Some of you may already know of the deaths of two ex Department members, I have just updated my mailing list hence the need to resend the notices and at the same time pass on a little other news:

Lizanne Gibson (nee Plaice) passed away suddenly on the 14th of February.
Pete Westrop was killed in a vehicle accident on the 23rd of March.
Our deepest sympathies go both Ian and the Westrop families.

Norman and Isobel Gardener - At this point in time it will suffice to state that Isobel and, I understand, Norman were subjected to an extremely brutal beating by soldiers on the 22nd. Norman was employed as the farm manager on Roy Bennet's, an opposition MDC member of parliament's, farm. Isobel was hospitalized and I am not sure whether Norman was as well.
On behalf of all "dagaboys" I would like to wish them both a full recovery from this most traumatic experience - Norman and Isobel you are in our thoughts and prayers.
The BBC has reported this and other assaults
Rob Cifford - now living in the UK, I have heard that he occasionally commutes back and forth for work purposes but can not confirm this. I would be grateful if some one could shed some light on as to what Rob is doing and also let me have his email address.

National Parks Roll: I am currently drawing up a roll of all National Parks field, research and tourists officers - I would like to gather as much information as possible on each individual and would therefore appreciate what ever input each of you can provide. For the period 1963 to Independence I have 170 names noted. To this I will add those who joined subsequent to January 1980 through to 1985 when the pension incentives expired -

Website: With the kind assistance of Odette Lind we hope to have a dagaboys website up and running in the not so distant future. It will be an active website and chaps can "post" snippets of information and possibly photographs as and when they please. Odette your input is really appreciated.

I have recently returned from a short trip to South Africa and yes, believe it or not as my drivers licence was stolen two years back, I got caught up that country's drivers licence renewal fiasco. Eleven hours over a day and a half in a "Q" - bureaucracy at it's worst, they've obviously learnt from their neighbours to the north!
During my visit I spoke to Paul Coetsee, we couldn't get together as the Wednesday I had available clashed with his tight work schedule on the croc farm.
I did manage to spend an hour or so with Bruce Couper who was on his way through to Pretoria - this was also an arrangement of short notice. Bruce looks well and is still living in the Hartebeestpoort area - he continues to do consultancy work for his previous employer.
Whilest in that area I made contact with Ron Thomson and popped round to his house for a quick visit and cup of coffee. Ron has remarried and I met Maggie who was at home recuperating from hip surgery. They have a delightful home and garden and keep themselves busy running a curio shop in the Hartbeestport dam area which they own. Ron is still doing abit of writing and has started what he says will be his last book.

On the subject of books - I have had no feed back concerning ideas for a book on the Department - without input this is just not going to happen!
I am very open to any ideas however in the interim would like to suggest that we need to gather bits and pieces from as many people as possible. Once we have some background it might be easier to approach a "ghost writer" to take on and finish the project.
I would like to ask the following to help - I have just noted down my thoughts on topics or where they could assist, it really doesn't mean that other areas can't be covered as well - I'll just leave it to you!!

Dave Rushworth -the RECCE story, a project which started at Robins and which ended up at Umshandike.

Bruce Couper - The antipoaching unit - how it started etc.
Ron Thomson - a. Early days in Wankie - i.e. horse patrols
b. The first rhino Capture operations in Binga with Rupert Fothergill.
c. Chizarira - opening up days
d. DDT monitoring.

Paul Coetsee - a. Tsetse Ops - in Mashonoland north
b. Matusadona - the early days at the 22 mile landing.
c. Flying -
d. The vounteer tracker unit.

John Osborne - Chipinda Pools - the ground work and early days in the Honarezhou following the tsetse hunting.

Bobby Thomson - Chizarira - the development phase etc, the loss of all that had been achieved in a terrorist attach.

Sue Coltman - Times at Main camp and Marangora.

Tony Ferrar - Game ranch surveys, the beginning of Wildlife research.

Pete Thomson - Research in Chizarira and elsewhere.

Mark Butcher - Anti poaching and foot patrols in Wankie during the mid '70's

Frank Junor - a. Early days at Kyle - fish research
b. The lake Kariba Fisheries Institute

John Rushworth - Vegetation research in Wankie

Ron van Heerden - Early days in the Management Unit

Clem Coetsee - Em possibly you can talk to Clem and jot down bits and pieces on the management unit. Clem's elephant capture technique would be of great interest.Plus anything else.

I would also appreciate input from your good ladies - they've also got their own stories to tell whether it's teaching kiddies in the bush or what ever it is of interest so please let me have something.

Time does not permit me to single out each and every one of you and suggest what should be written so notes from diaries on foot patrols, Mana "fort days" or what ever would be appreciated. None of us are professional writers so spelling, grammatical and other errors of no concern - we will leave that to some one else to sort out, It's notes and background information which we need to get this project started ........

Photos - facilities are available to have slides or prints scanned and put on CD's - it does cost a little but it's one way to ensure originals are not lost or misplaced. It's also probably the best method to store the photos until they can be used, it is important to note that credits and acknowledgements will be given for the pictures used.
Scanning photos and sending them as attachments is another method but this has it's drawbacks but it can be tried.
For those in South Africa I have postal facilities which are cleared about every three months - it's PO Box 747349 Sandton 2146 - please do not use registered mail as it will be returned as unclaimed. Rather just use a padded envelope and ensure a return address is noted on the back.

That's about it for the time being - I look forward to receiving a host of replies!

Mike