This is my playground. There are teachers’ houses next to each boarding residence. We live in one of these and have our own rambling garden. No gates or fences are needed to keep us in or anyone out. Fences are for dogs and petty thieves and would be useless at keeping out terrorists. The threat of terrorists is constant.

We rely on the Rhodesian security forces, radio contact, patrols, convoys, landmine detectors and specially trained dogs. Our dogs, Mr Chips and Lassie, would not be very helpful. We have drills to prepare us for terrorist attacks and we know what to do if we are ambushed or invaded in the car, at home or at school...