ORAFs Gathering in Auckland - November 2013

By John Pringle (RhAF)

Once again the spirit of Harvey Quail served us well and we had fine sunny weather for our annual gathering of Kiwi ORAFs.

    

Some steak and the odd length of boerewors was cremated, a drop of beer was quaffed and a few stories told. Old acquaintances were renewed and we had our usual happy gathering.

It says something for the itinerant nature of ORAFs, because both Prop Geldenhuys and Denis Eltringham turned up in campervans!

Marylin Eltringham took fright at the gathering; she declared herself to be the only Kiwi present and scarpered, taking their dog for a walk...

We had a few non-blue guests, Debbie Needham, her daughter and grand-daughter. Debbie is an ex-Zim and relatively new to new Zealand. She obligingly took the attached picture.

From left to right:

Prop and Rina Geldenhuis
Ashley Stober and Helen Nobel
Dennis and Patricia Mawhinney
JP and Bernie Pringle
Denis Eltringham
Pete and Viv Jameson
Stu and Dee McColl
John and Moya Michalakis

End

Thanks to JP  for sharing the photographs and memories with ORAFs.

Comments are welcome, send them to Eddy Norris at orafs11@gmail.com 

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(Please visit our previous posts and archives.

Ref. Rhodesia

Mike and Sandy Peake Visit New Zealand

By John Pringle (RhAF)

Mike and Sandy Peak (from Australia) called on JP and Bernie Pringle in Auckland earlier this evening, as part of their motor-home tour of New Zealand’s North Island.

These pictures were taken after a good meal and a few bottles of fine red so we offer no excuses for the quality...

Suffice to say that some hairy lies were told and some great laughs were had.

JP (instruments, 11 LAR) and Mike Peak (radio, 13 LAR)

JP, Sandy Peak, Mike Peak, Bernie Pringle

End

Thanks JP for sharing these photographs and memories with ORAFs.

Comments are welcome - please send them to Eddy Norris at orafs11@gmail.com
     

To view the Blog Home Page - Please Click Here

[ http://rhodesianforcesreunions.blogspot.com/ ]

(Please visit our previous posts and archives.

Ref. Rhodesia

Cocky Benecke in New Zealand

  By Danny Hartman (RhArmy)

Thought I would send this on to you for your next newsletter! Cocky has been touring around NZ in a Mobile Home and managed to pop in to where Steve and I work and spend a couple of hours catching up. Winston was able to join us for this!

 (L-R) Danny Hartman (RhArmy) ; Cocky Benecke (RhAF); Steve Kesby (RhAF); Winston Hart (RhArmy).

Yours in friendship,
Danny

Thanks for sharing this with ORAFs Danny, we hope Cocky has a wonderful holiday and safe trip home.

Comments are welcome - please send them to Eddy Norris at orafs11@gmail.com

To view the Blog Home Page - Please Click Here

[ http://rhodesianforcesreunions.blogspot.com/ ]

(Please visit our previous posts and archives.

Ref. Rhodesia

New Zealand ORAFs November 2012 Gathering

 By John Pringle

A gathering of NZ based ORAFs took place earlier this afternoon (Sunday 11 November) and while the numbers were a little down on previous years, we made up with quality rather than the quantity of people.

Held in the historic Observation Post, beer was quaffed, stories were swapped and most of the food on the braai was consumed with relish. Welcome visitors were Hoffy and Meriel Hofmeyr representing Zimbabwe.

Rear Row: Moya & John Michalakis, John Pringle, Murray Hofmeyr, Chuck Osborne, Prop Geldenhuys,
Stu McColl.

Front Row: Bernie Pringle, Jane Few, Meriel Hofmeyr, Sue Osborne, Rina Geldenhuys.

End

Thanks To John for sharing his photograph and memories with ORAFs.

Comments are welcome - please send them to Eddy Norris at orafs11@gmail.com

To view the Blog Home Page - Please Click Here. 
 (Please visit our previous posts and archive

Ref. Rhodesian Air Force

NZ Annual Get-To-Together ~ 2010

John (JP) Pringle (RhAF) Writes:-

Yesterday (Sunday 21st) saw yet another get-together of ORAFs in Auckland. Attendees were, in no particular order: Bob and Jann Hattle, Blake and Jane Few, John and Moya Michalakis, Pete and Viv Jameson, Ashley and Helen Stober, Dennis and Patricia Mawhinney, John and Bernie Pringle.



The weather prophet forecast rain however we invoked the spirit of Harvey Quail an once again the morning cloud dispersed and we enjoyed a fine, sunny day.

Plenty of beer disappeared, bags of steak and wors was cremated and many dubious stories were told. The venue, once again, was “The Command Post”, an historic piece of Auckland’s WWII defence installation. For something different we took thirty minutes out of drinking time and toured the recently re-opened tunnel complex between the gun emplacements. Tour guide was JP who felt this justified him having another beer during the photo shoot! Picture was taken by John Michalakis, skilfully using the camera timer function...

End

Many thanks to JP for sharing his memories with ORAFs.

To view the Blog Home Page - Please Click Here.
(Please visit our previous posts and archives)

Reunion: New Zealand

John Pringle Writes:-
Greetings from New Zealand! Sunday 15 November, 2009 saw a gathering of ORAFs at “The Lookout” in Kennedy park on Auckland’s North Shore. The venue is part of an historic WWII defensive installation that has been carefully restored by the local council. Having declared ourselves to be an organization of elderly ex-military comrades, we get to hire the facilities at peppercorn rates!

In spite of some cancellations due to work demands and some rather grey weather, twelve of us (augmented by the Mawhinney extended family) had a very happy day. Plenty beer flowed, lots of rolls of "wors" cremated, and many stories were told.

The weather managed to clear sufficiently for the obligatory group photo, so from left to right:



John (23 PTC) and Moya Michalakis, Dennis (16 LAR) and Marilyn Eltringham, Jane and Blake(18 PTC) Few, Bob (17LAR) and Jan Hattle,
Bernie and John (11 LAR) Pringle, Pat and Dennis (26 LAR) Mawhinney.

Thanks to John Pringle for sharing his photo and memories with ORAFs.