rhodesian services association · web viewthis was reiterated to us recently at my new zealand...

Rhodesian Services Association IncorporatedRegistered under the 2005 Charities Act in New Zealand number CC25203

Registered as an Incorporated Society in New Zealand number 2055431PO Box 13003, Tauranga 3141, New Zealand.

Web: www.rhodesianservices.org E-mail hbomford@clear.net.nz

Phone +64 7 576 9500 Cell +64 21 045 8069 Fax +64 7 576 9501

January 2009 NewsletterPlease Note that all previous newsletters are available at

www.rhodesianservices.org/Newsletters.htm

GreetingsWelcome to 2009, I trust that it will be a good year for us all. Thanks to everyone who sent me and Diana good wishes and for your continued support.

A new columnist (had to be careful spelling that word – pretty close to ‘communist’ and we don’t allow that sort of thing here!) has joined us. Grunter Robertson will be doing a sports column which we hope will entertain and inform you. So that you can get a bit of a sighter on who Grunter is, his Dad, Ross Robertson and both his uncles Preston and Bert all represented Rhodesia in rugby and also water polo. (That must be some sort of record?) Some of you will remember that Preston Robertson was captain of the Rhodesian Rugby team. There is nothing like having a little knowledge to stick it to some know-all in the pub or when you are at the next rugby game. I remember a few years ago when former All Black captain Graham Mourie was having a cup of tea at my folk’s and called my father to question when Dad happened to mention that Rhodesia beat the All Blacks. Mourie would have none of it until Dad produced the newspaper article from a scrap book. Unfortunately I was not there, but I will leave you to picture the event!

Rhodesian Services Association news - What’s on in New Zealand

Tauranga areaThe Garrison Club, which is located at the 6th Hauraki Battalion Group on the corner of 11th Avenue and Devonport Road, Tauranga, is open every Friday from around 1600hrs and all are welcome to partake of a few beverages and have a yarn. In addition every 2nd Friday of the month (with a few exceptions) we have a Curry and Movie Evening. Colin Logie, aka “Chef Jaswanta Goodcurry”, provides the curry and yours truly shows the movie.. We have people coming through from as far afield as Rotorua on a regular basis. To keep in touch with what is showing, when and at what time, please register your interest with me by email hbomford@clear.net.nz

Auckland areaEmail from Wolf Hucke“Hi All, For those who do not know me, I am Wolf Hucke. I am a committee member of the Rhodesian Services Association of New Zealand. I am ex Rhodesian Army 1969 to 1979.

I would like to see a regular monthly or bi-monthly social (not military) get together of all ex Rhodesians and Zimbabweans. I have gained permission for us to meet at the Hobsonville RSA on Hobsonsville Road. Saturday would probably be the best day/evening. There is an excellent and reasonably priced restaurant available. I envisage that we will start in February after the holidays.

Please let me have your thoughts on the matter.

Compliments of the season to you all,Wolf Hucke”Email whucke@xtra.co.nz

On line auctions

For a few months we have been registered with the local on line auction, Trade Me www.trademe.co.nz Our member name is sitnominedigna. We have been listing various of our stocked items ex our CQ Store. Recently we have also started to list items which have been donated. These are items that are not suitable for the museum collection and are of too low an interest or value to put on the RV Auction. If you have anything that you feel would be suitable please contact me.

Museum update

You can go on line and visit this page for background to our displays http://www.rhodesianservices.org/Museum%20Displays.htm

We continue to receive outstanding support from you folk. Recent notable additions are three ‘plaques’. The term plaque is loosely used here. These beasts are not your standard shield shaped wall plaques, oh no, they are 20 – 30kg solid Rhodesian simbi (Shona word for metal) “help me get it to the car” models. We record our gratitude to Blake and Jane Few for the Royal Rhodesian Air Force and Federation crests. The Air Force crest was liberated from the gates of Thornhill.

The Federation crest, pictured below, was originally from the clock tower wall of the Milton Building, Jameson Avenue, Salisbury. This came to the possession of Jane Few from her father Sir Athol Evans who was Secretary of Home Affairs for the Federal Government of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It is currently displayed in the Lions Den, our storage container at the Classic Flyers Museum.

