The Dangerous Mercenary : Mike Hoare

On 25 November 1981, armed mercenaries entered the Eastern African country of the Seychelles disguised as a beer-drinking tourist party by the name "The Ancient Order of Froth-Blowers." Their objective was to return to power the ex-President of the country who had been deposed in a coup in 1977.

This group was led by a man by the name Mike Hoare, who was a soldier of fortune , that is a mercenary. Hoare was once a mainstay of news headlines around the world and he rose to prominence as a highly sought after gun for hire in Africa. This was in the era of newly independent Africa, during which mercenaries of different nationalities were recruited by those with interests in the region particularly in the Congo.

Hoare’s career as a mercenary, came to an embarrassing end in the failed coup d’état in the Seychelles and subsequent plane hijacking in 1981, during which he was captured and sentenced to 10 years in jail, serving just over three.

In this episode of African Biographics, we cover the life story of Mad Mike Hoare, the menace mercenary and his escapades in Africa.

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Sources:

THE CONGO: A CASE STUDY OF MERCENARY EMPLOYMENT by Colonel George H. Dodenhoff, U.S. Marine Corps School of Naval Warfare

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Music:

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Allegro by Emit Fenn

The Rain by Silent Partner

#MikeHoare #Mercenary

[SekuruJohan]

My father was ex Rhodesian SAS living in Durban when he was approached by Hoares group to join them in the Seychelles. He declined on account of his children and his lack of insanity. On their return to SA, some of the men stayed at my parents apartment. This turned into a hideout for a while when the more serious charges came up. My father convinced them to turn themselves in to face their slap on the wrist. I don't think my dad ever actually met Mike but he knew several of the group, who were also ex Rhodesian SAS.

[jimnorris]

Hoar was a creature of his times. During the cold war years, there was a huge struggle between Moscow and Washington aimed at influencing multiple countries mainly in Central and South America and Africa, and to various extents, all over the world. All any Dictator had to do was say he was “anti Communist” and the US would give him money and guns. In return for the huge amount of weapons and food stuffs the Russians were pouring into Cuba to keep its economy afloat, Fidel sent Cuban mercenary troops into the Congo and several other African nations to help prop up the Communist regimes. Great Britain and the US did the same, hiring men such as Mike Hoar to equip and organize military units to oppose the communist troops.

[amorosogombe]

The African movie industry is asleep. They have so many Hollywood-level blockbusters at the ready if they would just convert all this history into films.

[bruceboome]

My band was playing in Durban in the mid-'60s and several of the mercenaries, who had just returned from the Congo, frequented the venue. We became quite friendly with some of them. I was shown photos of atrocities that haunt me still. The worst was of youngsters taken to the docks where they were grilled for info about the rebels. If none was forthcoming they were thrown between a ship and the dock and thus crushed to death. There was plenty of looting, in fact, that seemed to be a prime motivation. When I was in the then Rhodesia I met up with one I'd known in Durban. He invited me to breakfast, and I asked him what he was doing. He had become a prison guard and volunteered to be a witness at hangings. If I remember rightly they were paid 5 pounds. He said he didn't like it as much when they hanged women, as their insides were torn out. Needless to say, I lost my appetite. We were very friendly with one of them who lived with us for a while. He was later involved in the Seychelles coup and was one of those sentenced to death. After he was released, I only saw him once, and, even though he was still young his hair was snow white. I guess that's what waiting to be hanged can do to you.

[daveologhlen]

Thank you for explaining so well. I am Irish and have watched the story of The Siege Of Jadotville. It made me look more into African history, especially the Congo in the 60's. You have answered a lot of questions that European people don't fully understand. It Hurt's me to learn what this continent goes through. Has gone through for so many generation's. Respect, Knowledge is power. Keep up the good work.

[petermortimer]

A pretty balanced account of Kike Hoare's career. His biography "Congo Mercenary" is a good book and if you believe it he tried to run 5 Commando along British Army lines. Appendix 4 in the book is titled "5 Commando rules for battle" and covers such things as personal cleanliness, keeping weapons cleaned, honesty and loyalty. I think he was a bit naïve if he believes that there were no atrocities committed by some of his men. The nature of the war in the Congo lent itself to that and in the book he talks about punishing one of his soldiers for rape. He was probably as honourable and ethical as you could get in that environment. My only criticism of the video was having (at 8:40) a picture of Hoare with Roger Moore and Richard Burton on the set of "The Wild Geese" and not making it clear that they were actors and not mercenaries. Richard Burton played a character based on Mike Hoare who was an advisor to the film. In the script Burton's character was supposed to swear a lot but Burton said that when he met Hoare he found that Hoare never used foul language and asked for the script to be changed.

[davidcoleman]

As a kid I lived for a brief time in South Africa. I attended a catholic school run by a Mother Superior who had been rescued from the Congo by Mike Hoare. She always said he was very polite around her and the other nuns and would not permit his men to swear within earshot. Sister Xavier wouldn't have a word said against him, though for sure there must be others who would!

