Newsletter - March 18 2012

[Eddy Norris]

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Newsletter March 18 2012 Mike Hamence (Before Rhodesia) Rogues Gallery THANK YOU. Jann Knobel Writes:- Peter had the most wonderful send off, we had him cremated privately and then a memorial service at the Old Airport, Nelspruit, outside our offices . There were 200 people there and we had a fly past, formation and missing man and then scattered his ashes over the airport. I had some ashes for home, which the children and I scattered over the front lawn – his favourite place in the whole world – Home! I would just like to thank all the people who sent messages, the phone calls and the e-mails were unbelievable. He was such a loved man at home and by all of his fellow men, I only realized just how much when we had his service and received all the messages. Thank you all for the wonderful support you have shown me. MEMORIES OF ANTARCTICA Rex Taylor (RhAF) Writes:- Even in a hangar, what does John think he's doing, - subjecting a poor chopper to conditions like that! The International Court of Justice will hear about this! Choppers have souls you know! Refer: http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=553662&comments=1 NEW CLUES TO DAG HAMMARSKJOLD 1961 DEATH Bruce Rooken-Smith Writes:- New clues to 1961 murder Please see http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global%5B_id%5D=78132 P51 Vs ME262 Kevin Crole Writes:- Just a minor correction to Gordon Keith’s article regarding Ben Drew. I met Urban Drew at the SA Military Museum a few years back and he told his story to the audience. It was the first recorded instance of an Allied pilot downing two ME262 on a single mission but his claim was only verified years after the war had ended. He became friends with the surviving pilot who would have been the first ME262 to take off but pulled out of the line due to his engine temperatures not being normal otherwise he may have been one killed. Urban didn’t mention anything regarding his exploits after the war so no mention of his aircraft. Mike Hamence (RhAF) Writes:- In 1962 at 'Africair' Byo, I worked on a Curtiss C46 belonging to 'Air Panama Airways' which had been hit by ground fire over Katanga. I feel sure this would have been one of those mentioned in the item? EIGHT BRITISH SERVICEMAN BODIES RECOVERED FROM MALAYSIAN JUNGLE Interesting site which was recommended by Vic Mackenzie http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2115346/Malayan-Emergency-victims-laid-t-rest-60-years-RAF-plane-crashes-jungle.html MOTORING DAYS Earl Cameron (BSAP) Writes: This story reminded me of the old Humber Super Snipe I owned when stationed at BSA Police, Matobo (Matopos) in the early 1960’s. I bought the car from an Air force type in Bulawayo. It had been stored in a hangar at Mt. Hampden Airport for years. It was in very good condition and ran well, except it guzzled the gas so I used to ‘borrow’ paraffin from the African Police store on the station and fill the tank for local runs including to and from the Matopos Dam hotel. It used to create a lot of smoke but still went well, and was certainly cheaper to run than on petrol. I was told it would eventually burn the valves out by I disposed of it before that happened..! Refer: http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=554070&comments=1 A VIDEO PROMOTING ALBERTA, CANADA The quality of the video is stunning. You'll probably watch it several times. This is fast paced but the high definition scenery is awesome in what is as close to 3D as you can get without wearing special glasses Visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ThFCg0tBDck RHODESIA TELEVISION Ron Jarman (RhAF) recommends this YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekq3kU3Pg5s&feature=share Wonderful mellows  to support this documentary. Triumph TR 2 Duncan Wallace (RhAF) Writes:- The Instrument Tech who owned the TR2 in Thornhill was Ken Bond. GLOBE AND PHOENIX RUGBY Brian Meikle (RhAF) Writes:- Regarding Neville Mare's piece about Globe & Phoenix rugby, I was proud to be representing Thornhill in that game. My parents had travelled all the way from Umtali to watch me play, but sadly not far into the game I suffered a cracked bone in the foot, so had to come off. As I remember, we narrowly lost the game. PROUD ANNOUNCEMENT Keith Kemsley (RhAF) Writes:- The Atacama Desert Race finishes on Saturday and my Grandson Daniel Rowland (27) from Bulawayo finished in 8th position! It was a proud moment to see his name and the Zimbabwe Flag amongst and ahead of many of the world's top ultra and professional runners. Daniel is at present, stationed