The third plaque from Hot Springs (pictured below) was conveyed to South Africa by Dave and Lynette Mathews where it was then very kindly shipped by Al Currie to New Zealand. Dave is going to do some research on the Hot Springs to add to the history of this item. While this memorial plaque is not directly military, it is still a piece of Rhodesian history that a number of people have seen fit to spend their own time and money on to get it to somewhere where it is safe and can be shared with others. If you can add any background to this (or any other item in the collection) please write it down and send it through to me. We do know that Hot Springs was closed down during the Bush War. I know that elements of 4RR were based there – this may jog some memories, if so please send your memoirs to me.

We still have to complete the Ian Smith display. Time is our enemy here but we have most of the material assembled, we just need to put it together.

These are recent photos of the inside of the Lions Den storage container. You note our man Fred on guard and ready to slot any undesirables with his MAG!

Since making a visitor’s book available at our display area inside the Classic Flyers Museum, we have had a lot of very nice comments made. It is really gratifying to know what a positive impact we are having.

A blast from the past – the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation

Antoinette Dick (nee Fourie) recently contacted me having received one of our newsletters. Antoinette explained to me (the ignorant farm boy from Marandellas who had never heard of her back then!) that she was better known as Toni Fourie and had worked for the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation as a Programme Operator for many years. Keith Kennedy called her "Toni" over the air one day when they were doing the Lyons Maid Hits of The Week and the name stuck. Toni also worked with Padre Norman Wood for "Forces Outreach", sending books to the various serving members, plus letters, hospital visitations, etc. She is still in close touch with Padre Wood and his wife Maureen who live in Florida. Toni has provided me with a quantity of material and I aim to share more with you in future issues of the newsletter. These are some of her early memories of working at the RBC:

“I had been interviewed in November 1964 by RBC This was shortly after I finished my last year of High School in Que Que. I was turning 17 that same month, and had been accepted for training as a Programme Operator in December of that year. We were originally from Que Que and had lived the four previous years in Chingola in what was then Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia. We returned to Que Que when the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland started to break up. Papa had been employed at Nchanga as a welder.

I was put under the care of Sally Donaldson, then nee Stevens and her nickname was "Spon." Sally had been dubbing a programme along with Lesley Weeks, I think her name was. Sally told me to sit there and watch the tape while they went off somewhere, and "NOT to touch anything!".

While they were gone, the tape ended and the loose end flapped around and around, and started to unravel. Man! - what to do? I'd been told not to touch but felt I just HAD to do something, and so I decided to turn the machine off. Well, I simply pushed the button that said "stop" and it stopped.

A short time later Sally and Lesley walked back in and she looked at the machine and then at me and said, "And WHAT did I tell you NOT to do?" I got a mouthful.And so began my training! I still cringe at that recall!

I wasn't very good to begin with and had to be reminded during a ‘pep talk’ to ‘get my act together or else,’ by my boss. That wasn't easy as I had come from a very sheltered and strict home, and was quite frankly, swimming badly in this new world where I was employed for the first time.

It could be very stressful especially when we had deadlines to meet and even worse when, while the first part of "Background to the News" was being broadcast, we could see other frantic Programme Operators with panic on their faces, motioning for us to hurry the rest of the programme through!

At a frantic pace I'd dash out of the one studio and around and into the other and sling the rest of the programmes tape on the machine. With sheer will power and determination I would thread the tape with the greatest of speed while the Programme Operator would wait to cross machines and continue like nothing had happened. I would simply collapse into a sweating bundle of expended energy on the nearby chair, shaking my head. Then we'd laugh! And laugh with relief at the sheer madness of it all.

Happily I went on to be very good at what I was doing (I am told), and trained many people in the following years I was at Broadcasting House on Manica Road. It could be a very stressful and difficult job, but also very interesting, educational, and rewarding.

