Magazine of the Rhodesian Light Infantry Regimental Association (May 2018 Edition) TABLE OF CONTENTS Editors Garble REPORT RL Chairman’s Message Patron’s Praat Sad Farewells’ A Tribute to our Fathers (RLI Son) New Bayonets Signing Up Tribute to Col TG Desfountain Africa Branch- Report History of the Regimental Association in Africa Australia Branch Report Down Memory Lane Day of the Generals in Pictures Old Cheetah Rags BSAP & the RLI Spiels from Saints and Friends FROM THE ED Well first time as Ed flying solo without Jimmy’s invaluable help in cobbling the Cheetah together. Although only five months into the year Australia has had their annual Anzac Day celebration and Doug’s report appears here and as usual the ‘Afrika Korps’ has been a flurry of events and activity. Under Brian’s leadership this branch cannot seem to slow down. Reports on their Bush Trips are detailed down below. Brian and his committee has decided to publish a regular Sitrep and the first of these has been done and will be added to the website under “Africa News” in due course The sad farewell to members is listed below and it is a fact of life that we are all inexorably marching to the ‘door’ for our final jump. This is particularly poignant that so many who have died did not do so as a result of natural causes but by some dreaded disease or other incident. We in this period saw one of our stalwarts and a fine officer, Trevor DesFountain pass away in Cape Town, South Africa. A prominent character in the Association and he always gave his all to keep our merry band of malcontents going forward even after so many years. Our lives are the richer for having known Trevor. This edition of the Cheetah is dedicated to him and thank you to Neill Storey for compiling the tribute. Thank you to Eleanor and Jo-Anne for their combined editing skills on the tribute to Trevor Our website is virtually up-to-date with a few more pictures added to the galleries and the Vale almost there with one further death to record. The Africa Branch has posted the minutes of their recent AGM and financial results. You can view these on the link at: http://www.therli.com/Content/Images/AGM2018.pdf Thank you all very much for submitting articles and allowing me to lift some stories from the social media. Contributors that I would like to acknowledge are Nigel Henson, Carl Henderson, Stu Grover and Padre Bill Dodgen (Pictures appear in the “Day of the Generals’” section.) Brian Lewis and Neil Swart (Africa Branch Gauteng Rep.) A special thanks must go to the ex BSAP members who sent in articles for the RLI affiliates theme of this edition. I believe the SAS are next up in the November Edition. Well done to Officers Willar and Prinsloo for their flanking manoeuvre in producing the hilarious article of their escapades “Maharani Hotel”. Stuart Strachan’s Tribute to RLI Fathers is a special interest piece I am sure you will enjoy reading Recently Ian Bate (Mention in the Patrons message below) and I attended a meeting on invite from the Flame Lily Foundation (FLF) and were joined by Grahame Wilson (SAS Association President) and Pat Armstrong (Selous Scouts Association President). The Flame Lily Foundation are themselves at a cross road in their many years of serving the ex Rhodesian populace and especially in helping them to secure pensions still owed by the Zimbabwe Government to these folk. The idea behind the meeting was to see where the Foundation and the various military associations in South Africa could benefit from our long standing relationship. The RLI Association became members of the FLF in 2003 I believe. There will be more feedback on this meeting in due course Billy Wiggill CHAIRMANS MESSAGE Greetings to you all, it seems like yesterday that I was writing for the last Cheetah! A big thank you for Jimmy Swan for Editing the Cheetah until the last Edition, very much appreciated, and a thanks to Bill for stepping into the breach and taking over as Editor until we find a more permanent one. As normal the early part of the year has been busy, with the Africa Branch having a very successful Birthday Reunion in February and the Australia Branch having an equally successful ANZAC Day event in Perth this year, and in this regard very many thanks goes to Dawn Losper, for energizing the ouens in Perth and organizing the event for them, well done. Despite several members sadly moving on to the 2 nd Battalion, other former members have come out of the woodwork and our membership has increased to 1010 globally, which is excellent. The Branch Chairmen and their committees continue to do an excellent job, organizing events and running their branches, which has encouraged more ex members to join, which is great. Best wishes to you all May the Saints keep marching on! Ian Buttenshaw PATRONS PRAAT Hello all you fantastic RLI ouens and crows out there. I have been blessed in my life with some wonderful things. Foremost is my wife Alannah of 53 years and my great family. Ranking up at the top is the comradeship and spirit of the RLI. It has been a most exhilarating experience. I have recently been presented with a summons to appear in the high court by an ex officer, This officer it applying for leave from the court to sue Pat Armstrong, Nigel Henson and me, he claims that that he was unfairly posted out of the RLI amongst other nasty claims against us. This is for an event that happened damn near 40 years ago, in a country and army that no longer exist. Let me tell you that the support we have had from around the world has been incredible. Here I include receiving affidavits from all ranks that knew or were involved with this officer, but also includes legal advice from members. Once again the RLI spirit of looking after each other is still as strong as it ever was. Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, to all those who have assisted us. The battle has yet to be won but we are confident that we will succeed. On the theme of the RLI spirit, I attended the AGM last Saturday. Wow what a great year it has been. Well done to Brian Lewis and his dedicated committee. We are all so grateful to this band of stars. The AGM was followed by the long awaited Support Commando day. This was once again an immaculate day and congratulations to Bucks Theron and his team for laying on such a super event. My only suggestion is that perhaps us old deaf farts could be given a bit more time to catch up with mates not seen for ages instead of being drowned out by the band. The money raised for welfare will be well used. Bill Wiggill our CEO is doing a super job with the Cheetah, but he has his own company to run plus the extra duties of CEO Is there someone out there who can take over? Please step up and volunteer your services. I have heard of the success of the ANZAC parade in Perth excellently organized by Dawn and Doug. I have a strong connection to Perth as my daughter and granddaughter live there and attended and told me how well it went Congratulations Dawn, proud of you girl. Here’s a toast to the ongoing success of our newest branch. Thank you to Doug for supporting this year’s move to Perth. Bill, Pat Armstrong and I attended the Flame Lily meeting this week where inter-service cooperation was discussed. All our Rhodesian associations are suffering from declining membership and I certainly believe that there is considerable scope for cooperation. Early days yet but hopefully this will see the beginning a something which will benefit us all. I look forward to the next issue of Cheetah and trust that you will all stay in good health. The 60th anniversary is not far away. Keep the flames of the RLI spirit burning. As aye Ian Bate SAD FAREWELLS! We bid farewell to the following RLI members who have marched off the parade ground for the last time (December 2017 – May 2018) Vic Gladwin John “Duck” Dunmow David Denning Phillip William Stapelberg John Gilbert Kirkman Fraser Mackay Brigadier William Arthur Godwin Colonel Trevor G. Desfountain Danny van Schalkwyk Kim Farmer . A TRIBUTE TO ALL RLI FATHERS Stuart Strachan at this years’ Battalion Birthday Memorial Service (2018) “Today, it is a privilege for me to address a tribute to the fathers of the Rhodesian Light Infantry; to those that are with us, and to those who are not. Whilst it is a privilege, it is also an unenviable task of having to encapsulate and put into words what each RLI father means to their sons and to their daughters. Growing up, I was surrounded by RLI influence through my father and through his friends. I was well aware that they had served in the Rhodesian war, but because I was so young, I couldn’t fully comprehend exactly what their service had meant. As I grew older, I slowly came to understand and appreciate – as much as one can, if they have never fought a war – the gravity of their service in the RLI. Today, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share with you a few of the things I came to understand and appreciate: First , I came to understand just how young they were.