I’ve already posted a blog on the Monument and the story behind the day.. I just thought I’d add a few photos of those that attended. I’m sorry I don’t know all the names but maybe you recognise some of your old friends… enjoy…
As you all know (or don’t) Keith Nell was the back bone to this monument and assisted by a team organised the building and the day… to him and his team go all the thanks, and for copies of Keith’s book “Viscount Down” you can now order it in soft cover… here is a link.. it tells the whole story of the horrifying incidents..
Keith Nell and a fellow SAS, flag raiser.. The Master of Ceremonies….
C/Sgt Johan Bezhuidenhout Mike Westcott
The crowd spread amid the trees… what a good turn out… 450 of us there…
The Service was led by Lt. Col. The Rev. Bill Dodgen, who three days prior to the Service suffered a mild stoke, he could hardly talk before Sunday, yet like all good Ex- Rhodesians, soldiered on to take the dais.
We Know Bill is suffering badly, and living off an almost indigent income, (anyone knowing of some help let us know) but his brave stand on Sunday, was worthy of high praise and thanks…
The un veiling of the Hunyani side of the memorial….. Joy Kerr
The un veiling of the Umniati side of the Monument… Ian Du Plessis
The consecration of the Monument…. and the laying of wreaths……
The front rows taken up by family and special friends of the deceased… how they remember them….
Some gathered for photos after to add to their albums, and to send to friends far away…
Ronnie (you all know her) and Alf (the poet) and two badges I’m sure you’ll recognise..
The Photographic Journey of bulldog. 
Thank you so much for letting the internet community know about the unveiling of the Viscount Memorial. Australians and New Zealanders who are keen to see the conservation of Rhodesian heritage and history follow the Remembrance services with interest and we have added this beautiful memorial to the Trip Advisor. Congratulations not just for the beautiful memorial but for establishing the tradition of the annual remembrance. This is certainly appreciated in Australia and New Zealand and I hope will continue to be so. I know people from Australia, New Zealand and America who have made the pilgrimage.
To change to a minor key, perhaps you might rethink the 9-11 historical analogy, especially in view of the Communist / Globalist Revolution for NWO rolling out across the world – a Revolution that certainly could have been stopped in Rhodesia as far as the African continent is concerned. I mean, Rhodesia won the war – militarily.
In the Bush War, Rhodesia was fighting Communist aggression in a most valiant effort. This is in no way comparable to the idea of the US government ‘fighting’ Communism. The US, a crypto Communist government, was then (as now) owned by the Zionist Money Power. And, at the time of Rhodesia’s Bush War, the US gov’t was busy sabotaging its ‘support’ for the efforts of S. Vietnam to fend off Chinese Communist aggression and its NVA proxies. The American veterans of the Vietnam War who were in the chain of command knew/know this for a fact. They not only had to fight Communist armies but the sabotage of their own government as well. And along these lines, the US government efforts to secure a Communist victory in Rhodesia is not forgotten by Americans who care about the truth. Nor should it be forgotten.
The actions of the Carter government deserve to live in infamy and now in the 21st century the chickens have come home to roost. There has been a spate US.fed.gov/CIA state sponsored terror and false flags against American citizens. I think, by now, most Americans have figured out that 9-11 was an Inside Job. (I write this as an American national).
If an analogy to American history is desired by the Rhodesian community (and I am honestly flattered that you would want an American analogy), may I suggest the American War of Independence. The British had a ‘bad guy’ script in both the American and Rhodesian wars of independence. And in the American war, they organised and equipped the Cherokee, Chickasaw and Shawnee Indians to commit atrocities against the American settlements in the Washington District colonies, as well as against the Indian tribes which had made peace and established mutually beneficial relations with the Americans. The atrocities committed by these proxies is certainly on the same page as the Viscount Down savagery of the Soviet proxy: ZIPRA. The more things change…
Wow.. I’m flattered and pleased of your comment and input on this blog… having fought on the boarder of Rhodesia and having lost friends on both Viscounts, my feelings about the attacks still boils in my blood. . I appreciate your feedback and comparisons, which I find very enlightening.. thank you for your comment
I’ve just come across this and although it pains me to see that Bill Dodgen is in ill-health and financial strife, it is also a Godsend because after loosing touch with him over the years I hope to reconnect again. After sending this article to my Dodgen families, they have responded by wanting to aid him financially.but I have lost his home address, telephone number and email address. So please if it’s possible could you be so kind as to either furnish me with those through him or give him my email address at hgwlorenzo@gmail.com
Thank you for the visit and I’m going to contact Kieth Nel for his address and will forward it to you… please be patient as I have just got out of hospital and cannot spend too much time in front of the laptop… getting appendicitis at the age of 64 is not recommended…
Greetings to all – the Viscount Memorial team are preparing for the Anniversary Memorial Service and Wreath Laying Ceremony in Remembrance of the VISCOUNT UMNIATI Victims to be held at 12h00 on Sunday, 10th February 2013.
