The creeping, insidious disease of communism

“Mad Mike” Hoare, in his trademark black beret, training mercenaries in Katanga province in 1964. The Richard Burton character in the movie “The Wild Geese” was modeled on Mr. Hoare.

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"The rebels were on a hill about 200 yards away, firing wildly with machine guns and a bazooka.

At the first shots, our ANC backup bolted into the bush, leaving me with just 42 of my mercs to face 400 Simbas. They were in the open with no cover..they had no fear of death. We just walked slowly up the hill, firing as we went. It was like a shooting gallery. I personally shot 13 rebels before I stopped counting.

When we had killed some 150 rebels, the rest vanished into the jungle. Only one of my men was slightly wounded.

When we first went into action, we were trying to work as soldiers, but in the end we just had machine guns mounted on Jeeps, decorated with captured spears, shields, the heads of dead rebels, and we’d scream along the road. If anyone approached us, we’d just open fire.

We were destined to strike a blow to rid the Congo of the greatest cancer the world has ever known—the creeping, insidious disease of communism.” - Mad Mike Hoare - 5 Commando ANC, Congo 1965

“Mad” Mike Hoare (center) somewhere in the Congo.