in Chile. At the end of his posting in Alaska in 2010 he competed in the 103 mile snow race and came third ! Personally, though extremely proud, I think he is one sandwich short of a picnic. I thought that all ex Rhodesians/Zimbabweans may be pleased to hear via ORAFs that we can still compete with the best! Keith please pass on our best wishes to Daniel for a job well done. Eddy BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER KWAI Bob Fernandes (PRAW) has made a Power Point presentation available to ORAFs. It is a heavyweight and weighs in at just over 6.5mb but it is well worth the time if you are interested. Please Click Here if you would like ORAFs to send you a copy. CUSTOMS OFFICERS, REAL OR BOGUS Auv Raath (RhAF and RhArmy) Writes:- I'd like to put money on the possibility that at least one Customs Officer was standing alongside the Air Traffic Controller, all armed with binoculars trained on the cockpit, roaring with laughter at the obvious consternation of the air force jockeys. Good inter-departmental humour. Ground crew probably needed to do overtime to clear the mess on the pilots' seats as well as liberal amounts of air freshener being sprayed around the inside of the Dak, fore and aft Refer: http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=553836&comments=1 AFA (CAPE) ARGUS SOCIAL Dave Jenkins (RhAF) Writes:- Great photos. “Cindy” is indeed Don and Lor Wagner’s daughter. Real name Ashley [Ash] Marcus Proome (RhAF) Writes:- Please thank the Cape Tonians for the photos – love to see “all the old fogies “ in these photos. Great to catch up with all those great people that we used to work with – what great days they were. Refer: http://rhodesianforcesreunions.blogspot.com/2012/03/cape-argus-2012-social.html WARBIRDS GATHER AT MOFFAT Tom Krummell recommended this site:- Visit: http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/bombers/bomber.html NORTON AIR BASE AND SCHOOL Clive McLauchlin (RhAF) Writes:- I went to school there in 1949, Cornell House , remember Condy and Archie McMaster there at the same time. Refer: http://rhodesianheritage.blogspot.com/2012/02/memories-of-raf-station-norton.html MURDER AT PREMIER ESTATE UMTALI Keith Addison (B.S.A.P.) Writes:- I may be wrong but I don't think Smith was the last white to be hanged in Rhodesia.. In the early 70's an Umtali murder - Julia Bailey, sister of my good friend Andrew Bailey and daughter of Umtali's Town Engineer was murdered by I think Hood and he was I think convicted and hanged. By the way, I was in the Police stationed at Gwelo at the time of the Smith incident and remember being on guard on a farm in the Gwelo area protecting (I think) some of Smith's family. Allen Potgieter Writes:- I believe there were two white men hanged after Geoffrey Smith. Kenneth Steel(e) (Umtali murder?) and Graham Jenkinson (who murdered a Nurse on the Vic-Falls Bulawayo train in March 1972). I could be wrong. Andre Farmer Writes:- Interesting story always a good read these old yarns as we say in Oz. I think and I am open to be put in my place, that this Smith guy was the last white to be hung in Rhodesia. I was a child when this Potgieter man used to catch the mines school bus into town .Town being Gwanda & the mine Banket. Well we got to know him and in fact he used to do things for people in the community. He repaired my mother's gold watch strap. Well when he was working on the Wankie coal mines for a while but still had his wife & children in Banket. He unfortunately raped & killed a 21 year old nurse on the train . I cannot remember if this was on the way back to Gwanda or to Wankie. When the train he disembarked from the off side of the train. He got caught and was put through the justice system, found guilty. Well he was hung in Bulawayo I believe. This occurred in the early seventies. This case is in a book called I think , Great trials of Rhodesia. Dave Mackenzie (BSAP) Writes:- This story certainly brought back memories, I was first on the scene with the police detachment and set up a communications post between the two rondavels that formed the estate office. Sandy Coutts was the police Sgt. who had gone with the social welfare officer to remove the children and the wife from the estate, Smith shot and killed the social welfare officer and then shot Sandy Coutts, shredding his arm with buckshot, Smith then went on a rampage shooting anyone who got in his way and settling old scores, at one point Sandy Coutts with his arm bleeding profusely tried to warm others, Smith shot him in the back with the .22 portion of his combination shotgun/.22 gun, Sandy still has the bullet lodged up against his spine. Smith then spent the next