I also committed one almost unforgivable gaff. It was back in 1965 I believe, when I was in one of the recording studios feeling very frustrated about a deadline of a difficult dubbing and editing I was doing from 7.5 ips. to 15 ips. I was making steady progress but didn't want any interruptions and had closed the door to the studio. I didn't even hear the door open, I was so engrossed as I sat at the controls, but I looked up to see two men entering. One was holding the door open for the other, who stood there in his suit, hat in hands. The other, standing behind him carried a briefcase. "Is this the studio we're meant to record a speech in?" the latter asked. I frowned. "I think not ... hmm ... let me see?" I crossed over to the board and checked the schedules. "That's funny" I said, "I don't see anything scheduled anywhere ... are you sure you have the right date?" They affirmed that they had.

"Well then" I said, "let me go and find out where you're meant to be?" Sighing and feeling somewhat angry, I stopped both machines knowing I'd have to trace back a little in order to resume what I had been doing. I really didn’t need this interruption! I went to the reception desk and said "Mary, I have two men in my studio," and recounted the story. Mary said she'd look in to it and suggested I go back to the studio and tell the men to wait there until we found out.

The next moment John Parry arrived sweating and red in the face, and started apologizing profusely to the men, leading them away. I still didn't know who they were, but it wasn't long before I did!

After the speech had obviously been recorded, I heard a thundering roar as John Parry came through the courtyard screaming at all and sundry within hearing range and at the top of his voice, and wanting to know why the Prime Minister had not been properly met and given the respect due him and that a "silly little programme operator" had had to show him the way, etc., etc. Mr Parry was using a lot of expletives and was so upset he could hardly speak which made him splutter and spew even more! I thought he might have a heart attack, he was so enraged. Be sure that I knew who Ian Smith was the next time we met, and we remained friends until his death last year.

Many times during the UDI years we could not get spare parts and engineers were challenged to keep machines going so that we could stay on the air. They were brilliant. I remember times when I would have to turn LPs by hand, hoping I was matching the right speed while engineers tried to get the other turn table serviceable! Our listeners had no idea what we did to stay on the air.

I also remember the old hitching rail outside the RBC building where pioneers used to tether their horses. I met many famous personalities over the years as they came in for interviews and my autograph book grew in volume! I really loved my job. I enjoyed the interviews and still remember the laughs Bill Franklin and I had over some of the old timers' stories he recorded before they would be lost to history. They had such a humorous way of recounting their stories for the most part.

I was on duty when the first man stepped on the moon. I was on duty when UDI was declared. James Robinson and John Bishop asking me how I worked it out that way? "It was simply meant to be" I replied laughing. I remember those days with much pleasure and nostalgia.”

Pictured below on the rooftop of Rhodesian Herald House, Salisbury August 1972. Gisela Schwambach (German speaking) and Toni Fourie (French speaking) being interviewed about the Munich Olympics and Rhodesia (Gisela & Toni were Programme Operators at the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation) Jean-Loup Demigneux of ORTF (French TV) and cameraman Pierre Duplanc.

Some RBC personalities below

Toni Fourie (1974) Keith Kennedy Jeremy DawesJohn Bishop

Capabilities of RankIn a recent tidy up I found this piece below. I remember that I had copied it down in long hand sometime during my National Service and then painstakingly typed it up on my Mum’s typewriter one R&R. So here it is again, 30 years

later. It is reproduced for you here with the sincere intention that no offence is taken by any of our readers from the biggest ‘Sir’ to Stompie and all those in between!

GeneralLeaps tall buildings with a single bound,Is more powerful than a locomotive’Is faster than a speeding bullet,Walks on water’Gives policy to God.

ColonelLeaps short buildings with a single bound,Is more powerful than a switch engine,Is as fast as a speeding bullet,Walks on water if seas are calm,Talks with God.

Lieutenant ColonelLeaps short buildings with a running start and favourable winds,Is almost as powerful as a switch engine,Is as fast as a speeding pellet,Walks on water on indoor swimming pools,Talks with God if special requests approved.

MajorRarely clears medium gum trees,Loses tug-o-war with locomotive,Can fire a speeding bullet,Swims well,Is occasionally addressed by God’s secretary.

