Mercenary Commander

by Col Jerry Puren as told to Brian Pottinger

On the 30 June 1960 the Congo became independent. Within five days the country had split into four squabbling parts. Tied with blood and history to the troubled country were the mercenaries, drawn from Britain, Rhodesia, France, Belgium and South Africa. They were le affreux - the frightful ones. This is their story and the story of those troubled and bloody times.

It also tells of one of the most audacious and yet badly planned mercenary exploits in history; the abortive coup attempt in the Seychelles in 1981 that nearly claimed the last of Colonel Puren's nine lives. This is a true story of adventure, of politics, of love, of betrayal . . . and of death. It is Colonel Puren's amazing story . . . and it all happened.

ISBN 0-9470-2021-7. Hardback, 384pp; 242 X 168-mm; 32pp b/w photographs. Now Out of Print.

Taken from Bushveld.net