Famous mercenaries in Africa include: Frederick Russell Burnham was an American scout for the British South Africa Company who served in both the First Matabele War (1893–94) and the Second Matabele War (1896–97). He effectively ended the Second Matabele War by assassinating the Ndebele religious leader, Mlimo, but Burnham is best known in this war for teaching American Frontier scouting to Robert Baden-Powell and inspiring him to found the boy scouts. In the Second Boer War (1900–1904), Burnham served as Chief of Scouts to the British Army. He was presented the Cross of the Distinguished Service Order for his heroism and given a commission as Major in the British Army by King Edward VII personally even though he declined to renounce his American citizenship. Burnham's real-life adventures also heavily influenced H. Rider Haggard who created the fictional Allan Quatermain adventurer, a character who later was transformed by George Lucas into Indiana Jones. Mike Hoare was a British career soldier who served with distinction in the London Irish Rifles during World War II. He later emigrated to South Africa, and was contracted by the State of Katanga in the early 1960s to form "4 Commando (Force Katangaise)", a unit of foreign military advisers in the local gendarmerie. Most of Hoare's recruits were Belgians or South Africans. After Katanga's integration in 1963, Hoare remained active in Congo affairs. He was solicited by General Joseph-Desiré Mobutu in 1964 to form "5 Commando" – a second mercenary force raised to crush the Simba Rebellion, which included European adventurers of at least twenty nationalities.Congo Mercenary, Mike Hoare. London: Hale (1967), ; Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, Hoare later resurfaced in 1981, shortly after France-Albert René's ascension in the Seychelles, attempting to carry out a coup d'état on behalf of former president James Mancham. His troops were intercepted shortly after debarking on Mahé and only escaped by hijacking an Air India Boeing, which they flew to Durban. Bob Denard was a former French intelligence operative, policeman, and dedicated anti-communist who saw action during the First Indochina War and Algerian War of Independence.L'ancien mercenaire Bob Denard est mort , Le Figaro, 14 October 2007. After a brief inroad into civilian life, Denard returned to military service with the Katangese gendarmerie in 1961. Refusing to surrender when secessionist forces collapsed in January 1963, he disappeared into Angola with a nucleus of other die-hards and sought work training North Yemen royalists before returning to the Congo at the request of then-Prime Minister Moise Tshombe. Denard formed his own unit to fight the Simba Rebellion, les affreux, who were also instrumental in suppressing an attempted coup d'état in 1966. Dismissed by Congolese president Joseph Kasa Vubu, the French mercenary joined the Kisangani Mutinies and was wounded in action. He later went on to serve as a military adviser to several African governments, including Gabon and Rhodesia.Bob Denard, chien de guerre , L'Humanité, 4 May 1999 Denard has since carried out five attempted coup d'etats in Benin and the Comoros Islands, three of them successful. Neall Ellis was a South African aviator who achieved prominence for his extensive action in Sierra Leone's long-running civil war. Ellis was raised in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), but after an unsuccessful career in the Rhodesian Army, emigrated to join the South African Air Force. During the South African Border War, he flew improvised Aérospatiale Alouette III and Atlas Oryx gunships over Angola and Mozambique in support of South African expeditionary forces conducting external raids. He retired a colonel upon the end of apartheid, piloting Yugoslav Mil Mi-8s as an operational freelancer. In 1998, Ellis returned to participate in the Angolan Civil War with private military firm Executive Outcomes, which eventually dispatched him to Sierra Leone. During the Battle for Freetown, he was instrumental in fighting off Revolutionary United Front insurgents from a Mil Mi-24 Hind and providing air support for British forces executing Operation Barras. He has founded his own paramilitary company, Jesa Air West Africa, and continues to fly helicopters for Iraq and Somalia. Simon Mann was found guilty in Zimbabwe of "attempting to buy weapons" (BBC 27 August) allegedly for a coup in Equatorial Guinea in 2004 (see below).
Famous mercenaries in Africa include Frederick Russell Burnham was an American scout for the British South Africa Company who served in both the First Matabele War (1893–94) and the Second Matabele War (1896–97) He effectively ended the Second Matabele War by assassinating the Ndebele religious leader Mlimo but Burnham is best known in this war for teaching American Frontier scouting to Robert Baden-Powell and inspiring him to found the boy scouts In the Second Boer War (1900–1904) Burnham served as Chief of Scouts to the British Army He was presented the Cross of the Distinguished Service Order for his heroism and given a commission as Major in the British Army by King Edward VII personally even though he declined to renounce his American citizenship Burnham's real-life adventures also heavily influenced H Rider Haggard who created the fictional Allan Quatermain adventurer a character who later was transformed by George Lucas into Indiana Jones Mike Hoare was a British career soldier who served with distinction in the London Irish Rifles during World War II He later emigrated to South Africa and was contracted by the State of Katanga in the early 1960s to form "4 Commando (Force Katangaise)" a unit of foreign military advisers in the local gendarmerie Most of Hoare's recruits were Belgians or South Africans After Katanga's integration in 1963 Hoare remained active in Congo affairs He was solicited by General Joseph-Desiré Mobutu in 1964 to form "5 Commando" – a second mercenary force raised to crush the Simba Rebellion which included European adventurers of at least twenty nationalitiesCongo Mercenary Mike Hoare London Hale (1967) ; Boulder CO Paladin Press Hoare later resurfaced in 1981 shortly after France-Albert René's ascension in the Seychelles attempting to carry out a coup d'état on behalf of former president James Mancham His troops were intercepted shortly after debarking on Mahé and only escaped by hijacking an Air India Boeing which they flew to Durban Bob Denard was a former French intelligence operative policeman and dedicated anti-communist who saw action during the First Indochina War and Algerian War of IndependenceL'ancien mercenaire Bob Denard est mort  Le Figaro 14 October 2007 After a brief inroad into civilian life Denard returned to military service with the Katangese gendarmerie in 1961 Refusing to surrender when secessionist forces collapsed in January 1963 he disappeared into Angola with a nucleus of other die-hards and sought work training North Yemen royalists before returning to the Congo at the request of then-Prime Minister Moise Tshombe Denard formed his own unit to fight the Simba Rebellion les affreux who were also instrumental in suppressing an attempted coup d'état in 1966 Dismissed by Congolese president Joseph Kasa Vubu the French mercenary joined the Kisangani Mutinies and was wounded in action He later went on to serve as a military adviser to several African governments including Gabon and RhodesiaBob Denard chien de guerre  L'Humanité 4 May 1999 Denard has since carried out five attempted coup d'etats in Benin and the Comoros Islands three of them successful Neall Ellis was a South African aviator who achieved prominence for his extensive action in Sierra Leone's long-running civil war Ellis was raised in Bulawayo Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) but after an unsuccessful career in the Rhodesian Army emigrated to join the South African Air Force During the South African Border War he flew improvised Aérospatiale Alouette III and Atlas Oryx gunships over Angola and Mozambique in support of South African expeditionary forces conducting external raids He retired a colonel upon the end of apartheid piloting Yugoslav Mil Mi-8s as an operational freelancer In 1998 Ellis returned to participate in the Angolan Civil War with private military firm Executive Outcomes which eventually dispatched him to Sierra Leone During the Battle for Freetown he was instrumental in fighting off Revolutionary United Front insurgents from a Mil Mi-24 Hind and providing air support for British forces executing Operation Barras He has founded his own paramilitary company Jesa Air West Africa and continues to fly helicopters for Iraq and Somalia Simon Mann was found guilty in Zimbabwe of "attempting to buy weapons" (BBC 27 August) allegedly for a coup in Equatorial Guinea in 2004 (see below)