CaptainSteps over a dog kennel with ease,Recognises a locomotive immediately,Can fire a speeding pellet gun,Can float on his back,Can talk with God’s secretary by special request.

LieutenantRuns into buildings,Recognises locomotives two out of three times,Is not issued ammunition,Can stay afloat if instructed in Mae West,Talks to plants.

2 nd Lieutenant Falls over doorsteps when trying to enter buildings,Says “Look at the choo choo”Wets himself with a water pistol,Mumbles to himself.

NCOLifts buildings and walks under them,Kicks locos off tracks,Catches speeding bullets in his teeth and eats them,Freezes water with a single glance,He is God!!

Regimental Rumours by ‘Stompie’

Greetings all.

I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year.

Despite what I said in the last newsletter about alcohol producing idiots, here's a story about one of our recently-arrived fellow countrymen who had his first encounter with a dishwasher whilst completely sober.

The idiot, who henceforth shall be called "Bubbles", arrived in New Zealand a few months ago. His wife and daughters will follow from South Africa in the next month or so. So "Bubbles" is currently “enjoying” the life of a bachelor, and having to cope with the problems of domestic bliss all on his own.

He recently moved into an upmarket rental property in the Gisborne area. The property came with a dishwasher, an appliance that Bubbles had never come up against before. One day, he decided to use the dishwasher but unfortunately, he is one of those people who doesn't bother with instruction books. I mean, how difficult can this be? You don't need an instruction book for that! He therefore omitted to read that "Liquid detergents should NEVER be used in this dishwasher".

Unfettered by seemingly useless information our Bubbles puts all the dirty dishes in the machine and then grabs the dishwashing liquid, squirting a liberal amount of the aforesaid all over the plates and glasses in the machine. He managed to locate the "On" button without too much difficulty and he is in business. Hey presto! On went the machine and off went Bubbles to have another quiet ale and contemplate on how house trained he actually is and therefore how many brownie points is he going to score when the Domestic Seagull and Gannets arrive.

Not too long afterwards, he spotted what he thought was foam on the lounge carpet. Being an inquisitive sort and fancying himself as a tracker, he followed the foam trail and found the kitchen completely full of foam………bubbles everywhere, some had even floated out the kitchen window and were clinging to a grape vine growing outside! Bubbles, with reactions honed to razor sharpness from his African upbringing, waded through the sea of bubbles and flicked the switch off at the wall, being too nervous to venture any closer to the dishwasher which he couldn't see for foam and bubbles anyway.

The mopping up operation began. Grabbing whatever he could to soak up or shift the bubbles from the lounge and kitchen, he spent hours shooing bubbles out the back door and whatever door or window was closest. When the mopping up operations were finally completed, he was able to locate the dishwasher and remove the contents, never to venture near the damn thing again. The dishwasher has been designated to what he calls "the hateful zone".

The following evening, Bubbles went down to the pub and related the rather unfortunate story to a couple of his mates. Amid the raucous laughter, they tactfully suggested that perhaps he should have used dishwashing powder in the machine, which he should have put in the dispenser. “Powder? Dispenser? What powder? What dispenser?”

Bubbles contacted a fellow countrywoman on MSN (Editor’s remark – he can use a computer?) and poured out his tale of woe to her. After calling him a simpleton and a few other names, she asked if he had perhaps consulted the instruction book. “Instruction book? What instruction book?” She painfully explained to him that dishwashing machines use powder, not dishwashing liquid - and had he thought of adding rinse aid? “Rinse aid? What's rinse aid?” He duly located the instruction book and sure enough, there in bold type was "Liquid detergents should NEVER be used in this dishwasher". Oops!

The upside of the story, according to Bubbles, is that the kitchen floor is now squeaky clean and there are no aphids on the grape vines outside the kitchen window.

Happily for local trade, Bubbles now frequents the Chinese take-away down the road, and uses paper plates and disposable cups while he patiently awaits the arrival of his wife.

Thanks to my informant for this rather amusing story. Keep the stories coming in folks - you can email me at stompie@rhodesianservices.org

Cheers for now,Stompie.