[richardshort]

This is a well balanced and truthful video.
Thank you very much.

-- P.S. If this is an example of your work, you deserve more subscribers.

[peterperry]

Hoare was a soldier of fortune, a legend in his own time, brave no nonsense Irish man tough as old boots afraid of nothing. God rest his soul. Born on St Patricks day

[michaelpodoluch]

Being an ex military soldier here in oz, i had the pleasure of meeting Mad Mike in Melbourne at a recruiting site. He was a great person and i would follow him anywhere.

[Hypnsef]

I've officially watched all of your videos and I found this channel just a few days ago. Really great work!

[mannycarvalho]

I had the honour to serve with 5 Cdo for 2 contracts of 6 months.
We trained in Kamina base ( near the airport) from there were flown on a C130 With no markings, but American flight crew to Bunia, after further training we departed on a motorised column, operating next to the borders of Uganda & Sudan, ( Aba, Paulis, Faradge, Dungog etc etc) the 2nd contract the base was outside Albertville, we left 4 operations from a village ( Cementation) in the middle of the night boarding the Ermies and a few fully loaded open barges, we got toed our along the lake all night and the all of the following day, in a rainy windy day we whent ashore on PT boats, attacking and taking Barraka ( a large village with proper houses, church etc, a very hard fight to take over the place the enemy were well armed and trained and led.We captured 120mm mortar, 82mm morters, RPD Ak a few Ppsh.after a few weeks a column moved up the hill to attract Fiji etc etc
I enjoyed my time in the Congo, same beautiful areas, lake Tanganyika is fantastic. Pitty the people in the bush will never develop there is no infrastructure nor there will be in the near future. Atrocities I never so any, I did see people dying in combat both sides, we where decided in commandos, I was 54 commando, latter force, John John

[raibeartthehairypict]

I remember my Dad taking me to the pictures to see the movie "THE WILD GEESE." I loved it.
Though I had no idea, that it was based 'loosely' on the exploits of the Mad Mike and 5 commando.
This was a great video. Thanks for sharing it. Every day, is most definitely a school day. Thank you.

[mitseraffej]

These sort of men do it for the adventure. I have a friend that spent 15 odd years in the British army, joining at 18. He mostly served in Norther Ireland during the troubles and also went to the Falklands. After leaving the military he learnt to fly then got into the airline industry. Not long after he got a command on a Boeing 737 he resigned and became a mercenary. Flying was just way to tedious for him.

[kenhorlor]

Mad Mike Hoare's book 'Congo Mercenary' is an excellent read.

[curtisthomas]

Frederick Forsyth author of Day of the Jackal, in the 1970's partly financed, organized and attempted a coup against the government of Equatorial Guinea. Due to poor secrecy the plot was foiled by the Spanish authorities. However, Forsyth used the experience as the basis for his next novel Dogs of War, which told of a coup against a small African nation very similar to EG. The book went into very very elaborate details on the preparations for organizing a coup, from hiring mercs, buying weapons and disguising their destination and purpose, even getting a ship for transport.
The novel seems to have served as a "coup manual" a couple decades later when a UK backed group of mercs led by Mark Thatcher, son of the former UK PM, attempted another coup against Equatorial Guinea, which was also foiled due to poor secrecy.
In 2009, whilst Forsyth was in Guinea Bissau, ostensibly to research for another novel about a coup, there was a coup there in which the president and army chief were assassinated. Just by coincidence 😂

[schizoidboy]

When it comes to mercenary operations they almost always have the discrete backing of someone's government. The fact that Mad Mike would have the backing of the South African government is no surprise. His opposite Bob Denard always had the backing his homeland France. What little I know about Mad Mike comes from the book "The New Mercenary" by Anthony Mockler which opens with his encounter with Colonel Hoare at the hotel he was staying in. He even remarked that they preferred to be called "volunteers" rather than mercenaries. Mockler points out there were atrocities but they were on both sides. The looting by the mercenaries was rampant, but at the same time there were no mechanisms to stop it. Consider most modern armies have military police units to keep order, but there were certainly none in 5 Commando, so nothing could be done about it. However, there was an incident where one mercenary was caught raping and murdering a girl. Hoare took it upon himself to deal with the matter, the mercenary in question was a football play (soccer if you're American), so he shot the man's big toes off so he couldn't play the game anymore. Incidentally, it does seem appropriate that a mercenary group should try to sneak into a country as a society of beer drinkers.

[thedarkside]

Your channel deserves more attention man

I am new to the channel, and i live in switzerland. There are thousands of channels like yours, but sadly only about europe and america. So your channel opens my eyes tp a whole knew world of knowledge. Thank you for that my friend

[mukumbosimpito]

Good job my brother, Im hooked on your videos as a Zambian living in Wisconsin