result of this pamphlet, on 15 Larch, 1969, three more soldiers deserted -
nos. 48978/67, 41543/67, and 65428/67.
EUSEBIO MARTINHO DA SILVA is 23 years old and comes from MOSCAVIDE in
Lisbon district. His father died when he was 11 and his mother married again
to a man called Antonio Pedro Lopes. Neither of them can work any more as they
are both sick, and they are supported by Eusebio's brother, aged 21. However,
he too is due to be conscripted shortly, and then there will be no-one to look
after their parents. They ov/n no property and "have only the night to rest
and the day to work." (Eusebio's words)
He has only studied up to the third primary class. His first job was in
a factory where he was lubricating machines. At the age of 18 he became a
bricklayer. He was conscripted into the army on 17 July, 1967, and v/as sent to
Mozambique on 20 December 1967. He was a private and served as a bodyguard to
a lieutenant called RIBEIRO. In Mozambique he earned about 900 escudos (# 32)
per month, (but in Portugal, like all the other recruits, he only received 3
escudos per month). His company, commanded by a captain, OSCAR ANTONIO GOMES
DA SILVA, v/as based at NAMBUDE and acted in the zones of river NANGU, of
BANDAZI, and between NAMBUDE and MARERE. When they went out on operations,
their main aim was to capture the local people, and they had orders to shoot
anyone who ran away. During his service in Mozambique he had suffered two
FRELIMO ambushes and two attacks against posts where he was stationed: one on
24 March 1968 at NAMBUDE (whore a friend of his, FERNANDO DOS SANTOS ROSA,
v/as taken prisoner), and the other on 28 October 1968 at NTADOLA.
JOSE ANTONIO FERREIRA DA MATA v/as born on 15 Juno 1946 in CAHHBIRAS,
Portugal. He is a carpenter and was educated up to the fourth primary class.
He was conscripted into infantry regiment no. 7 on 18 April 1967 in LEIBA. He
was later sent to PORTO for training in radio telegraphy. He arrived in
Mocimboa da Praia on 51 January 1968 and was first put into company no. 2304,
then transfered to no. 2305 in SHITOLO. His commander was a captain, NUNO
ALVARES PIRES AF0N30.
JOSE AUGUSTO LOPES was born in VILA BOA DO MONDEGO in Guarda, Northern
Portugal, on 29 July, 1945, He is a bricklayer. He never went to school and is
completely illiterate. All his family are working in France except for his
mother and sister who are in Portugal, When he v/as 18 he also went to France to
work. He returned to Portugal in 1967 to visit his mother and sister. On 12
June 1967 he was caught by the police and sent to the military headquarters at
VISEU where, a week later, he v/as conscripted. After his arrival in Mocimboa da
Praia ho was sent to NAMBUDE v/here he stayed for 7%  months, then he was sent
back to Mocimboa da Praia for another 4 months. Then his unit, commanded by
OSCAR DA SILVA, was sent   SHITOLO. On the way they wore ambushed by FRELIMO0
A corporal called PEREIRA and 2 privates were killed; 8 privates were wounded.
They later suffered tv/o more ambushes on the same road. He v/as also in Nambude
during the attack wjien Fernando dos Santos Rosa was captured.
All three of these soldiers deserted together from Mocimboa da Praia at
2.30 a.m. on tho night of 15 March, 1969. The following day they crossed the
river NANGO and finally came to a village where they mot a FRELIMO detachment
of the people's militia. They gave up their weapons and were taken to a FRELIMO
base.
Like the previous deserters, their reasons for leaving the Portuguese
army v/ere the harsh treatment of the ordinary soldiers by the officers, and
-15-