Attack on Odzanu Junction Farm

The Attack on Odzanu Junction Farm happened on 21 August 1977, when cadres from the ZANLA attacked the Odzanu Junction farm, which is 17 miles (27 km) north of Unitali on the Mozambique border. The farm was owned by white Rhodesian farmer Marty Marius Sleigh.

Attack on Odzanu Junction Farm
Part of Rhodesian Bush War
Type	Terrorist attack
Planned by	Rex Nhongo
Target	Odzanu Junction Farm
Date	21 August 1977
Executed by	ZANLA
Outcome	Severe damage to farm workers accommodation Odzanu Junction Farm
Casualties	16 black Rhodesians killed 12–20+ black Rhodesians injured

The Raid

The cadres attacked the houses on the farm which housed the farm's labour force, composed of black Rhodesians. The cadres rounded up the workers and their families before they opened fire indiscriminately on the men, women and children. Twelve men and women and two children were killed and twelve wounded. Two of the wounded died later in hospital. The sound of gunfire woke up Mr Sleigh and his sixteen-year-old son, Cornel Sleigh, when they left their house they saw that the cadres had set fire to their farm's workers compound after they had shot the workers and their families. Mr Sleigh and Cornel Sleigh opened fire on the terrorists, with guns that they kept in their house for protection, and the terrorists fled into the bush, firing a few shots as they went.