Editor’s Note – Competition TimeStompie told me that there are many of our countrymen and women working on the land in New Zealand and that there are a number of good stories out there about how these people have come to grips with the ‘fully mechanical’ ways of New Zealand having been brought up on the ‘fully manual’ ways of Africa. As one of the ‘early settlers in New Zealand’ I know exactly what Stompie was getting at (how do you bluff your way through using a chain saw when you have never seen one and you would rather be using a demu (Shona word for axe)). Contemplating this I thought that a small competition would be in order. So, over the next three issues of this newsletter I would like to see as many stories as possible get sent to Stompie. In the May issue we will announce the winner as judged by our panel of experts and that person will receive a prize, generously sponsored by the Rhodesian Services Association.

Right oh folks, start spilling your stories to Stompie. Word of warning though, if any word of threats of blackmail or retribution reach Stompie’s radar sharp antennae the perpetrator/s will be made to pay dearly!

Grunter’s Good Oil

It was certainly an honour to receive a call from Hugh asking me to contribute a sporting column to the RhSA Newsletter, and combined with some trepidation! I am in no way a sporting encyclopaedia and I am certainly not renowned for my literacy skills. I am just like most of us - merely a sports enthusiast. I hope my future snippets will be of interest to you and bring back memories from our sporting past and present. I hope it creates discussion and look forward to any feedback from you regarding what you would like to see in future columns.

Just before Christmas I turned on the TV and switched to the rugby channel. There was a world Sevens tournament on the go from Dubai and the first game I saw was Zimbabwe vs. Scotland. Despite all that has gone on in recent years it was amazing the sense of pride and patriotism I felt. Under present conditions it is incredible that Zimbabwe was even able to field a team, let alone compete as well as they did in the tournament. They recorded wins over Scotland and France. This got me thinking how well Rhodesia and then Zimbabwe did over the years as a sporting nation. I hope to rekindle these memories in future columns with your support.

Living in New Zealand we are constantly reminded that Kiwis "punch above their weight". This was reiterated to us recently at my New Zealand Citizenship ceremony where we were told that now that we were New Zealanders we would be able to punch above our weight.

When I look back at what we achieved in the country of our birth - if ever a country or its people could be defined as "punching above her weight" it was ours, and next month I plan to outline our case.

My email address is fourstreams@clear.net.nz and I look forward to hearing from you.

CheersGrunter

CQ Store visit www.rhodesianservices.org/The%20Shop.htm to see what is in store for you

Below is a list of our stock. Your support is invaluable. Please give our CQ Store consideration when buying a present for someone in your family. We do ask that you order early in case we do not have your size in stock and also to allow for shipping time if the destination is outside New Zealand.

We have recently ordered some more Rhodesian Rugby jerseys to cover for sizes and styles that we are sold out of. These are probably around 6 – 8 weeks away. We do still have a good range in stock so do not hold back on ordering.

CQ STORE INVENTORY

ITEMS EXCLUDING POSTAGE PRICE in NZ$4RR Hackles $17.50‘Bumper’ Stickers, Rhodesia/NZ or Australia flags; Rhodesian flag; Rhodesian Services Assn Lion & Tusk

$3 each or 2 for $5

Bullion wire blazer pocket badges – RLI, Rhodesia Regiment in stock $100Business Card Holder – stainless steel with Lion & Tusk engraved $20Berets $50Lion & Tusk Baseball Caps $23Lion & Tusk Beanies green, black or other (even pink!) on request $20Lion & Tusk Dog Tags ‘silver’ or ‘gold’ $30Lion & Tusk Polar Fleece jackets – long sleeved in green, black, navy $60Lion & Tusk Polo shirts - black or green $36.50Lion & Tusk T-shirts - black or green $30Lion & Tusk Women’s v-neck stretch shirts - black $30Name badge – resin coated 15Number plate surrounds – 4 styles to choose from $12Pocket Insert Medal Holder $15Regimental Cap Badges – RLI, Intaf, RAR, RDR, BSAP, Grey’s Scouts, RRR, RR, Service Corps, Staff Corps, RWS, DRR and more

