RHODESIA: ARMY TRAINING FACILITIES STRETCHED TO BREAKING POINT AS GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO RECRUIT MORE BLACKS TO PROVE IT'S NOT A RACIAL WAR.

Record ID: 496448

  • Title: RHODESIA: ARMY TRAINING FACILITIES STRETCHED TO BREAKING POINT AS GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO RECRUIT MORE BLACKS TO PROVE IT'S NOT A RACIAL WAR.
  • Date: 23rd May 1976
  • Summary: 1. SV African soldiers marching on parade ground, with rifles, singing (2 shots) 0.27 2. SV White officers watch 0.30 3. SCU Mock terrorists lining bush waiting to attack Rhodesian army patrols (2 shots) 0.42 4. TOP VIEW PAN UP FROM Mock terrorists TO Rhodesian soldiers on patrol 0.50 5. LV Rhodesian army patrol moving as guerrillas open fire 0.56 6. SV PAN FROM Burning grass TO Rhodesian patrol running to take cover 1.04 7. SV Rhodesian patrol crawling towards terrorists 1.09 8. CU Rhodesian soldier, after running out of bullets, making gun noises as he pretends to fire rifle 1.18 9. CU PAN FROM Alleged dead terrorists TO Soldier running into bush (2 shots) 1.34 10. SV Patrol moves into bush and takes weapons from "dead terrorists" (3 shots) 1.52 11. SV ZOOM OUT TO Solders retrieving weapons near burning grass 1.58 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 7th June 1976 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: INKOMO TRAINING CAMP, NEAR SALISBURY, RHODESIA
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Reuters ID: LVADWSS1XG3J70YIOMPCHAK85QZ4
  • Story Text: The Rhodesian government is currently carrying out a drastic expansion in its military forces and the emphasis is on increasing the number of black recruits -- partly to prove the war is not a racial conflict between black and white Africa.

    The latest official death toll shows that 62 guerrillas, 26 curfew-breakers, 42 African civilians and 11 black and white security force men have died this month. This, coupled with the recent cancellation of exemptions from military call-up, show the rapid escalation of the Rhodesian war.

    Blacks now outnumber whites by two to one in Rhodesia's army, but not a single black soldier has been made an officer.

    Training for the recruits is tough, but the blacks know the bush well. Why they are prepared to risk their lives to defend Rhodesia, with its white-dominated regime is an unanswered question. It is thought the recruits join the army at least partly, for the better pay and security that army life offers.

    Army training facilities are stretched to their limit at present, but the government is hoping to employ even more black soldiers.

    In one mock skirmish, at the Inkomo training camp near Salisbury, recently, the soldiers were so short of blank rounds to fire they often had to improvise.

    In the mock battle the patrol was ambushed by three make-believe guerrillas lurking in the underbrush, who were eventually slain.

    The war games are almost over for those recruits. Next month they will be integrated into the regular army where they may face real situations like they staged at Inkomo.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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