Old Rhodesian Air Force SodsNewsletter 10 April, 2016
The Late Phil Russell.
Many thanks to all that sent in condolence messages on the sad passing of Phil Russell in Harare. I have forwarded them on to Stuart.
The Late Cheryl Rodrigues.
It was with sadness that ORAFs learned of the passing of Cheryl Rodrigues at the end of March. I have copied the email received from husband John Rodrigues who you will all no doubt recall is a great Wild life advocate from the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.
Any messages of condolence may be forward to
ora...@gmail.com on behalf of the family.
Message reads;-
Only after the last tree has been cut down.
Only after the last river has been poisoned.
Only after the last fish has been caught.
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
Cree Indian Prophecy
To all Z.C.T.F supporters, family, and friends
It is with great difficulty to write this email to all of you...We have lost one of the best conservationists on this earth...
My beautiful wife, that i have loved for 41 years, Cheryl Ann Rodrigues (Whyte) has sadly passed.I never thought this day would come so soon, i did not expect this to happen, my heart is broken as she has left all of us...She was my bestfriend, my soul mate , my companion.Nothing will ever compare to her and there will forever be a part of me left shattered, lost and confused. Cheryl over the past two years had slowly been loosing her memory, as it got worse and worse it was time to confront a doctor. After a few appointments and meetings the doctors decided to send her for scans to see if everything was alright...Unfortunately in life, we get faced with challenges and problems that we have to deal with or solve, mine was finding out that my wife Cheryl had a brain tumour four and a half cm long and five cm wide.I have been through many struggles in life, yet to this day this has been the hardest to deal with...
Due to complications in the surgery she sadly passed away. Cheryl's spirit will forever be living in my heart, I will cherish the memories and will always remember her as the strong, independent and joyful woman she always was. She helped me achieve so many things in my life, she always encouraged me to believe in myself and she guided me into the right path.She was and always will be my light at the end of the tunnel. Cheryl is to thank for the existence of the Z.C.T.F, She helped me organise,conduct and inspire new innovative ideas to help save our wild life.She is an inspiration to us all.
I Johnny Rodrigues will be out of reach for a while as at hard times like this, it is hard to deal with my loss.
We are all so grateful for your prayers.
Thankyou
John
LM Radio.
Thanks Barbara, I have listened on line here in Canada in the evenings and whilst this is a blend of yesteryear and the newer age music, I have enjoyed the music and I love hearing the "accent" again!!
Group Captain Don Brenchley.
Don passed away two years ago on the 20 March, 2014 in Stanford, in the Western Cape. We have been forwarded an article out of the local paper, the Stanford River Talk dated February 2007.
Don Brenchley (Photo courtesy V.Brenchley).
Many thanks for sharing these with our readers. I am sure they will bring back many a fond memory of Don.
Unabridged Birth Certificate.
ORAFs has been requested to enquire if there is anyone residing on Zimbabwe that may be able to obtain an Unabridged Birth Certificate on behalf of a pension now residing in South Africa.
I have copied in part the request and ask that should you be able to assist in anyway to kindly contact me at
ora...@gmail.com.
message reads;
My sister has a Rhodesian Birth Certificate but she cannot locate her Unabridged Birth Certificate (ie with necessary additional birth particulars). She is needing this urgently for the purpose of obtaining a British Passport as well as a South African Citizenship and a South African Passport. I have been the custodian of important documents for years and she went off armed with these documents I gave her: our father’s birth Certificate, mother’s birth certificate and copies of all my own important documents relating to these issues when she visited our Home Affairs Department in Uitenhage, South Africa, where she lives and then even went further afield visiting Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where I live to see the Home Affairs Department there – all to no avail. Her telephone bill will be enormous (and she is a pensioner like me) as she has phoned Zimbabwe Embassy here in Cape Town, South Africa as well as making numerous telephone calls to relevant offices in Zimbabwe – again all to no avail. Is there someone (an ORAFs member perhaps) living in Zimbabwe who could obtain an unabridged Birth Certificate for her from the Births and Deaths Offices there and she will joyously pay whatever costs there are involved.
Rhodesian Baseball - Charles Ferguson.
