Rhodesian Services Association (Incorporated)

Our aim is to preserve the history of Rhodesia covering from when the country was established in 1890, to the end of 1980 by which time it had become Zimbabwe. The public can visit our museum located at Unit 10, 14 Portside Drive, Mount Maunganui. We also have display areas in the Garrison Club, 3/6 NZIR Hall, Devonport Road, Tauranga and the Classic Flyers Museum, Jean Batten Drive, Mount Maunganui. Internet access to our searchable Nominal and Roll of Honour records in addition to images and details of all the artefacts in the Museum Collection is available through our website.

The Rhodesian Services Association was formed in New Zealand in 2002. We now have membership throughout the world. Membership is not restricted to ex services personnel. We welcome anyone who has a Rhodesian connection or interest.

It all began for us in 2002 when the Commanding Officer of the 6th Battalion (Hauraki) Regiment, Lt Col John Dick ED, was most complimentary of the kind of spirit that Rhodesians represented and insisted that we should have the opportunity to be able to preserve the record of our country and invited us to form a museum display as part of his unit’s history room. This was done with funding and contribution from all over the world. The display was officially opened in April 2003 during a visit to New Zealand by Lt. Gen. Peter Walls.

In 2006 the Classic Flyers Museum invited us to form a display in their museum on Jean Batten Drive, Mount Maunganui. We went on to build a number of displays and installed a storage container.

We have now expanded to the point where on the 1st May 2018, we leased a unit on Portside Drive, Mount Maunganui in which we to house and display all our artefacts. This unit will also be our administration base.

Our goal is to establish a business that will provide revenue and lead on to property ownership for the Association.

Please help us to reach our goal and preserve Rhodesian history for the benefit of future generations.