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Former members of the British South Africa Police are encouraged to make contact with the Regimental Association's Branches in their areas. Below you will find a list of various Association Branches and contact addresses. Principal Contact: John
Seward - - 9/71 Epsom Avenue, Redcliffe
6104, Western Australia. Principal Contact: Bruce Beukman - - PO Box 7564, East London 5200, South Africa Principal Contact: Peter Bellingham - - PO Box UA9, Union Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe. This Branch produces a quarterly newsletter which may be found on these pages. Principal Contact:
Eastern Cape Snippets The Annual General Meeting of the Eastern Cape Branch was held at the Maritime Club, Annerley Terrace, Port Elizabeth, on Saturday the 23 February 2008 at 12noon. The following attended the meeting: 6966 Nobby & Pam Clarke; 5624 Pat & Lyn Ferguson; PR James & Connie Fisher; 5879 Dave & Sheilagh Stow; PR John Wilkins; 5225 James & Elaine Carse; 4696 Tony & Laura Down (from Port Alfred); PR Aubrey Ingram: 5922 Trevor & Pat Compton; 6570 Brian & Helena Burstein; 6443 Basil & Jill Blatch; Mignonne Gibbings(former treasurer); PR Rodger & Betty Slater (from Humansdorp); 6664 Norman & Francis Foster; C245 Dave & Margy Whinney; Guest Annette Carter; PR Dick & Margeret Wait and Anne Basson. Apologies: 5144 Ray Weare; PR Roger Southgate; (4782) Jill MacKenzie; 6687 A Dickinson; WP137/281 Doreen Nowell; 6115 Dave Green; Claire Wilson and 4768 Bob Colquhoun. The committee was re-elected with the exception of 6687 Alan Dickinson who had resigned as chairman due to personal reasons. Nobby CLARKE(6966)
Principal Contact: Alf Hitchman -- PO Box 880, Mutare, Zimbabwe Principal Contact:
Principal Contact: John Learmonth - - 7 Essex Road, Hillside, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe The Matabeland Branch Annual Reunion Lunch was held
at the Lady Mason's Hall, Hillside, on the 24th November 2007.
Principal Contact/Branch
Secretary: Des
Howse - - PO Box 3019, Assagay, 3624,
South Africa. Tel: 0317652609(h);
0317652609(f); 0834406740(c) The Natal Branch has a
newsletter on these pages O.B. Extracts: Wed 14 May 2008 Well payment of my pension is getting closer ...I am firm of the belief that pensions will be paid (with arrears) before the end of the year. For the life of me I cannot believe what is happening, what I am seeing and what I am reading - how is it that I can see yet the politician cannot? It must have been something that Smudge et el taught us in Depot! In August 2005, as editor of the Natal Outpost, I commented on an article in The Herald dealing with the shortage of bread and basic food and Mugabe's retort to their plight, which was "..... instead of going hungry we should eat the Quelea birds that are stealing the national wheat crop." He was reminded of Marie Antoinette’s faux pas "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche" (let them eat cake). Could that have been the end of the beginning and what we are now witnessing be the beginning of the end? AGM. Sorry all – the Natal Branch AGM is scheduled for 5.00pm Friday 6 June, at the Shamwari Club and NOT 9 May as per my previous missive. Let us see if we can conjure up a better showing than last Friday!!! With some committee members standing down this year, the committee is looking pretty thin and in need of some new blood; please consider standing for election. The committee meets at the Shamwari Club every two months so it is not something that is going to break the ‘available man-hours bank’. Annual Dinner. Arrangements for the BSAP Regimental Association (Natal Branch) Annual Dinner, are all done and dusted – well Des is in charge so it is as good as done! When: Saturday 23 August 2008 Margate Station is having another get together on Saturday 7 June 2008. Fall in will be at 11h00 and Stand Down at your own leisure. Bring your own meat, salad, bread roll etc and R10.00 per head. Fires will be lit at midday. Venue: Ramsgate Bowling Club. Licensed bar at Club prices. R10.00 per head to cover hire of the hall at the club, and charcoal. Please bring any no longer wanted, memorabilia – flags – shields etc and they will be auctioned to raise funds for the Natal Regimental Association. (We have collected