Priced from $20 – inquire for details

Regimental ties – Rhodesian Light Infantry $35Regimental ties – Rhodesia Regiment $40Regimental ties – Rhodesian African Rifles $40Regimental ties – SAS $55Rhodesian Army Recruitment poster copy “Be a man among men” $25Rhodesian Army Recruitment poster copy “Terrorism Stops Here!” $50Rhodesian General Service Medal full size medal copy with ribbon $100Rhodesian General Service Medal full size medal copy (solid silver) with ribbon $125Rhodesian General Service Medal full size ribbon $10/lengthRhodesian General Service Medal miniature medal with ribbon $35Rhodesian General Service Medal miniature ribbon $10/lengthRhodesian replica rugby jerseys – short or long sleeve $110Rhodesian flag 3’ x 5’ (900mm x 1500mm) ready to fly $35Rhodesian Flag, embroidered 110mm x 50mm $20Unofficial Rhodesian Combat Infantry Badge $22.50Various medal ribbons – please inquire POAVarious small embroidered badges (RLI, BSAP & Nyasaland Police) $5Zimbabwe Independence Medal full size copy with ribbon $50Zimbabwe Independence Medal full size ribbon $10/lengthZimbabwe Independence Medal miniature medal with ribbon $35Zimbabwe Independence Medal miniature ribbon $10/length‘Zippo’ type lighter – “Rhodesia 1890 – 1980” with Lion & Tusk $25

Watch this space for new items coming on stream in the future

The Rhodesia Regiment – From Pioneer Column to Independence 1890 – 1980

Alex Binda is nearing the completion of the written part of the book. If you have any recollections or information please contact Alex:3 Coquet Vale Mews, Station Road, Rothbury, Northumberland, England NE65 7QH or by phone 01669 621767 or by email abinda@tiscali.co.uk

I still have the mammoth task of completing the cataloguing of the photos and related material. Photos and illustrations can be sent to me:PO Box 13003, Tauranga 3141, New Zealand or email hbomford@clear.net.nz

Please Note: If you do the scans yourself we need them done at 300 DPI.

This is a unique chance to get your memories and experiences recorded for posterity, I urge you to become part of this project.

Books for AfricaI again remind you that all the books and audio visual disks that I stock and sell are listed at www.rhodesianservices.org/Books.htm These sales are my own hobby and income from sales is directed to me and not the Rhodesian Services Association. However, the Association does benefit indirectly from these sales.

Manzovo - Place of the Elephants by Gary Albyn and Craig Bone. Price excluding postage is $85.00

This would make a unique and wonderful gift. It is a hardcover book of 300mm x 220mm with 191 pages containing an exquisite 107 verse poem. The book is lavishly illustrated throughout and includes a 30 minute audio CD of the poem read by acclaimed South African actor John Whiteley.

Nestled like a rare jewel in the inhospitable but alluring Zambezi Valley, Mana Pools, provides the early setting for this episodic story. The story portrays the epic travels of a herd of elephants through Mana Pools, Kariba, Victoria Falls and ultimately southward to the Kruger National Park at a time in our past when elephants were able to range with relative ease across the timeless plains of Africa. Both subtle and compelling, the story weaves in the arcane rhythm that pounds like a tribal drum deep in Africa's chest.

Gary Albyn was born in the old Rhodesia in 1960 and grew up in Umtali on the eastern border with Mozambique. The International Library of Poets has honoured some of Gary's previous poems, one of which was recently featured in a published anthology, Forever Spoken.

Craig Bone was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia in 1955, where he grew up. He joined the Rhodesian Light Infantry in 1977. He was critically wounded in a Frelimo mortar attack while on operations in Mozambique and it was only some desperate flying from the casualty-evacuation helicopter pilot that saved his life. While recuperating he started painting, initially military-themed works, and in a short time he was to be recognized as an artist of some repute. With his passion for wildlife, and the Zambezi Valley, he was to become an internationally acclaimed artist with his paintings being sold worldwide. A painting of his was recently auctioned on behalf of the Vietnam Veterans Association and fetched US$106,000. It now hangs in the Pentagon. www.craigbone.com

Rhodesian Independence Commemorative Medal

Let me begin by stating that the Rhodesian Services Association does not receive any financial gain from this UK based project. This means we do not get any commission nor advertising fees. We have been supportive of the project all along and our committee have given the organisers their honest and considered personal opinions as well as suggestions from the point where input was sought from us.