Ross Ferguson writes - have been researching my grandfathers background in Rhodesia and I'm aware he was heavily involved in Rhodesian Baseball. You have noted him as a 'Rhodesian Baseball Personality', do you have any more information than he captained the side on the South African 1952 tour?
If you are able to assist, with either photos or articles kindly contact me at
ora...@gmail.com Thanks.
Operation Enterprise.
I have received a fairly involved request of which I am unable to assist. I have copied the request and relative links and ask if anyone could perhaps assist Mr Wiarda, he may be contacted directly on
tjal...@wiarda.nu
Dear Sir/Dear Mr Norton,
I am studying history at the University of Antwerp and I am writing my Master thesis on the fuel depot attack in Salisbury in the evening of the 11th of December 1978. The thesis is on the way images of certain historical events are formed, then and now. Of particular interest is the whodunit of this attack because both ZANU as well as ZAPU have claimed this attack. Even now there is still a debate but I have not found any primary sources, only circumstantial evidence.
In your blog you are telling your readers about the capture of a certain Jeffrey Murerwa, owner of the vehicle used in the attack. Your blog indicates that ZANLA is behind the attack (and not ZAPU) ??
Since the year 2000 there is an official ‘patriotic history’ in Zimbabwe found in school books and the government press. This is official ZANU History aka Mugabeism. In those stories based on testimonials I sometimes detect improbabilities . As an example I have put some links concerning the attack from “The Patriot” – articles by Evans Mushawevato. In the article probably your same Jeffrey Murerwa is mentioned:
“The group that went to Mbare went with ‘Long Chase’ and the one to Highfield was accompanied by one ‘Murewa’, a truck driver working for a removal company.”
Maybe you can comment a bit ?
I hope you can help me a bit
Thanks
Kind regards
Tjalling Wiarda
Antwerp, Belgium
Cyprian Tseriwa.
We received yet another sporting request this week - Paul Cheffers writes -
I have quoted your blog post on Bernard Dzoma in his Wikipedia article. Thanks for taking the time to make the most comprehensive collection of information on Bernard's running career. I am an Australian friend of Bernard, and I found it most exciting to know he won major races in four different countries: Mozambique, Rhodesia, South Africa, and Angola.
Bernard is living in Mutare now with his wife Enrica. He has had some thyroid problems lately but he seems to be okay now. He now has four of his six kids living in Australia. His daughter Erica lives not too far from where I work in Canberra.
I have just written up an initial Wikipedia on Cyprian Tseriwa, who ran the 5000m and 10000m races at the Rome 1960 Olympics for Southern Rhodesia. I have found a 2009 Herald article that says he coached at Wankie Collery after 1960 and had some success with the local athletes.
I was wondering if you knew what happened to him after 1960. Cyprian doesn't seem to have a record after 1980, when Mugabe took over, and I was wondering what happened to Cyprian.
I have located Mathias Kanda's family. They are living in Bulawayo and doing okay. Sadly, Mathias died in October 2009 of throat cancer. I contacted his family in 2011 so I was sadly unable to speak with him.
I am Paul Cheffers, the son of John Cheffers, who was the Australian coach of the ill-fated 1968 Rhodesian Olympic team which featured Mathias Kanda and Bernard Dzoma.
Any information I might add to Cyprian Tseriwa's wiki article would be greatly appreciated.
Again if anyone is able to assist Paul, kindly write to ora...@gmail.com Thanks.
Shumba Taylor Update.
Many thanks for all the message received for Shumba. I read them as they come in and it really brightens his rather long days. He is still very weak but the doctors were chuffed with his kidney function on the last visit which this then clears him now for any further dialysis for which I am extremely thankful for.
It has been a journey I tell you but he will get there in time the doctors assure us. (this is guaranteed with a Norris dragging him kicking and screaming - a definite motivator!!)
Major Arthur Walker, HCG and BAR, SM.
John Redfern forwarded the following article made available via the South African Legion, which will be of interest to our Air Force readers in particular due to Arthurs combat experience with 7 Squadron in Rhodesia but he became the most highly decorated officer in the SAAF. He was awarded the Honoris Crux Gold for bravery, not once but twice.