some items already) RSVP to John Dolby (039)3173620 or Dave Callow (039)3120070, or Barry Woan (039)312028/0834430533 Natal Midland Branch. We have recently held two events in the Natal Midlands, firstly on the 20th of April we held our annual Golf Day at Sakabula Golf Club situated in the Howick area. 28 players braved the wet and cold conditions, which prevailed for the whole day. The following four balls played. "Rob Bristow, Chris Driver, Jock Knoetze and Michele Cloete." "John Haswell, Mathew Haswell, Troy Bignell (local) and Martin Cronje (local)." Dennis Wyatt, Jock Pirrett (Jhb), Malcolm Dale and John Guiness who all represented Durban. The Pietermaritzburg team were, "Peter Reynolds, Mike Gibson, Joe Harris and Derek Vinnicombe." "Alan Bennett, Ian Cliff, Mervyn and Shirley Prinsloo (Alan's Family)." Brian Murray, John Arnott, John Carroll and Len Hughes. There were two other local four balls that made up the field. Well the challenge came from Rob Bristow after a couple of beers at the Midlands annual dinner. Rob felt that we were no longer fit enough to play cricket at Shongweni, the Midlands Branch had tactfully withdrawn from the bowls tournament at Inchanga after winning twice on the trot (no competition!!), so now it had to be golf. Well Alan Bennett was trusted to count the scores and after much delay, recounts and even considering a play off (Zim style!!), the final tally read. Natal Midlands Team 122 - Natal Branch 104. So we are still the champions. (The results are not subject to audit – learnt well from ZEC!!) Anticipating bad weather, we served lunch inside which was organized by Flik Bennett with the help of Margie Cronje and Bronwyn (John Guiness' better half). We think that everyone had a pleasant day and left with something to take home. Thank you to our sponsors and support received from the players, it was also great to have Jock Pirrett join us from Johannesburg. Jock organises the Transvaal golf day. Then on Sunday the 11th of May, we held a Race Day at Scottsville Racecourse. Well in contrast we could not have asked for better weather. Peter and Jean Reynolds organise the event, which is held in the picnic area on the infield of the racecourse. Sheltered by the only tree which is specially reserved for us, we were able to spread our tables and chairs and enjoy a ‘bring and braai’ whilst watching the horses gallop fiercely by. (Smudge Smith was convinced that Pegasus, one of his horses from depot was running). You could even take a stroll down to the tote not far away and have a flutter if you so wish. Present were: Phil and Eve Mingard, Peter and Jean Reynolds, John and Nancy Carroll, Hugh and Jill Dixon (recently moved from Benoni to Hillcrest), John and Laurette Hardie, Smudge and Shirley Smith, Billy and Juliet Smith, Roz Crone, Denise Podmore, Nigel Cuerden, John and Denise Miller, Alan and Flik Bennett and a number of family and friends. Zimbabwe Pensioners Support Fund. This is just a short note to advise you that eventually, and after a lot of effort the Zimbabwe Pensioners Support Fund has at last been registered as a Section 21 (Non Profit) Company. The registration number is 2007/034036/08. The situation in Zimbabwe is very bleak at the moment and the old folk need our support more than ever. The truck will be going up from the 10th- 15th of May and then again from the 29th - 3rd of June 2008- Please pray for GOD's protection for these trips and for the people who will be going up on the trips, and the old folk in Zimbabwe. Regards, Norman Nimmo. Re-publication of the History of the BSAP As some members are aware, there is a project afoot to re-publish the History of the BSAP on similar lines to that produced in 2000. This new edition will be a 'coffee table' production with up to 1000 photographs and maps, with additional material gleaned from the Outpost, and other sources, and considerably enhanced by unpublished stories by former members. It will follow the set-up of two recent best -selling publications featuring units of the Rhodesian Army and hopes to take advantage of the current interest in Zimbabwe, emphasising the unique role we played in the development of Rhodesia. To this end addressees are kindly asked to circulate this letter to their branch members and ask that any relevant stories and particularly photographs be sent to Nick Russell (ex-DSO 9596) at nick.russell@bordermail.com.au. There is great urgency about this as the SA-based publisher is anxious to complete the book in time for this year's Christmas market. Nick and I would value and be most grateful for your help and co-operation in advancing this project. Thank you. Hugh Phillips (4770) Death: It is with regret we have to advise of the following deaths of ex-members, some late but the notice has just been received:
The Socialites of Margate: It seems that the South Coast has a very strong magnetic pull for BSAP members. On Friday 25 April, Rusty & Nan Hustler, Brian and Rosemary Goddard visited us at Barry Woan’s house. Later that evening completely unplanned we met at the Blue Lagoon Restaurant - it was John and Carla Dolby’s 38th wedding anniversary, and they were celebrating with Dave & Penny Callow. Shortly after getting there, Barry & Marina Woan entered with the rest of the gang, and sat at the table alongside us. After 30 years, we all made contact and, apart from John Dolby, the rest had been in Support Unit. Best of health, Dave Callow Sick Parade: Received the following from Buddy Deetlef: “Surprise, surprise, its me back ‘on line’, ready to face the world. I personally would like to thank you all most sincerely for all the prayers and messages received. The angiogram scheduled for today has again been postponed until next week. The Cardiologist is still not happy with the functioning of my kidneys. Besides that, I am feeling great, most grateful for still being alive. Starting to eat like a horse admittedly only a Shetland pony, but it is start; able to take short walks outside and most importantly, able to sit in front of the Computer for short periods. I will keep you informed again after my angiogram. Kindest Regards Buddy. PS. It would be remiss of me not to mention in a future e-mail, the wonderful and caring ‘work’ carried out by my very special wife during my frightening ordeal and recovery" Eddie Cross ... Appeal For Funds Hi Nobby, FYI - Despite Eddie's problems being o/s the scope for which
the BSAP Association funds are committed, your committee might consider,
preferably in liaison with the Army & Air Forced Associations, to make a
"special exception" contribution based on the fact that unquestionably Eddie
Cross has indeed over an extended period of time sacrificed his energy, time
and financial resources in the cause of speaking out against the evils of
Mugabe and his fellow travellers. I believe that he has always accurately
and unceasingly "told the story as it is" and has always been more than
willing to accept the consequences - it is ironical that in the recent
elections he became a member of the Senate and would have and hopefully may
still make a huge impact on the future of Zimbabwe. Regards Roy Welch C.J. Cross Member on the Move: 5661 Trevor Wilson, a member of Transvaal Branch , will be moving to the Hillcrest area later this month. Wow, it takes a long time for some people to see the light! We look forward to welcoming Trevor and Linda to this neck of the woods. He should arrive just in time to make the Margate function. Beer is now officially cheaper than petrol. …… so drink – don’t drive!! Sign in a store window : This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a business in Campbelltown, Scotland ”We would rather do business with 1000 Al Qaeda terrorists than with one single British soldier!" You are probably outraged at the thought of such an inflammatory
statement. You may ask, "What kind of business would dare post such a
sign?…………... answer: a Funeral Parlour O.B. Extracts: Sunday 13 April 2008 How close did we come to getting our pensions paid... I am still confident that this is going to be the year that we receive what is due us in pension payments. The election pantomime adds a new sense of urgency in respect of Zimbabwe pensioners. For those of you who were thinking about doing something for those desperate pensioners, maybe now is the time to revisit those thoughts. I must admit to being dumbstruck, or as the Liverpudlians would put is ‘Gob smacked’ at the complete lack of comprehension at the situation in Zimbabwe. We are into the third week and still the results have not been published and we have Africa’s