three days in his home and each night in the corn shucks, the house was guarded at night but the guards were used to search during the day, clever move! When he gave himself up I was sitting at the coms desk with the BSAP officer commanding, I was eating a Ham sandwich our standard food for every meal, when I saw him approaching I remember seeing my ham sandwich oozing through my fingers and calculating how long it would take to pick up my revolver lying on the desk and fire and how long it would take him to swing up the shotgun and fire. Everyone was frozen, as he passed a police guy, this fellow quietly moved in behind him and grabbed the shotgun and jammed it into the ground, Smith let go and said that he was giving himself up and that he wanted the police to take his will that he had in his other hand, What a sigh of relief, For three days we searched the orchards and the farm, as we were searching the orchards every time an orange fell off a tree someone almost got shot!! Thanks for the reminder I haven't told this story for decades Refer: http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=553858&comments=1 TROUBLED WEATHER OVER NEW SARUM John Mussell (RhAF) Writes:- Thanks to Willy Jervois and you, it was a real pleasure to see the picture of that cloud after so many years. I was at New Sarum that day and remember how worked stopped while we watched that cloud with awe. Better still, the photo-section pulled out their best camera and rushed out in time, and with no little risk, to capture this panorama. A copy was hung on the wall at station headquarters. (I think another one was to be seen in the photo-section.) The met. boffins called it a “roll cloud” i.e. the type of cloud falls out of thunderclouds and has nasty characteristics that require it to be treated with respect. The photos were probably taken by George Baverstock or Cedric Herbert. Perhaps someone could correct me on this. I recall that George had recently acquired a Bronica 6 x 7 large format camera (a Japanese equivalent of the Hasselblad) and had been producing remarkable photographs of technical and other subjects. I wonder if there is a higher definition copy to be had? Apart from my own interest, I am thinking that perhaps Nick Meikle could use one for his book. Refer:  http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=553756&comments=1 RHODESIAN SECURITY FORCES MUSEUM Vic Walker (RhArmy) Writes:- Many thanks for this, a good set of photos from Clive. Just one small point: for a number of reasons which were given by Martyn Hudson word “Museum”is not used. The official name is “The Rhodesian Light Infantry & Combined Rhodesian Services Collection ” It is really quite a magnificent display and worth visiting by any visitors to the UK. LITTLE DARLIN Mike Hamence Writes:- Okay, I'll bet you didn't know what you are about to read, even though you are exceptionally smart, unless you have seen this before. Incredible. Actor Tom Hanks's dad was the lead singer of the Diamonds way back in 1957! They sound now exactly the same as they did then! If you were alive in 1957 and old enough to enjoy Rock and Roll you will probably remember the group, "The Diamonds" who had just launched their super hit "Little Darlin' ". For you that are too young to remember - it was a time when the performers were happy, enjoying themselves, respecting their fans, dressed appropriately and their lyrics could be understood. They did not feel obligated to scream, eat the microphone, mumble inaudible lyrics or trash the set. In 1957, The Diamonds had a hit with "Little Darlin". 47 years later, they were requested to perform at Atlantic City ... This link leads to both performances. Watch the first one then scroll down for the new one 47 years later. It is under the first one. http://www.flixxy.com/the-diamonds-little-darlin-1957-2004.htm NOTE FROM ORAFs My sincere thanks to all those that send in articles and reply to the many questions asked. Be assured your support is greatly appreciated. SMILE A WHILE A little boy once returned home from Hebrew school and his father asked, "what did you learn today?" He answered, "The Rabbi told us how Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt." "How?" The boy said "Moses was a big strong man and he beat Pharaoh up. Then while he was down, he got all the people together and ran towards the sea. When he got there, he has the Corps of Engineers build a huge pontoon bridge. Once they got on the other side, they blew up the bridge while the Egyptians were trying to cross." The father was shocked. "Is that what the Rabbi taught you?" The boy replied, "No. But you'd never believe the story he DID tell us!"

