Bob Denard, dead at 78.
By streiff Posted in Miscellanea — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
There were giants in the earth in those days...
Over the weekend Bob Denard, soldier, mercenary, mostly owned subsidiary of French intelligence, and legend, died at age 78.
Denard began his career in the French Navy and after discharge served, as has his father, as a colonial police officer in Morrocco and an intelligence operative during the war in Algeria. The ill thought out decolonization process in Africa combined with Soviet adventurism and Nasserist posturing brought Denard to international attention.
He made his bones in the Congo as a colleague and rival of Mike Hoare, John Peters, Rolf Steiner, and Jacques Schramme.
When the Congo war flamed out he found other employment in Yemen, Rhodesia, Iran, Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, Angola, and lastly in the Comoros where he overthrew the government four times while heading its armed forces.
A late in life convert to polygamous, rather than radical, Islam he left behind at least seven former and current wives, eight children, and a life well led.