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  • A Handful of Hard Men

  • The SAS and the Battle for Rhodesia
  • Written by: Hannes Wessels
  • Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
  • Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (62 ratings)

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A Handful of Hard Men

Written by: Hannes Wessels
Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
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Publisher's Summary

It is difficult to find another soldier's story to equal Captain Darrell Watt's in terms of time spent on the field of battle and challenges faced. Even by the lofty standards of the SAS and Special Forces, one has to look far to find anyone who can match his record of resilience and valor in the face of such daunting odds and with resources so paltry.

In the fight, he showed himself to be a military maestro. A bush-lore genius, blessed with uncanny instincts and an unbridled determination to close with the enemy, he had no peers as a combat-tracker (and there was plenty of competition). But the Rhodesian theater was a fluid and volatile one in which he performed in almost every imaginable fighting role.

After 12 years in the cauldron of war, his cause slipped from beneath him, and Rhodesia gave way to Zimbabwe. When the guns went quiet, Watt had won all his battles but lost the war. In this fascinating biography, we learn that in his twilight years, he is now concerned with saving wildlife on a continent where they are in continued danger and devoting himself to both the fauna and African people he cares so deeply about.

©2015 Hannes Wessels (P)2017 Tantor

What listeners say about A Handful of Hard Men

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  • Tim
  • 2020-01-03

Outstanding!

Great book, well written and well narrated. No super soldiers with millions of dollars in gear, just tough, determined men on a mission.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Very interesting: high level and details

A great combination of individual events and stories as well as a lot of big-picture stuff that I had no idea about. Very entertaining and educational. Also inspirational: these were hard men!

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9.5/10 would recommend

This is one of the better books I've came across in some time. Excellent story, with some good humor. The narration is a little dry at times, but somehow it feels appropriate for the book.

loved it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic account, historically accurate.

An awesome insight into the harsh reality of the bush war with very astute summary of the Rhodesian spirit and political circumstances. The only complaint: the narrator mispronounces almost every single Rhodesian/Zimbabwean word/name.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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good book. bad narrating

Sometimes I found my mind wandering, not because of the story being told, but because of it's delivery. I recommend you buy the paper copy and read it yourself

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Never forget. Pamwe Chete

A incredible story of the brave men black and white who gave their all for Rhodesia. Never forget their sacrifices. Rhodesians Never Die

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Epic

if you are interested in special operations and the complexity of Africa... this is the book. I loved this book through and through. The narrator comes off as a bit intense but it is a intense book with some laughs injected into the carnage. I hope the stories in this book are true to what happened and if they are....wow. Really enjoyed this book I will definitely listen to it again. well done.

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great story of warriors!

excellent story of the Rhodesian SAS. had no idea that this even took place. excellent description of supreme Firepower using machine guns. however story would be much better presented if in authentic voice.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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fantastic story

I struggled to finish this audio book in spite of having a real interest in the subject matter. The narrator could have been taught the correct pronunciation of Rhodesian names and places.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, incredible men.

This was an excellent book and it was fascinating to hear how a very small, and by contemporary standards, poor army was able to defeat much larger and often better armed opponents. An interesting tale only hurt a little by a poor narrator.

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