" LIVE EACH DAY LIKE IT'S YOUR LAST. One day, you'll get it right. "

End of Newsletter

Comments are always welcome - send them to Eddy Norris at ora...@gmail.com

Refer:    http://www.ourstory.com/thread.html?t=554088#679990

Eddy Norris
Irene, RSA
ora...@gmail.com

+++  Lest We Forget ++ Joe Cambell  +++  Dorothy Edgar  +++  +++   Fred Bescoby  +++  Paddy Boyce  +++  Rob Gaunt  +++   Nobby Nelan  +++  Jack Malloch  +++  Brian Smith  +++  Fred Baker +++  Stan Oldknow +++  Spike Owens  +++  Colin Balfour  +++  Freddy Way +++  Peter Wright +++  Chris Brownlow +++  Jack Street +++  Trevor Diplock +++  Ivor & Cynthia Giles +++  Jim Pawson +++  Phil Tubbs +++  Nicholas Francis Bunnett  +++  Jim Ritchie  +++  Gordon (Sharpie) Long  +++   Ken Newing  +++   Davie Whitingham  +++  Lou Abrams  +++  Mark Small  +++   In 1955  +++  Arthur Hodgson (KOAS)  +++   In 1956  +++  Richard Nahkie (KOAS)  +++   In 1960 +++  Jack Roberts (KOAS)  +++   In 1964  +++ Bruce McKerron (KOAS)  +++   Henry Elliott  +++  In 1965  +++  Barry Matthews (KOAS) +++  Sandy Trenoweth (KOAS)  +++   In 1967  +++  Jimmy Stewart +++  In 1969  +++  Don Annandale (KOAS)  +++  Alec Pittaway +++   Ted Jacklin  +++  In 1970  +++   Chris Botes +++   Mike Hill (KOAS)  +++  Gordon Nettelton (KOAS)  +++  In 197 1 +++  Barry Heard  +++   Mike Sheasby +++  Harry Young (KOAS)  +++   Alec Roughead (KOAS)  +++   Guy Robertson  (KOAS)  +++  1n 1972  +++  Pete Garden (KOAS) +++ Guy Munton Jackson (KOAS)  +++ Charlie Bean  +++  David Brown (KOAS)  +++   In 1974  +++  Keith Goddard (KIA) +++  Walter Airey ( KIA) +++ Chris Weinmann (KIA) +++  Pat Durrettt (KIA)  +++   Roger Andrews (KIA) +++   Brian Murdoch (KOAS)  +++   T. M. Parker (KOAS)  +++   In 1975  +++   Ray Boulter (KOAS)  +++  Alex Bremner +++   In 1976  +++  Roy Hulley (KOAS)  +++   Beef  Belstead (KIA) +++  Jimmy Boyd  +++  Rusty Routledge (KOAS)  +++   Pat Graham (KIA) +++   In 1977  +++  Ian Donaldson (KIA)  +++  David Hawkes (KIA)  +++  Peter Barnett (KOAS)  +++ Barney Barnes  +++  Bruce Collocott (KIA)  +++ Dave Brown (TF KOAS) +++ Don Northcroft  +++  Rob Nelson (KIA) +++  In 1978  +++ Howard Busfield (Civvy)  +++  Henry Jarvie (KIA)  +++  Ian Fleming  (KIA)  +++  In 1979  +++   Kerry Fynn (KOAS)  +++  Brian Gordon +++  Kevin Peinkie (KIA) +++  Kevin Nelson (KIA)  +++  Paddy Bate (KOAS)  +++   Gary Carter (KOAS)  +++  In 1986  +++  Mick Grier  +++ In 1988  +++  Ted Vine +++   In 1990  +++  Frank Hales   +++   Fred Maughan  +++  Pat Addison +++  In 1991  +++  Jock Butterworth +++   In 1993  +++  Pete Nichols  +++  Corny Light  +++  Dudley Barlow +++  In 1994 +++ Ted Brent  +++   In 1995 +++  Mike Prentice +++  In 1996  +++   Spike (Bill) Owens  +++  Larry Critten  +++  Bill Schoeman  +++   In 1998  +++   Ric Culpan  +++  In 1999 +++  John Deall +++  Pat (Trail Boss) Jefferies +++ Brian Booth +++ Rob Schley +++  Ken Newman +++  Fred Howsley +++  Barney Coleman  +++  Les Authers +++  Mike Strauss +++  Keith Hill  +++  Ted Taylor  +++  Chris Breedt +++  Chris Joubert  +++  Con Roleoffze  +++  Carol Janson  +++   Brenda Light  +++  Cynthia Bradshaw  +++   Les Grace  +++  Vince King  +++   In 2000  +++  Sandi Loots  +++  Will McCormack  +++  Duncan Woods  +++  Jerry Dunn +++  Ted Lunt  +++  Dick (Chiefy) Whitfield  +++  Bob "Taffy" Evan +++  Alec Pilavach ++ +  Pete McCulloch +++   Dennis Hall +++  Alma Brownlow +++  Ted Walters +++  In 2001 +++  Joe Bugler +++  Mac Geeringh +++  Bruce Smith +++  Peter Cooke +++  Doug (Jnr) Whyte +++  Pete Briscoe  +++   Basil Moss  +++  Charles Green +++  Bill Beukes +++  Tim Jackman +++  Mike (Spook) Geraty +++  Faith Wright  +++  Paddy Salter +++  Sally Savage  +++ Maurice (Paul) Kerrigan +++  Nona Brown  +++  In 2002 +++ John Whiddett  +++ John Moss +++  Graham Anthony +++  Dickie Bradshaw +++  Bill Savage +++  Trevor "Spotty" Ward  +++  Syd Myers  +++  Steve Fitzgibbon +++  Joe Cameron  +++  Neville Warren +++  Willy McMurdo +++  Max "Taff" Dowell +++  Wendy Evans +++  Vic Hugo +++  Les Johnston +++  Paddy O'Reilly +++  Pete Poole +++  Ralph Harding  +++ Frank Rouessart +++  George Forder +++  Kathy Russell  +++  Eric Jones +++  Pauline Van Rooyen +++  Deirdre McCormack +++  Gerry Grindley +++  Jill Jones  +++  Jeanie Lombard +++  Matt Caton +++  Michael Russell  +++ Jake Storey +++  In 2003  +++  Alan Atherton +++  Neville Swanepoel +++   Leon Kriegler +++   Les Rowe +++  Lena Mitchell +++  Leslie Reed +++  Len Morris +++  Dave Benzies +++  Jim Agnew +++  Keith Bruce +++ May Caton +++  Dorothy Hewitson +++  Jerry Lynch +++ George Walker-Smith +++  Kevin Vine +++ Phyllis Gatton +++  Eve Moss +++ Bob Thain +++ William Dives (Bundu Boy)  +++  Pete Allen +++  Bill Kerfoot  +++  In 2004 +++ Charles Baillie  +++  Pam Lewis Walker +++  Gail Hopkins +++  Peter Whiting  +++  Roy O'Maker +++  Sue Whitfield  +++  Jock Baird +++  Terry Emsley+++  Keith Frankham +++  Pat Gatton +++  Chris Shaw +++  Ted Stevenson +++  Fred Eatough +++  Willie Armitage +++  Gordon Twiggins +++  Neville Cohen +++  Brian Curtis +++  Mike Bracken +++  Ron Blackmore +++  Rob O'Maker  +++  Solly Ferreira +++  Marion Paxton +++ In 2005 +++  Coen Van Staden +++  Len Foster +++  Neil Lockhart +++  Derek Whellehan +++  Charlie Du Plessis +++  Bill Pace +++  Harvey Qualil +++  George Forsgate +++  Bob d'Hotman +++  John Du Toit +++  Susan Haydock +++  Dave Rogers  +++  In 2006 +++  Roy Barlow +++ Douglas H. Smith  +++   Roger Poynton +++  Janet St.Quinton  +++Jim Harries +++   