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Chris Cocks
Chris Cocks was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1957 as the sun was setting on the British Empire. In 1965, the colony unilaterally declared independence (UD...view moreChris Cocks was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1957 as the sun was setting on the British Empire. In 1965, the colony unilaterally declared independence (UDI) from Great Britain, triggering the 15-year-long civil war, known as the “bush war”. He saw combat from 1976 to 1980, often on a daily basis, firstly as a paratrooper and latterly as counterinsurgency militia. His two autobiographical accounts—Fire Force: A Trooper’s War in the Rhodesian Light Infantry and the sequel Survival Course—evoke the era. First published in 1988, and then in 2006 and 2020, Fire Force is now regarded as a classic on war, and has sold over 35,000 copies. He was author/editor of The Cheetah regimental magazine (2007–12), and co-author of Africa’s Commandos: The Rhodesian Light Infantry (2012). His novel, Deslocado Redemption (2018), set in Beira, Mozambique, explores post-colonial racial attitudes in southern Africa. He is a freelance editor, specializing in military history, and lives in Gloucestershire, UK.view less