Operation Midford - Preparation and Planning

Preparation and Planning

The next several days were packed with detailed briefings, O Groups, and the issuing of stores, ammunition and equipment. As well, due to the height of Rhodesia above sea level, every Kiwi soldier was required to attend a range shoot and re-zero his personal weapon. The altitude most definitely did make a difference to sight settings. Amongst all ranks of the Monitoring Force from the Commander down there was a very real air of trepidation in regards to the daunting task that lay ahead. At this time the CMF, General John Acland went out of his way to personally meet and make himself known to every single member of the Monitoring Force during his initial briefing which was usually held at the RLI Barracks at Cranborne.

Other briefings included:

• The CMF's lecture on the responsibility of the Monitoring Force.
• An overview on the background of the war and the politics involved.
• The background to the operational situation.
• The CMF's concept of how the operation was to be conducted.
• The allocation of troops to task.
• The in-theatre deployment plan.
• The rules of engagement.
• Also included was a crash course for the Kiwis on the Clansman radio.

The Operational Areas during the Rhodesian War were:

• A. Operation Ranger - North West Border.
• B. Operation Thrasher - Eastern Border.
• C. Operation Hurricane - North East Border.
• D. Operation Repulse - South East Border.
• E. Operation Grapple - Midlands.
• F. Operation Splinter - Kariba.
• G. Operation Tangent - Matabeleland.
• H. "SALOPS" - Salisbury & District.

The Peacekeeping Forces on the ground, were broken down as follows:

• There were 16 Assembly Places (AP November and AP Quebec later closed).
• There were 39 RV's during the Ceasefire period.

The New Zealand Contingent provided the following:

• 1. A Headquarters element based at Morgan High School, Salisbury.
• 2. 2 x Assembly Place Teams (AP LIMA and AP MIKE).
• 3. 3 x Sub-Joc (Joint Operations Command) Teams.
• 4. 8 x Company Based Teams (co-located with Rhodesian Units).
• 5. 2 x Border Liaison Teams.