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79WEIGHT WATCHERS, MUGABE AND MOIWhen Ian Smith made his Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1966, Harold Wilson%u2019s government persuaded the UN to impose sanctions against Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. The nearest sea port to which Rhodesia had access for imports, particularly oil products, was Louren%u00e7o Marques (now Maputo) in Mozambique. Madagascar accepted that surveillance patrols of the Beira Straits, between Madagascar and Mozambique could be mounted from the town of Majunga (now Mahajanga) in North-West Madagascar. This was achieved by positioning a couple of Shackleton Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft at the local airport. They carried out patrols every other day, reporting vessels suspected of running the blockade to Royal Naval ships for investigation. Most RN vessels had to linger in the area for a month, when sailing to or from the Far East. Royal Air Force Detachment Majunga existed from 1966 until 1972. Aircraft were provided initially from squadrons based in the Far East or the Middle East, more latterly from UK. Aircrew and ground crew did 2-month stints, whilst a small number of cadre officers did 6-month detachments, and the Wing Commander CO did 12 months.As a young Flying Officer, not two years out of Cranwell, I took over the grandly-named appointment of Officer Commanding Supply and Movements Flight in Majunga in January 1971, the latest in a succession of chaps who had served their 6-month stay in that beautiful country. The flight consisted of a Corporal, a Senior Aircraftsman (SAC) and moi (this was a French-speaking job in the former French colony) %u2013 which was fine for the Supply bit of the job. To cope with unloading and loading the fortnightly re-supply aircraft, the Movements Team had to be augmented by whichever SNCOs1and airmen could be persuaded to get involved in what was invariably heavy, hot and sweaty work. They were MT mechanics, administrators, cooks, and anyone who did not move fast enough when my persuasive Corporal was looking for reinforcements. We had neither forklift truck nor much in the way of handling aids, with