 Once signed up , each man was instructed to travel to Switzerland , where appropriate visas were swiftly procured from the South African Embassy . In early November 1977 , the French recruits flew from Zurich to Johannesburg on a South African Airways liner , then to Salisbury by Air Rhodesia . Already in Rhodesia waiting for the men were their leaders : Major Roland de l 'Assomption , an ex @-@ officer of the French Army 's crack 11th Shock Parachute Regiment , and a former officer of the Gabonese President Omar Bongo 's guard ; and Major Mario La Viola , once a non @-@ commissioned officer in the Foreign Legion 's 2nd Parachute Regiment . Beneath them were the Antillean Captain Toumi , who became the first black officer in the regular Rhodesian Army as the unit 's second @-@ in @-@ command , and " Colonel " Bob Denard , an infamous French soldier of fortune nicknamed le chien de guerre — " the dog of war " . 
 Once signed up , each man was instructed to travel to Switzerland , where appropriate visas <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> swiftly procured from the South African Embassy . In early November 1977 , the French recruits flew from Zurich to Johannesburg on a South African Airways liner , then to Salisbury by Air Rhodesia . Already in Rhodesia waiting for the men<a href='been_done' title='2'><mark></mark></a> <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> their leaders : Major Roland de l <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'</mark></a>ssomption , an ex @-@ officer of the French Army <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>crack 11th Shock Parachute Regiment , and a former officer of the Gabonese President Omar Bongo <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>guard ; and Major Mario La Viola , once a non @-@ commissioned officer in the Foreign Legion <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>2nd Parachute Regiment . Beneath them <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> the Antillean Captain Toumi , <a href='null_relcl' title='9'><mark>who</mark></a>became the first black officer in the regular Rhodesian Army as the unit <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>second @-@ in @-@ command , and " Colonel " Bob Denard , an infamous French soldier of fortune nicknamed le chien de guerre — " the dog of war " . 
Once signed up , each man was instructed to travel to Switzerland , where appropriate visas was swiftly procured from the South African Embassy . In early November 1977 , the French recruits flew from Zurich to Johannesburg on a South African Airways liner , then to Salisbury by Air Rhodesia . Already in Rhodesia waiting for da men done was their leaders : Major Roland de l  ssomption , an ex @-@ officer of tdaFrench Army  crack 11th Shock Parachute Regiment , and a former officer of the Gabonese President Omar Bongo  guard ; and Major Mario La Viola , once a non @-@ commissioned officer in thdaoreign Legion  2nd Parachute Regiment . Beneath em was the Antillean Captain Toumi , became the first black officer in thedagular Rhodesian Army as the unit  second @-@ in @-@ command , and " Colonel " Bob Denard , an infamous French soldier of fortune nicknamed le chien de guerre — " the da of war " .