I made this statement in order that the following is clearly understood.

Initially I said that we would be prepared to do a ‘bulk order’. This appeared to be a good idea at the time and met with a big response. However as time has progressed we have discussed this and it does not now appear to be such a good idea because it is simply making extra work for ourselves and adding to the cost for the consumer.

We are happy to support the project by assisting people to make a purchase. We will post an order form to you, but once this is done we would really prefer that you take it from there and deal directly with Award Productions. You can pay them by credit card or get a cheque from your bank.

I will carry the order forms with me and hand them out to folk whenever I meet up with them. I will distribute some to other members of the committee who stand to be meeting people similarly. If you want an order form posted to you please contact me and I will send you one. As postage to you will be at the expense of the Rhodesian Services Association you may consider eliminating that cost by sending me a self addressed and stamped envelope. Our address details are at the head of this newsletter.

The Global Forked Stick

Request from ORAFS (Old Rhodesian Air Force Sods)ORAFs would like to obtain the missing course photos for inclusion in the OurStory Collection. Missing are LAR 2 - 6 - 9 - 10 - 29 - 32 - 33 - 36 and 38. With respect to LAR Course 29, ORAFs does have photos of the different trades but not the complete course. Members of some of those courses say there was no photo taken? I think they have forgotten.

Another concern is LAR 2. Ray Verdon is the only surviving member from this course. Ian Chisholm has tried to get Ray to scan them but as yet no image has been received. So if anyone sees Ray please can you help him to scan it and get it off to ORAFs.

We have a unique collection of these courses and your help with the missing photos will be greatly appreciated. If you can help please can you scan them at 300 DPI and please ensure that your email program does not reduce the size of the photo when transmitting.

ORAFs will soon be also requesting assistance for Pilots, SSU and PTC courses. Anyone who can help with photos or naming faces and remembering dates please contact Eddy Norris by email orafs11@gmail.com

ORAFS AppealThis note received from Eddy Norris:“You will recall the recent excitement in regard to the final confirmation by Bob Manser and Barry Meikle of the crash sites of the Rhodesian Hunter, pilot Air Lt Brian Gordon and the Canberra piloted and crewed by Flt Lt Kevin Peinke and Flt Lt JJ Strydom.

After the recovery of parts from the two aircraft, a memorial function for the three airmen was held at the Shamwari Club on 3rd October this 2008 marking the 29th anniversary of the tragic loss. The driving force behind this function included Preller (Prop) Geldenhuys, John (Kutanga Mac) McKenzie and Edward (Eddy) Norris. At the function, a sum of money was raised by way of sales of donated items which included donated paintings. We thank the donors, including Craig Bone, Tol Janeke and others for assisting so generously. At the suggestion of Eddy Norris the money has been used as a seed-base for the Air Force Benevolent Fund.

The objects of the fund are to help people who had served, prior to 11 November 1980, for a period of more than one year in the Air Forces of the then Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia or Zimbabwe, or their immediate families, who may be in need of financial assistance. Support will be given not only to individuals, but also for their general benefit, and it will not be restricted to Kwa-Zulu Natal but anywhere. We will give support only for genuine, necessary expenses and not for entertainment, investments, or luxuries. Some of the funds have already been used to support the families of the lost airmen, and also for the creation of the Memorial itself.

Our efforts are being kindly supported by the Kwa-Zulu Natal Branch of the Flame Lily Foundation from which a committee has been elected which is accountable and under proper control.

What we need now is a way of sustaining the income of the Fund. We have agreed that while donations are very welcome, a continuing, sustainable income would be of most benefit to those people who need our help. For this reason we now ask every member of ORAFs if you can you find it in your heart to do one of the following for us, please?

