ALGERIA: Desert Encounter

In the long struggle with Algerian rebellion, the French have always felt confident of the loyalty of the Shamba tribesmen who make up the bulk of France’s elite Saharan Camel Corps. The Shamba, each of whom owns and cares for his own camels (two for riding, one for supplies), earned high honors during World War II for their support of General Leclerc in his march across Africa.

Last week a routine French patrol set out from Timimoun to check on a company located some 30 miles to the northeast. When they got to the area, they found the company’s eight French officers and noncoms sprawled in their tents, their throats cut from ear to ear. The remaining 53 Shamba corpsmen had taken off across the desert with 180 camels.

A squadron of French fighter planes promptly set out in pursuit. From the air, the tribesmen were easy to spot in the bare sands. Machine guns chattering, the planes made pass after pass. They did not stop until every camel was dead. “Without their camels,” said a French spokesman at headquarters,”the surviving Shamba. if there are any, will die of thirst in the desert.”