elite saying “…aah yeh there ees no prob-blem – what crisis?” Wake up you’re fanning a bloodbath and yet you still insist in keeping your heads firmly buried in the sand!! Time they read Titus Ch 1 vs 5-9 I know that your committee is extremely concerned by the perceived lack of enthusiasm from members for association matters. I am not so sure I agree with this viewpoint, especially when one considers the number of functions being arranged for members and numbers attending the various functions and not forgetting the enjoyment being derived.. Agreed it is a relatively small nucleus of members who make up the backbone of support. What do we need to do to increase the number of supporters? The response I get from OB Extracts tells me the interest is still there. Is it that we tend to forget that at best it was 28 years ago that members left the BSAP?... but the bond still exists. Somehow someone needs to get you, the membership, to articulate what you would like to see happen. As the years march on we are all less inclined to venture out of an evening and travelling is not as much fun as it was in our 20’s. Why not start off by dropping me a line letting me know how you feel about the Association – is it a dead duck? AGM. The Natal Branch AGM is scheduled for 5.00pm Friday 9 May, at the Shamwari Club. The committee is looking pretty thin and is looking for some new blood. Please consider standing for election. The committee meets at the Shamwari Club every two months so it is not something that is going to break the ‘available man-hours bank’. Annual Dinner. The Regt Association Natal Branch Annual Dinner is scheduled for Sat 23 August … venue yet to be determined. This year the dinner will coincide with the BSAP Dog Section Reunion, which will take place in Durban on the 22-24 August this year. I understand the interest is very high and that they are expecting about 60 guests (members with wives/girlfriends) to attend. That being the case it should be a great function and you will need to consider booking early – no Friday 22 August is not early.!! Hillcrest Station Social. A very pleasant gathering of members took place this morning at the Clubhouse of the Augusta Estate. Des Howse and Derek Kerr yet again organised an enjoyable function, which took the form of a 'Bring 'n Braai' where members brought their own food, drink and utensils and enjoyed good old fashioned BSAP companionship. The weather was good and the yarns were aplenty! Those attending, in order of arrival were: 7229 Des and Trish Howse; 18339 Des King; 7033 Derek and Megan Kerr; 5087 Robin and Pat Johnson; WE96 Val Oldham (Austin); 5555 Ken and Jenny Cutler; 5042 Peter and Bonnie Arnold; 8371 Colin and Lynn Kerr; 7543 Peter Gatland; 8068 Dennis and Marian Wyatt; 6872 Dave and WP144 Maddy Lynn; 6283 Nobby Clark; 5802 Ken and Yvonne Wood; 5934 Fred and Lindsay Mason. Apologies 5918 Rob Jo Skae. Margate Station Function Advance Warning. The next gathering of the Margate Station is scheduled for Saturday 7 June with ‘Fall in’ at 11h00 and ‘Stand Down’ sometime much later! If any of you have old Rhodie stuff lying around, bring it along, as there will be an auction to raise funds for the Natal Branch of the Regimental Association. At the last function Dave Callow masqueraded as a Tobacco Floors Auctioneer, his antics raised an indecent amount for Branch funds. As we get closer to the date, watch this space for more details. Like the Hillcrest Station Functions this is a must for your diary. Natal Midland Branch Golf Challenge. The Annual BSAP Golf Day is scheduled for Sunday 20April - 07:30 onwards. Last year was a great success, but this year we have received a challenge from the Natal Branch guys. So come on lets see what the Natal Branch can do. We found that you were no match for us at cricket or bowls, so now is the real challenge. VENUE: Sakabula Golf Club, Howick. Cost including green fee's and braai lunch: R130, 00 per head. Hire of cart (there are no caddies): R130, 00 per cart. Extra Braai Lunches for wives and children R30,00 per head. Contact Alan or Flik Bennett 033-3922910 (Alan work) 033-3441122 (Home) or 0823721448. Missing RGSM Medals If you are one of the many who never received their medals, then this exchange will be of interest to you. “The following is very