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In Memory Of
Ronald Reid-Daly
1928 - 2010
Full NameRonald Reid-Daly
Born22nd September 1928
Passed Away9th August 2010
Age
81 Years

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Colonel Ronald "Ron" Francis Reid-Daly  founded and commanded the elite Selous Scouts special forces unit that fought during the Rhodesian Bush War Born in South Africa, Reid-Daly entered military service in 1951 and served with the C (Rhodesia) Squadron of the British Special Air Service (SAS) in operations against insurgents in Malaya. Rising to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major in the Rhodesian Light Infantry, he was later commissioned and achieved the rank of Captain. He retired from the Army in 1973. In late 1973 he was persuaded by General Peter Walls, then chief of the Rhodesian Army, to return to active duty in order to form the Selous Scouts, an elite special forces unit to combat the growing threat posed by nationalist guerrillas. Drawing on his Malayan experiences, Lieutenant Colonel Reid-Daly built up a skilled and highly professional regiment from scratch. Although the Selous Scouts achieved many of their military objectives, their unorthodox methods created tensions within the military hierarchy. Reid-Daly had several brushes with the Rhodesian authorities. In 1979 rumours surfaced in Salisbury that that the Scouts were poaching ivory along the Zambezi valley. These were never proved and the colonel, as a well-known conservationist, dismissed the allegations as ridiculous. In the process of defending himself against them Reid-Daly verbally attacked Major General John Hickman.For this he was charged with insubordination and sentenced with a reprimand. Disgusted, he resigned as the commander of the Scouts in August, but continue to fight a legal battle against the judgement, proclaiming his innocence. This continued even after Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, and only stopped after Reid-Daily moved to South Africa in 1982. In South Africa, Reid-Daly became commander of the Transkei Defence Force, and later was the leader of the private security firm Security Services Transkei Pty Ltd. For the final decade of his life, he resided near Cape Town,  
10 Aug 2010
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Alan Martheze
03 Oct 2014

Over the past few years I have come to know your son David well and you have left big shoes to fill. May I say that you have brought him up well,true to his principles and your ethos. May you look down at the lives you saved (some of those now with children of their own) and the good you did with pride.

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Michael
05 Apr 2011

To a great man and fellow countryman. May you rest in peace. Words alone cannot describe what you and all our great men in uniform did for all of us on the home front. Fear not Sir, the circle always turns, the betrayers will be brought to book either in this life or the next.

flower01 Nov 2015

Thelma Lafferty

"You were well respected by us all."

flower09 Jul 2011

Mark Corby

"I met a legend and am honored to have known him RIP Colonel Ron."

flower07 May 2011

Sally

"RIP> May the Sun always shine on you. X"

flower09 Feb 2011

Blue

"To one who will never fade away. Have a Castle for you."

flower09 Feb 2011

Blue

"To one who will never fade away. Have a Castle for you."

flower02 Sep 2010

Paul Retzlaff

"R.I.P"