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How we destroyed Grand Reef

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The story of Brighton Ngovateni alias Cde Biggie Tichatonga

BECAUSE of my ‘baby’ face I was assigned a special mission that would culminate in one of the attacks that sent shivers down the spines of Rhodesians.
It was a mission I will never forget because it was a huge success.
Rhodesians knew we meant business and it broke what was left of their fighting spirit.
My mission had no hiccup and it led to the total destruction of the infamous Grand Reef in Mutare on the Christmas Eve of 1978.
I was instructed by my commander Cde Chinovava to go and carry out a reconnaissance of the Grand Reef.
Finding the guerillas too huge a force to repel and their operating areas increasing while their numbers thinned, Rhodesia’s Grand Reef Air Base in Manicaland, a large and strategic Forward Airfield (FAF) became one of key operational centres.
A FAF was an airfield out of which aircraft operated supporting the various despondent Rhodesian forces.
The Grand Reef Air Base had become a debilitating thorn in the foot of ZANLA forces.
Destruction of the Grand Reef would be hitting the enemy where it hurt the most.
The attack happening in the festive season was a well-timed blow that would sink Rhodesia’s morale which was at this point at an all-time low.
I was instructed to check the physical points and movements of security personnel.
Besides checking out the security perimeters I was also to look for the cell in which the legendary Cde America States Mudzvanyiriri was locked up.
Cde America States Mudzvanyiriri was among fighters who had been captured in a battle in Manicaland.
We were to rescue him.
I spent two weeks selling eggs in the camp, noting the layout.
The first day I was nervous thinking I would be found out.
But my ‘baby’ face worked to my advantage, the Rhodesian soldiers never suspected me to be a ZANLA cadre.
I was just a boy selling eggs.
Some of them even felt sorry for me as I was dressed in near rags.
They gave me tinned food to carry home which I shared with my fellow comrades.
After a week I had delivered every detail about the infamous camp.
I could not wait for the actual attack, to see the planes that harassed us go up in smoke.
The morale of the enemy was low; I had no doubt that we would inflict maximum damage.
The Rhodies spent most of their time smoking and drinking, it never crossed their minds that they could be attacked at the camp.
They believed that since it was heavily stocked with some of their best weapons they used to carry out genocide-attacks, the base was safe.
Three days before the attack we went to Gandari Mountain where I was shocked to meet more than 200 ZANLA cadres.
They came with new weapons that included 62mm and 82mm mortars and heavy machine guns.
In the darkness of Christmas Eve of 1978 we headed for our target with a more than 200-strong army.
I vividly remember it was very dark and we had the advantage of good cover because it was the rain season.
When we arrived at the base we took positions and waited for the order to attack from the commander Cde Stephen Chocha, now police Commissioner General Dr Augustine Chihuri.
At exactly eight o’clock the order was given and firing started.
We ceaselessly fired for about 30 minutes then the commander, Cde Chocha, ordered us to stop.
The enemy never returned fire, if he did it was feeble, we did not feel it.
It had been a surprise attack.
And we overwhelmed the enemy; the whole camp was on fire.
It was a successful mission, we had destroyed Grand Reef.
And we rescued Cde America State Mudzvanyiriri.
We did not run after the battle, we gathered our weapons; we checked if everyone was alright, we were all ok, we had no casualties.
After the attack the area was literally ours.
The Rhodesians were shaken and farmers left the area in a huff.
It was an attack that broke the Rhodesians; they acknowledged defeat for soon afterwards the Rhodies called for talks at the Lancaster House in London.
Compiled by Emergency Mwale-Kamtande

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