MovieChat Forums > The Wild Geese (1978) Discussion > Is this true?

Is this true?

posted 17 years ago by Landulph
2 replies | jump to latest

On the Region 1 "Wild Geese" DVD, at the end of the 24-min featurette entitled "Star Wars: The Making of the Wild Geese," the following words scroll across the screen:

In 1968 a mysterious Dakota landed at Kariba in Rhodesia in the middle of the night carrying dead and battle-scarred mercenaries.

The fact was reported in some papers the next day and there was speculation that a famous black President was on board.

But to this day nobody knows. The whole incident has been shrouded in a mysterious silence.

Presumably the implication is that "Wild Geese" author Daniel Carney, a Rhodesian soldier, was inspired to write his novel by hearing of this alleged incident. Is there any truth in this story? Does anyone have any more information on it, or seen the newspaper articles in question? And who was the "famous black President" meant to be--Tshombe of Katanga, perhaps?

[–] voyager78906 17 years ago

I have also heard this before.

However I have heard that the plane was found crashed and all on board dead.
However it was indeed Mr Tshombe who was the Black president

[–] grendelkhan 14 years ago

Sounds like a nice story but with little to support it. It is alleged that the CIA was complicit in Mobutu's coup and helped capture Tshombe, who was then murdered. I suspect that is the more likely scenario than a mercenary rescue.