exciting news for me as I have had many enquiries from ex BSAP personnel when I have advertised the Air Force RGSMs I am holding. Can I please ask you all to advertise this information via the web or magazines you produce in the hopes that we can unite medals with the recipients still around. I would strongly suggest that any one wishing to claim their Police RGSM supply their Service No so that there will be no confusion in claiming their rightful medal plus a copy of their birth certificate as requested below. Your help would be very much appreciated. If someone can please pass this info onto the Regimental Assoc for me as I do not have a contact address. Police RGSM information. I received this information via the Zimbabwe Medal Society. Can I suggest you contact either of the following and just mention my name. The contact addresses are –
Thanks .Anne (formerly Cooke) Shaw” Brian Taylor, when visiting Zimbabwe recently, took a couple of the ZMS committee members to PGHQ and the following was the outcome:- "The most important of these was our visit to PGHQ where we managed to view the several thousand medals held for the Rhodesian Police Force still unissued. Should ex-members of the BSAP still want to claim their medals they can email the ZMS with a copy of their birth certificates requesting collection and they will be released. I say this, bearing in mind some of the medals have appeared on our markets in the past and I doubt if these went through normal channels. It is also pleasing to note the efforts being made at the various museums to ensure the safe custody of the thousands of medals in their possession 5945 D/S/O Mike Clark – SA Masters Swimming Championships -- some fellows just never know when to hang up their Speedos!! 5948 Tony Udal dropped me a line from Matubatuba, to tell me how well 5945 D/S/O Mike Clark had done in the recent S A Masters Swimming Chanpionships. They make for very interesting reading especially when one remembers that Mike is now 71 years young and the guy does not appear to have changed physically since we were recruits in Depot. (I can remember being ‘trashed’ (politically correct expression in RSA!!) by him in the 100mtrs Freestyle. Ed)
A great result – 8 starts 8 medals. Well-done ‘young-man’ There is life after the BSAP - 7682 P/O Ian Calderwood To answer to your queries, as to my being here in Australia, here is a thumb-nail sketch. I served in the BSAP from January ‘67 (Squad 1/67) to January ’73, serving at Que Que, Enkeldoorn, Featherstone, CID Gwelo, Chipinga and Umtali Rural and in February ’73 I immigrated to Australia to join the Northern Territory Police. I had communicated directly with the NTP while still serving in the BSAP and was signed up sight unseen and had to report to their Police Academy in Darwin in the August. Being only permitted to take US$250 with me on leaving, I arrived in Perth and took a job in a cardboard box factory in Fremantle. With each passing day in that sweat-box factory the August academy seemed a bridge too far so I applied and was inducted into the West Australian Police Force in July ’73 and so commenced a 32 year career which came to an end in August ’05 when I retired at the rank of Superintendent. During my service I served in metropolitan and country locations including a couple of stints in the Mounted (the BSAP connection would be obvious!) and was promoted to Superintendent in ’96. On first being promoted I was in command of the Emergency Operations Division, which comprised, Airwing, Water Police, Emergency Operations Unit, UXO Branch, Mounted, Canine and the Independent Patrol Group. Then followed two command postings to Metropolitan Police Districts and I finished up in command of the 83,000 sq km Weatbelt Police District. Since retiring I have done consultancy work mainly in management which has been hugely rewarding, and given I no longer ‘have to sing for my supper’ I can pick and choose who I work for, for how long, and, here is the Scots ancestry in me - for how much! Kind regards Ian Calderwood (7682) Death: It is with regret we have to advise of the following deaths of ex-members:
