Osborne, Nigel David (N D)

Lt Nigel Osborne were also killed. I believe they were carrying ammunition and got hit by a RPG7. Unknown Unknown

Nigel (My Cousin) was flying a Puma with 13 other occupants im Mozimbique during Operation Uric To quote http://home.wanadoo.nl/rhodesia/uric1.htm En route one Huey was forced to put down in a pan due to severe engine vibrations. The remainder, continuing on to Mapai, suddenly overflew a big enemy camp spread over a large area, and one of the Pumas, Hotel Four, was hit by an RPG-7 as it headed for its dropping zone. The result was the worst single disaster of the Rhodesian war. The rocket struck the aircraft behind the pilot’s seat and exploded, killing all 14 people aboard. Forced into a downward spin the helicopter hit the ground and burst into flames. Army call signs dispatched to the crash site found the aircraft totally destroyed, the largest pieces being the turbines; they also found the 14 bodies of their comrades and arranged for their recovery when safe to do so after the taking of Mapai. Sadly this proved impossible. Recently a Journalist contacted his mother saying he had found the site where Nigel and the 13 other people were buried.

Lt Nigel Osborne was shot down on 6 September 1979 in Mozambique whilst co-piloting a Puma seconded to the Rhodesian Air Force. The pilot,

Search for Puma Lost at Mapai April 11, 2009 - April 14, 2009 Under the cover of darkness, on the night of the 6th September 1979, I was flown out of the forward admin area of Op Uric, situated deep in the Mozambique bush, to our Operational Forward HQ situated at Chipinda Pools. I was the sole passenger in the SAAF Puma that evening, and my task was to sort out notices for the casualties sustained earlier that day, when a SAAF Puma (See Photo 1) carrying elements of 1 Commando 1RLI and 2 Engineer Squadron had been shot down on the outskirts of Mapai (Rail) formerly known as Jorge de Limpopo, killing all 17 on board. During the 40 odd minute flight back to the Rhodesian border, I vowed that I would one day return to the crash site to honour my friends and comrades in arms who had made the supreme sacrifice that morning, but who, because of the expediency of the battle, had had to be left behind where they had died. 29 years later I was privileged enough to be invited to join Bob Manser's expedition to find the Donaldson Canberra lost over the Malvernia area in January 1977. It became plainly obvious during this search, that the local police, militia, and Mozambicans were more than willing to assist in the location of these war sites and bore absolutely no malice towards their former adversaries. It was then that I realised that it was possible to honour the pledge I had made in 1979. Slowly over a period of 5 months I was able to assemble a "Team" for the Mapai expedition by using the members of Bob's Canberra party as the nucleus. Regrettably both Bob and Alistair Macrimmon were both unable to make it and so Neill Jackson ex Support Commando, "Stan" Standish White ex SAS volunteered their services. Added to these "volunteers" were Eastern District farmers Duff Odendaal and his son in law, Gareth Barry. The final search team was thus made up as follows: Rick van Malsen Kevin Jones Malcolm Macrimmon Neill Jackson "Stan" Standish White Duff Odendaal Gareth Barry Nearly two hundred E mails were sent out globally as we planned, sourced information, obtained eye witness accounts, speculated on where the actual site was, made up introductory letters and catch phrases in Portuguese, sorted out admin and log etc. It finally all came together and on Thursday 11th April 2009 "The Team", complete with wives,

Lt Nigel Osborne with flight engineer <a href="