Camouflage trousers : David Edwards, Rhodesian Police Reserve

Place Africa: Rhodesia
Accession Number REL25286.003
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Uniform
Physical description Cotton drill
Maker Unknown
Place made Rhodesia
Date made 1970s
Conflict Period 1970-1979
Period 1960-1969
Commonwealth Monitoring Force Rhodesia (CMFR) 1979 - 1980
Description

Rhodesian Police Reserve heavy gauge cotton drill camouflage trousers.

History / Summary

Associated with David Edwards of the Rhodesian Police Reserve (RPR), a branch of the Anti-Terrorist Unit. Edwards served from the period of the white minority government of southern Rhodesia's 'unilateral declaration of independence' in 1965 until 1978-80, when the black Zimbabwe African National Union of the Patriotic Front came to power and changed the country's name to Zimbabwe. He participated in RPR patrols of Rhodesia's borders, in six man units referred to as 'sticks', on six week long counter insurgency operations. The patrols mainly lived off the land and acted as an independent unit in contact with their base. He was transferred to the Marine Division which patrolled Lake Kariba between Rhodesia and Zambia. His unit operated two 60 foot gun boats and a few 14 foot fast attack craft.