Can you go out to your bank and make out a Debit Order for the small amount of say R25 (or more?) per month, payable to the Air Force Benevolent Fund, care of the Flame Lily Foundation/RASA, Natal branch?

Or if you are resident outside South Africa, we understand it is not easy to do a monthly Debit Order, so please, if you can find a way of helping, like using your SA funds, it would be very sincerely appreciated.

The FLF account is at Nedbank Amanzimtoti, Current Account No. 1306 041872, Branch Code 130627. Be sure to include the reference to “Air Force Fund”.

Our other suggestions are: Are you able to revise your Will and Testament so as to bequeath some money to the Fund?

Is your Company or Employer able to make some donation to the support of those in need, in return for advertising if required? The very best would be a monthly sponsorship of some kind; we could make suggestions.

Can you perhaps donate some of the ‘treasures’ in your home or office, which we could auction? If you are too far from us then perhaps you could auction or sell things at your location then send us the funds, direct or via your local branch.

A very happy Christmas to you, and here’s hoping that 2009 is kind to us all. Let us hope that it doesn’t shoot past as quickly as 2008 did!

Yours,Prop Geldenhuys: 031 306 6408, pey@lantic.netJohnny Green: 031 705 4257 (h), mwcjng@mweb.co.zaBruce Edward: 031 702 3416 (h), edwardb@durban.gov.za “

Christmas Tree in MinnesotaChristmas in Minnesota is celebrated by an American plant geneticist friend of one of our members with a piece of Africa. He collected some baobab seeds in Zimbabwe in 1987 and did not try to grow any of them until 2000. He says this nine year old tree pictured below grows staggeringly fast, so aggressive pruning is needed to keep it this small. You can see the general shape that he is trying to achieve. In the mean time it serves as the family’s Christmas Tree.

Pipe Majors of the Royal Rhodesia and Rhodesia RegimentAad Boode is collecting data on army Pipe Majors and has been in communications with us for some time. We have assisted him with information regarding Rhodesian as well as New Zealand Pipe Majors. I hope someone out there can help him some more. He writes:

“Hi Hugh,I had a message from a Hugh Cameron White who mentions that Donald Cameron was his uncle, who was Pipe Major of the Rhodesia Regiment during WWII. It was the Regimental Pipes & Drums, which included all of the Battalions of the Regiment. Prior to WWII there seems to have been a Pipe Band in both the 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion of the Regiment, but it is of course quite possible that during the war there was only one regimental pipe band.

If any readers can help with names of Pipe Majors I would like to know as many of the following details as possible: Last name and full first and middle names Year from - to as P/M (including Regiment and Battalion) Year and place of birth If deceased, year and place of death

Thanks for your help.

Kind regards,AadEmail aad@blueyonder.co.uk “

Appeal from Prop Geldenhuys“May I call for any input which your wide readership would wish to share with me, concerning Rhodesian Air Force memorials, in whatever shape or form there is?

I am in the process of compiling anything and everything I can lay my hands on (like the Op Miracle Memorial) with the purpose of considering whether there is any merit of publishing another book as a tribute to all our Air Force colleagues.

Some of the examples that I have in mind include the Swartkops, Tembwe and Sid Watson memorials as well as all the aircraft and aircrew shot down or that were lost on Operations. For example the Collocott Dakota, Donaldson / Goddard / Peinke Canberras, du Toit / Cook / Oborne Alouettes, Gordon Hunter, Stevens / du Plessis Lynxes, Paxton Bell (again, thanks to Rick van Malsen for the tail section mounted at Barragem), the Weinmann / Wilson Trojans and any others not yet mentioned.

Those wishing to make a contribution are asked to e-mail Prop at pey@lantic.net “

Until next time - go well. CheersHugh

This newsletter is compiled by Hugh Bomford, Secretary of the Rhodesian Services Association.   It contains many personal views and comments which may not always be the views of the Association or Committee. If for any reason you would like to be removed from the mailing list, please send an email to hbomford@clear.net.nz with the word ‘remove’ in the subject line or body.