Major Arthur Walker HC and Bar SM was a South African
military hero of which there will never be an equal, he was South African Air
Force helicopter pilot who was awarded the Honoris Crux Gold decoration, not
once - but twice, during the South African Border War.
The Honoris Crux Gold was the highest military award for
bravery awarded to members of the South African Defence Force at that time - so
his feat of obtaining two of them can never be repeated again.
Born 10 February 1953 in Johannesburg he matriculated
from King Edward VII School in Johannesburg and went to the Army in 1971.
He obtained his pilot's wings in 1977 and flew for 7
Squadron, Rhodesian Air Force, before re-joining the South African Air Force in
1980.
While flying Alouette III helicopters based at AFB
Ondangwa in 1981 he was awarded the Honoris Crux Gold for risking his life
during a night operation in Angola, by turning on the lights of his helicopter
to draw enemy fire away from another helicopter.
The citation for the Honoris Crux Gold reads:
"During January 1981, two Alouettes, with Lieutenant
Walker as flight leader, carried out close air support operations resulting in
the Alouettes coming under intense enemy artillery and anti-aircraft fire. He only withdrew when ordered to do so. Later Lieutenant Walker returned to the
contact area to provide top cover for a Puma helicopter assigned to casualty
evacuation. Again he was subject to
heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire. During
the withdrawal the second helicopter developed difficulties and called for
assistance. Yet again Captain Walker
returned to provide top cover, drawing virtually all the anti-aircraft fire to
his Alouette. His courageous act
prevented the loss of an Alouette and crew.
Lieutenant Walker's actions were not only an outstanding
display of professionalism, devotion to duty and courage, but also constitutes
exceptional deeds of bravery under enemy fire and makes him a worthy recipient
of the Honoris Crux Gold"
In December 1981 he was cited for landing in enemy
territory to search for and rescue the crew of a helicopter that had been shot
down - an Alouette III of the SAAF.
The citation for the Bar to his Honoris Crux Gold reads:
"During December 1981 Captain Walker was again
requested to provide top cover for the evacuation of a seriously wounded
soldier. On take-off with the evacuee
his number two helicopter was hit and crash-landed.
Without hesitation and with total disregard for
his personal safety, Captain Walker landed near the wrecked helicopter and
immediately searched for the crew.
Eventually the situation became suicidal, compelling Captain Walker and his
crew to withdraw.
When he was airborne
he spotted the missing crew and yet again, without hesitation and despite the fact that virtually all enemy fire was now [aimed] in his direction, he landed and lifted the crew to safety.
Through this courageous deed he prevented the loss of two men. His distinguished actions, devotion to duty and courage make him a credit to the South African Defence Force in general, the South African Air Force in particular and makes him a worthy recipient of the Bar to the Honoris Crux Gold"
Posted for The South African Legion by Lgr Peter Dickens - with sincere thanks to Arthur for sending us a full colour image of himself in uniform just a month ago - Rest in Peace Arthur, the world is a poorer place without you, and the South African Legion salutes you, sir.Our most sincerest condolences to his family and friends in this very difficult time. We will remember him.
Many thanks to John for forwarding this on. ORAFs also offers our deepest sympathies to the Walker family at this time.
Thank you to all who wrote in and sent articles etc in, as always it is much appreciated. Things have settled a little more here at home, I am back to co-ordinating our local community garden and life continues. Please feel free to send any news of interest for our further Newsletters which are now back on track.
ORAFs thanks all owners, publishers of any materials used in the making of this Newsletter. No monetary gain is intended nor gained - for sharing purposes only.
Place of the week - Umgusa River.
Tributary of the Gwai River, the Umgusa rises to the east of Bulawayo and flows north-westwards to join the Gwai Forest Area. Two dams on the Umgusa to the north of Bulawayo were built in 1936 and 1947 to provide water for irrigation schemes.
Source - Encyclopaedia Rhodesia 1973.
Comments are always welcome, send them to ora...@gmail.com
______________________
sent in memory of Eddy Norris
by Paul Norris & Denise Taylor
RSA & Canada
