• The above illustration of the flag of 1 Commando, RLI, is from the book "Flags and Symbols of Rhodesia 1890-1980", which was originally published by SAVA (RSA) in a b/w edition, and is now available on CD-Rom in full colour. The book covers all of the national flags of Rhodesia, many civil flags and coats of arms, and the flags of the Rhodesian Security Forces. The story of the 8 different national flags (including the current Zimbabwe flag) is told, and anecdotes on a number of flags throughout Rhodesia's history are included, from the flag that Lobengula wore as a loincloth, to the Rhodesian green and white flag that was "liberated" in Berlin as late as 1987! Information on the military unit flags had to be obtained from former commanding officers and troopers of the units concerned, since there appear to be no official records on this subject, and the Military Museum in Gweru does not have any of the flags in its display. A number of the original flags are now preserved in my private collection, and several other private collectors were also helpful in providing photographs and descriptions of the flags they own. Where known, the story behind each flag is related and sources of information on some of the flags include such well-known people as Lt.Col Ron Reid-Daly, former OC of the Selous Scouts; Robin Moore, famous author and unofficial American ambassador in Rhodesia; Lt.Col. Ian Buttenshaw, former OC of "1" Commando, RLI, and many others.

• The "1" Commando flag above was not the official flag of the unit, which was actually a red flag with a white "1" in the centre. The original choice of the colour red for the flag is attributed to the fact that in July 1971 the then OC, Major D.G. Parker, was late for morning parade and appeared before the startled troops still in his bright red pyjamas! The OC was always known hereafter as "The Big Red". In late 1978 the new flag, displaying part of the cloth badge of the Commando, a cheetah within a "C", was adopted. The flag was stolen in 1980 and I was informed during research for my book that it had recently been sold to an unknown collector in the USA for $1000!

Post-UDI Battalion Flag of the RLI.

Prior to UDI the flag included a crown above the badge instead of the bow.
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