Rhodesian Army Nominal Roll 1980

[Chas Lotter]

For the last eighteen months, I have been trying to lay my hands on a copy of the Rhodesian Army Nominal Roll that was located in Zimbabwe. Without Andrew Souttar’s (Classic Arms) help, I doubt if I would have succeeded.

Success at last! See attached photos. I picked up the Roll this morning.

The Roll is in bad condition (naturally) but is perfectly legible.

I hope that someone can explain to us, though.

It is headed “Rhodesian Army Roll” but is dated September 1980. Therefore, is it our final Roll run at a later date or is it a Roll as at September 1980? I would argue for the former since the units listed in the right hand column are all our old units and I know that Mugabe, after he took over, promptly disbanded the Selous Scouts, the RLI and the RAR.

I think it may include both regulars and territorials since some of the numbers in the left hand column have the suffix “P” and some the suffix “T”. However, there are other suffixes besides those two.

It is organised numerically into sections (Officers, RWS, ES and AS). The numbers in the left hand column cannot be pay numbers as they are all in the six hundred and seven hundred thousand range. My own number was in the 49 000 range and I can only recall numbers in the final years in either the 120 000 range or the 150 000 range.

Perhaps someone from the paymaster offices in the Service Corps can explain it to us?

For the record, it shows the racist, rebel Rhodesian Army as having some 1 300 whites and some 9 000 blacks. So much for the propaganda. This puts the lie to the modern politically correct line that it was a white versus black war.

I have passed the Roll to Jonathan Harvey to digitise since, if it gets lost, a valuable piece of history is gone for ever. If it is digitised, the chances of losing the data are far less.

[Chas Lotter]

Hopefully, if I can figure it out, photos will follow

[Chas Lotter]

[Chas Lotter]

[Willie Barnard]

Well done Chas.

Willie Barnard

[Blair]

Chas, would you mind if I forward this picture to my mother? She might have some insight to the number next to her name.

[Chas Lotter]

Chas, would you mind if I forward this picture to my mother? She might have some insight to the number next to her name.

I have no problem with any of this info being distributed. The further and wider it goes, the less chance of it being lost for ever.

In fact, we are now busy scanning it in as a series of .pdf's and, when that is done, I will put it up at the Molon Labe site for anyone and everyone to download.

The picture has become more completed, though.

I am told by a former Pay Corps type that this printout from the Salary Service Corps and only lists the regulars. I have been offered a chance to scan another Roll (organised by unit) with some PF and some TF personnel.

We also need a Roll of the TF’s. We also need the Roll that lists the SA types like Andrew.

Only then do we have a chance of assembling a final Roll.

Lots of work ahead of us.

[Wanderin' Zero]

Chas, a most excellent achievement. My very best congratulations to yourself and Andrew.

I was curious to note that numbers are not sequential and that gaps between numbers are significant. I wonder why?

[Chas Lotter]

Chas, a most excellent achievement. My very best congratulations to yourself and Andrew. I was curious to note that numbers are not sequential and that gaps between numbers are significant. I wonder why?

I am hoping that someone who knows how the system worked will come forward and tell us.

[JS4]

What a find! Thanks for that Chas and Andrew!