Unofficial Rhodesian Infantry Combat Badge



Unofficial Rhodesian Combat Infantry Badge

Thank you for your support by purchasing an unofficial Rhodesian Combat Infantry Badge. In this day and age we get bombarded with information and it is difficult to absorb it all. We hope that the information below is of use and that it helps you understand the background to this badge.

In some countries, combat infantry veterans are entitled to wear a small metal badge above their medals to make a distinction from others who served in the same theatre of conflict in a non-infantry capacity.

CIB’s were introduced to recognize the unique role of infantry in that of all soldiers, it is the infantryman who continuously operated under the worst conditions and performs missions not assigned to any other soldier or unit. e.g.: to seek out and close with the enemy, to kill or capture him, to seize and to hold ground, to repel attack, by night and day, regardless of season, weather or terrain.

It has been said that the CIB is an “American thing”. However the Americans were not the first to come up with the idea of providing some sort of dress accruement to acknowledge combat experience by troops. For centuries the British have been recognizing the battle experience of certain units by means of Hackles, Plumes, Metal Badges, Cloth Badges, Cloth Patches and, Coloured Backings to Badges etc. In Rhodesia the Selous Scouts wore metal Para Wings on the breast of their uniform. Guard Force introduced a "Combat Badge" to distinguish GF personnel who were involved in contacts with the enemy. It was a metal and enamel rectangular shaped breast badge featuring a sword laying horizontal in the rectangle.

The Rhodesian CIB has been Australian Branch RLI Regt. Association initiative, developed and designed by a core working group, acting in consultation with a number of other RLIRA members.

The principles & criteria upon which the Rhodesian CIB were formulated were taken directly from the official historical intent & assessment criteria of the Australian ICB and USA CIB and indeed, has even been slightly altered to accommodate a number of circumstances specific to Rhodesian situation. Any further alteration to criteria (eg: to enable non-infantry or, non-combat personnel to be eligible) would make the symbolism and intent of the Rhodesian CIB meaningless.

Prior to settling upon a design, criteria had been identified which were:

▪ The badge had to be clearly recognizable as a CIB.

▪ The badge had to have its own specific Rhodesian character.

▪ The badge could not be mistaken for any existing CIB/ICB’s.

▪ The badge had to be to an acceptable manufacture standard.

The reason for making the distinction between infantry and non-infantry is simply that Combat Infantry Badges are a long established custom in various countries and, the RLIRA being an ex-infantry organization, the orientation and emphasis is understandably infantry.

Official Australian and USA CIB’s

The Australian Infantry Combat Badge (ICB) is a small bronze coloured badge featuring a vertical/upright infantryman’s SLR bayonet, centralized on and over a wattle wreath.

The USA Combat Infantry Badge (CIB) is a silver and enamel badge consisting of an Infantry musket in raised metal on a light blue bar with silver border, on and over an elliptical oak wreath.

The Australian CIB, introduced in 1970, can be worn by all infantrymen who were operationally deployed in all wars or war-like operations in which Australian infantrymen participated from the Korean War onwards. The USA CIB was instituted during WW2.

Unofficial Rhodesian CIB

Sadly, the Rhodesian Govt. overlooked instigating this small but significant distinction, a deficiency which most Rhodesian combat infantry veterans were/are acutely aware. To address this, production of the unofficial Rhodesian CIB was instigated by the Australian Branch of the Rhodesian Light Infantry Regimental Association.

As will be noted, although the badge has been modelled on the US CIB, it has it’s own distinct character featuring an FN rifle in raised metal on a green bar, on and over an elliptical oak-leaf wreath and, the raised lettering RHODESIA central at the bottom of the wreath.

Symbolism

The bar is green with silver border being representative of Rhodesia’s national colours; the FN-FAL was the standard issue assault rifle of the Rhodesian infantrymen; the oak is symbolic of steadfastness, strength and loyalty.

Wearing the Rhodesian CIB

The Rhodesian CIB is primarily intended for ceremonial, commemorative or other special occasions when medals may be worn with civilian clothing. The badge should be worn on the left side, centrally placed approximately 1cm immediately above medal riband or medals or, without medals, as a lapel badge.

Legal Status

Only the Rhodesian Govt. has (had) the authority to formally introduce (promulgate) awards such as a Rhodesian CIB and thus, its unofficial status is openly declared.

Evidence of Eligibility

Due to deficiencies and loss of Rhodesian service records, claims of eligibility, and wearing of the Rhodesian CIB is on an understanding of honour & trust. These are the basic criteria which must be met for eligibility for the Rhodesian Combat Infantry badge, with these being:-

a. Must have been an infantryman who completed basic infantry training.

b. Must be assigned to an infantry unit during such time as the unit was engaged in active ground combat.

c. Must actively participate in such ground combat and being employed in their primary roles as an infantryman.

d. Must have been serving in the Rhodesian Security Forces or Rhodesian designated unit/s

Rhodesian Infantry Units

Infantry unit service is to include, but not necessarily be limited to and with no differentiation made between TA or Regular service:

▪ BSAP Support Unit

▪ PATU

▪ Grey Scouts

▪ Rhodesia Regiment

▪ Rhodesian African Rifles

▪ Rhodesian Light Infantry

▪ Selous Scouts

▪ Special Air Service

Eligibility of Infantry unit members who did not take part in ground combat

A number of Rhodesian infantry units were self-contained entities which involved having some of it's infantrymen multi-skilled in Motor Transport, Signals, Medical, Quarter Master or Catering type roles, etc. If such persons completed basic infantry training and were assigned members of an infantry unit which was deployed into an operational area, they are deemed to have been performing both infantryman and specialist roles at the time. It is not necessary for such persons to have participated in an actual ground combat for them to be eligible.

Eligibility of non-infantry parent units (eg: Signals, Engineers, Artillery, Armoured Cars, Medical, etc) who were temporarily attached to infantry units.

Generally, non-infantry attached personnel do not meet the eligibility requirement “were employed in their primary role as infantrymen", however in exceptional circumstances, eligibility may demonstrate provided:

▪ All other requirements were met.

▪ Service had been indistinguishable from that of an infantryman.

▪ A basic course of infantry training had been competed.

Applicable Operations

Whilst primarily intended for recognition of service during the Rhodesian War of 1965-80, the Rho. CIB is open to Rhodesian Infantry applicable service in any wars, campaigns or war-like operations in which Rhodesian Forces were formally deployed. EG: Matabele Wars 1893 + 1896, Boer War 1899-02, WW1 1914-18, WW2 1939-45, Malaya 1951-58, Egypt 1952, Cyprus 1959, Kuwait 1959, Aden 1959, Northern Rhodesia/Congo Border 1961.

Views on the Unofficial Rho. CIB by RLIRA Patron Brigadier John “Digger” Essex-Clark, DSM.

"The omission of this tangible recognition of Infantry combat service in Rhodesia and the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland should be rectified..........it is an excellent idea and many will be proud to wear it, official or not......Well done…..it is an excellent initiative".

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