Les Hastings +++  Gordon J. Merrington +++  Alan Hedges +++  Ian Harvey +++  Clive Pratt +++  Mike Beeson +++  Mike Hartnack +++  Jock Barber +++  John Cubbitt  +++   Basil Miles +++  Brian Blakey +++  Ivy Booth +++  Ann Bird +++  In 2007 +++  Pat Cordy-Hegde +++  Owen Potterton  +++   Ruth Holshausen +++  Yvonne Preston +++  Bobby Blair +++  Ken Jackson +++ Ralph Potts  +++   Wally McMaster +++  Bill Musgrave +++  Peter Corbishley +++  Cecil Boswell  +++  Koos Van Breda +++  Peter Satterthwaite  +++   Phil Adcock +++   Christine Bloor +++  Rodney Simmonds  +++  John Coom +++  Grant Williams +++ Connie Booth +++ Dot Blowere +++  Brian Fletcher +++  Wally Jefferies +++   Ian Smith  +++  Edith Buis  +++  Joe Nicholls  +++  Tess Bernasconi  +++  Terry Whittstock +++  Pax Lohan  +++  In 2008 +++  Ken Law  +++  Tom Robinson ++  Terry Conway +++  Ian (Hendo) Henderson +++   George Merrett  +++  Peter Danse  +++  Derek Williams +++  Al Westwood  +++  Dennis Snyman  +++  Ann Jefferies  +++  Graham Weaver (VR)  +++ Gerry (Mrs.) Barnard  +++  Tweedy Reid-Daly  +++  Lorna Wilson  +++  Russell Reed  +++  Paddy Molloy  +++  Rod Broodryk  +++  Bill Brown  +++  Glenda Mawdsley +++  Phil Greenway +++  Roger Shepherd +++  Derrick Nightingale +++ Harry ( Huku) Watson +++   Robert (Bob) Annan OC 104 VR Sqdn +++  David Barbour  +++   In 2009  +++  Fred Barlow  +++ Joan Upton +++   Bill Jelley  +++  Norman Appel  +++  Jane Hattle  +++  Wally Laundon  +++   Keith Thurman  +++   Bugs Malcolm  +++  Tony Cannon +++  Allen  Daubermann +++   Bob Thomson  +++   Charles Connolly  +++  John Fairey +++  Chris Wepener +++  John (Kutanga) McKenzie  +++  Myrna Doig +++  Keith "Pops" Rayne +++  In 2010 +++  Pete Gardiner  +++  Tickey Hawthorn  +++ Nobby Clarke (VR) +++  Dave Sinclair (VR) +++  Doug Janson  +++ Frank Gait-Smith  +++  John Pinner   +++  Dick Christie (VR)   +++  Ian Dixon (VR)  +++  Brian Coghill  +++   Angie Milligan +++  Carol de Goveia  +++  Peter Langley  +++  Don Junner +++ Norman Walsh  +++ Molly Chisnall  +++  Babs Snyman (Dalton)  +++ Brenda MacDonald  +++  Jenny Becks  +++  Paul Periol +++  Leon Keyter +++ Savo Mikellides +++  Brian Horney  +++  Tom Webster (44 Sqdn)  +++  Maclaughlin Porky  +++  Flap Stableford  +++  In 2011  +++  Cyril  Ziehl  +++ Maureen Galloway  +++   Hennie Lowe +++  Marina Cottrell  +++  Penny Harvey  +++  Tom Anderson  +++   Graham Cronshaw +++  Val Morgan  +++     Charles Paxton  +++  Don Esterhuizen  +++   Kevin Furness  +++  Bob Meecham  +++  Tess Spence  +++ Bill Dawson  +++ John (Ginge) Scatcherd  +++   Cedric Herbert  +++  Dave Templeton  +++  Blake Few  +++  Morgan Lanham  +++  John Vorster  +++  Peter Knobel  +++ 

 

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