MILITARY UNIFORMS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE OVERSEAS 1938 (6) - THE RHODESIA REGIMENT

Moving north from Cape Town and crossing the Limpopo River (but obviously staying within the boundaries of the British Empire of 1938), we trek to Southern Rhodesia:

A Sergeant of the Rhodesia Regiment 1938

The reverse of this cigarette card (No.5 of 50) states:

"The Southern Rhodesia Defence Force originated with the early Pioneers and in 1892 developed into a volunteer force which served in the Matabele war and Rhodesia Rebellion. In 1899, it became the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers, with units in the principal centres and Rifle Companies in outlying districts. Volunteers therefrom served in the Boer War and Great War. In 1926 the Defence Act was promulgated, instituting compulsory peacetime training, and the Rhodesia Regiment - of two Battalions - was formed from members of the Southern Rhodesian Volunteers and other citizens in the larger towns. We show a Sergeant of the Rhodesia Regiment in Drill Order, standing in front of the Drill Hall at Salisbury, S. Rhodesia."

Notes:

(1). as to 28mm suggestions, the temptation is (of course) to start with an 8th Army figure in shorts as a base, either living with its "long socks" or converting them to match the Rhodesians' long leather gaiters. However, this would still leave you looking around for a Wolesley helmet, and both the webbing and shirt/jacket would be quite wrong. Probably the best "donor figure" would be from the Gripping Beast WW1 line, "BRIT 11 - British Section in Shorts":

Gripping Beast WW1 British in shorts - varieties of separate
heads are available, of which the Wolesley is one option.

Gripping Beast separate head options (British).

(2). The Drill Hall was built in 1902, and is a particularly fine example of its type. More background information (from 1956) HERE, and interesting contemporary accounts of the Duke of Connaught's visit in 1910 HERE:

The Drill Hall (now in Harare, Zimbabwe) still exists, but unfortunately we have been unable to trace a modern photograph of it, nor establish its present use. The equally impressive Drill Hall in Bulawayo is in use as a Police Administrative Building, and it may therefore be that same is true of the old Salisbury building. Leave a comment to this post if you can do better! Whatever may have happened to their Drill Hall, however, the Rhodesia Regiment has certainly marched away into history:

The Rhodesia Regiment marching away from the Drill Hall, late 1930s.
It may be that this is a contingent going to war in 1939, or an earlier
departure to Herefordshire in 1938...
(David Heppenstal collection, via Pinterest)