Message from 9137 Doug Hubbard: I wanted to tell you again how welcome your periodic OB extracts are and to thank you for making the effort to accumulate and publish information that undoubtedly means a good deal to many of the brethren. Would you mind amending my email address? I never personally knew Smudge Smith; but I certainly know who he was. How grand those birthday celebrations for him must have been. I just received my copy of the UK Outpost. It prompts me to ask whether you remember a genuinely stunning photo of Smudge tent-pegging: all four of the horse’s feet were in the air as he plants the lance in the foreground of the picture. The viewer’s eye naturally follows the lance up to Smudge’s very-intense expression of concentration. My guess is that it might have been taken about 1971. I cherished a published image (perhaps from a recruiting publication?) for many years, but it has gone adrift. Do you remember it? Does Smudge? I’d very much like to find another copy, and I’d like to ensure that it remains a part of the Regimental history. Looking forward to hearing from you, Fred. Best wishes, Doug Hubbard 9137 Remember: You don't stop laughing because you grow old; You grow old because you stop laughing. 26 April 2008 Principal Contact/Branch
Secretary:
Buddy Deetlefs (5470) - - PO Box 100-595,
Scotsville, 3209, South Africa. The Natal Midlands Branch produces "The Last
Outpost"
Principal Contact: Greg McManus - - Unit 160, Peninsula Club, 441, Whangaparaoa Road, Hibiscus Coast. 1463 New Zealand Principal Contact: Will Cornell - - 17462 Walnut Street, Yorba Linda, Califorina, 92886-1827 - Telephone (714) 993-1975 Principal Contact: Mike
King - - 11 Leroy Street, Manly West,
Queensland 4179, Australia Principal Contact/Branch Secretary: Dick Glanville (6769) Hon. Secretary - - PO Box 8389, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa. Gatherings are held at "The View", Regimental Headquarters of the Transvaal Scottish, Ridge Road, Johannesburg, on the second Friday on the month at 5:30pm. Contact Dick Glanville for directions. Members, partners and guests most welcome. Please note this venue is very formal for members and male guests. The elected committee of the Transvaal Branch for 2006 include:
Principal Contact: Barry Henson (5662) - - The Hunney Pot, 30 Hilltop Drive, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6NF, United Kingdom The United Kingdom Branch, originally called the Home Branch, of the British South Africa Police Regimental Association is the oldest Branch existing. The Branch has an established Trust Fund known as "BSAP Trust" which has been set up to assist members of the Branch and their dependants in relation to any matters which might relate to their welfare and benevolence. Any enquiries or requests for assistance should be referred to the Branch Secretary where they will be considered by the Trustees. The UK Branch has monthly gatherings at the Victory Services Club, in Seymour Street, near Marble Arch in Central London on the first Tuesday of each month, and in the North West of England there is a gathering at lunchtime on the second Saturday in March, June, September and December at "The Myerscough" a pub situated on the A59 just east of Preston and the M.6. motorway. It hold it's Annual Dinner at the end of September each year and the AGM in mid May. Another event worth attending is the Annual Braai at Whitwell in Rutland on the last weekend in July and members in the South East also hold an annual Lunch in Sussex during the summer. For full details of these and any other events you are advised to contact the Branch Secretary. The elected committee of the UK Branch for 2002 include: Principal Contact: Gilly Potter - - 15 Stanford Road, Claremont 7708, South Africa The Western Cape Branch holds a monthly social gathering, to which all members and guests are welcome. Meetings take place from 5 pm on the first Monday of every month, at Timour Hall, located at the end of Timour Road in the suburb of Plumstead. A highlight of our social calendar is the annual Christmas party, which takes place at Timour Hall on the first Monday in December. A large number of raffle prizes are on offer. A meeting also takes place on the first Monday in January, at which we particularly welcome members and guests who are enjoying a holiday break in the Cape The elected committee for the Western Cape Branch comprises:
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