm that requires no electricity. Keep the gardens trimmed down is a given, and installing flood lights with motion detectors may be a good idea too.


	Quote: 6) All farmers and their wives were armed with an assortment of weapons, and most farmers were trained military men. They had at least one assault rifle, usually an FAL 7.62, assorted shot guns, .303 hunting rifles and so forth. It was also not unusual for wives to carry Uzi`s around with them, or other equivalents such as the Rhodesian Cobra. All members of the family were trained on the various weaponry available to them, including the kids. In one famous incident a child successfully fought off the attacking terrorists after both of his parents were wounded. The main defensive weapons were at all times within immediate reach of the adult farmhouse occupants, and were placed next to the bed at night.

This will vary depending on your location. In Canada and the UK, at least have a shotgun and plenty of ammunition, and have everyone in the family well trained in it's use. Here in Texas, pretty much every home is well armed with an assortment of firearms.


	Quote: 7) Some farmers used mine protected vehicles, as a favourite of terrorists was to landmine the driveway outside the fence. A great deal of time was spent looking at the dirt roads for freshly dug earth points and so forth when driving around the farm.

While I don't think we're likely to have someone "mining" our driveway (I may be paranoid, but I'm not THAT paranoid), it's a good habit to practice "situational awareness" all the time.


	Quote: 8) Some farm gardens and particular points external to the fence were wired with home-made claymore like devices strategically placed in areas where attackers were likely to take cover. In a few instances farmers deliberately erected “cover positions” for the terrorists to use outside the fence, which were then blown up upon attack. A particular favourite was a section of plastic piping filled with nails, nuts, bolts, screws and so forth. I witnessed tests with these and the tubes cleared large areas of their intended aiming point of all bush cover and leaves from trees etc for about 30 meters into the bush. By placing a number of figure 8`s in front of these tests, it was apparent from the strike patterns that not one of them would have walked again had they been terrorists.

Good tactics in the situation of the farmers... I'm not sure of the practical application an an urban setting where I live.


	Quote: 9) Some farmers also hired soldiers on leave to guard their premises at night. Usually these were men looking for extra “beer” money. They were called Bright Lights, and often ended up in fire fights with the terrorists, where they came as a nasty surprise to the terrs when the latter were expecting a nice soft hit and run. Like all farmers in an area, Bright Lights would participate in the support of other farmers when the situation required.

Fernando "FerFAL" Aguirre covers this in detail in his book "Surviving the Economic Collapse" about the economic meltdown in Argentina in 2001. If you haven't got the book, then get it and read it.


	Quote: 10) Good relationships with farm labour, particularly the house staff, very often warned of problems before they occurred. All of us who grew up in the country have fond memories of those employees who took care of us as kids, and who often placed themselves at great risk for doing so.

Good relationships with everyone in your locale, and a "nose" for intelligence will help you, your family, and your neighborhood survive a SHTF situation. Conversely, don't tell anyone anything you wouldn't want printed on the front page of the local paper. Especially teach your children that there are things, like preps, that they are never to talk about. It may be safer to keep the children "out of the information loop" until they are in the teens and keep your prep supplies in a locked basement room or closet.

Rhodesian Farmers Defensive Arrangements

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