Details will be posted very soon, on our website’s newsletter page at http://www.viscountdown.com and with BD’s kind permission, also here. Once again, we need to display massive support for the Viscount Victims and their Relatives, and also, for loyalty to our Country in protest against these horrendous atrocities constituting Rhodesia’s 9/11. Join us to show that THEY SHALL BE REMEMBERED and that RHODESIANS NEVER DIE!
*** Please spare a few hours of your day for this special occasion when we hope to announce that at long last, the DEAFENING SILENCE may be broken! *** If this materialises, a celebration gathering is on the cards at Kyalami, at which the raffle for Craig Bone’s painting will also be drawn.
STAY IN TOUCH AND WATCH THIS SPACE – THINGS ARE HAPPENING FAST !!
Next Remembrance service will be on Sunday 10th Feb 2013, to pay tribute to those killed in the Viscount Umniati crash that occurred on Feb 12 1979. It will be a milestone occasion because moves are afoot for it to coincide with the ‘breaking of the deafening silence’. Details are unfortunately, confidential at this stage and nothing is guaranteed.
Well Kieth I will be there and boy the news sounds as though it could be good….
Thanks for these memorial photos and the memorable poem shared. Like most, I did not know about this tragedy. I see the only way to prevent such future tragedies is through individual and collective spiritual activism to remind ourselves and others of the essential unity of all life on this tiny planet. It is a spiritual malady we are dealing with and the only remedy is a spiritual one. I’m speaking of spirituality, not religiosity. To quote part of a poem I wrote after 9/11…’Above racist and religious hate, we must evolve, united in our values of great worth- a force for Good. Our determination and resolve shall win its victory on our Earth. Flowers shall grow from tears that fall on the ground of our grief and pain. For Freedom’s love we’ll give our all, knowing that we shall rise again.’ Regardless of all our differing belief systems, we can excercise our spirituality and our humanity to demonstrate a better way to prevent and heal this spiritual disease of violence. Through prevention and healing of humanity’s inhumanity we heal ourselves because (like it or not as we are) we are all one.
Again Shelley I thank you for the beautiful words to add to my post…. and again could not agree more…. humanity needs to awake, become tolerant of others, irrespective of colour, creed or religion… Man needs to wake before he totally destroys himself…
thanks for all the work …… when im in sa i will visit the site !!!!hopefully i will meet some of your folks….. again thanks fromswitzerland – peter.p
That would be so nice… drop us a line when your here…
What a great moments… I am impressed so much. Thank you for sharing with us dear Rob, love, nia
Thanks Nia.. once again not my normal forte but tried my best…
To all who planned, prepared, arranged, presented, participated, attended both in person or thought, thankyou for holding dear and treasuring the memories and events of those days. The sentimnents expressed, the wreathes and the central location at the junction of the cross roads to the monument amongst the trees hold both a special position and a feeling of being in the sticks. Well thought out or allowed intentionally or unintentionally, its where it was meant to be. Now to all make it a ‘pilgrimage’ (Louis JG Fourie and family ex-Que Que)
Thank you …Louis JG Fourie… I couldn’t agree more with your sentiments… and as for the pilgrimage, a wonderful idea… The Voortrekker monument enjoying an annual pilgrimage on the 16th December each year… the Viscount Memorial could have two… One on the #rd September and one on the 12th February… Keith and Ronnie both said how wonderful the day was and how special and it should be done more often… I am going to pass this on to them both as a suggestion… if 100 people came together once a year on either of those days the lives lost would not have been in vain… it’s tragic that it happened but if their memories could be celebrated once a year why not… Thank you for the look in and comment…
Wonderful sentiments for a very moving ceremony. Thank you for sharing
It has been a pleasure for me as many old friends from Rhodesia have some how via this post found me… been nice to make contact with some …
A wonderful tribute and you documented it so well. Thank you for sharing this solemn event
Thank you for the kind words
Must have been a solemn ceremony bd — you did a fantastic job of photo journalism here… thank you for sharing xo Robyn
I learning more about this type thing from all the blogs I follow… might even start poetry one day…. naaaa that would make a mockery out of it…
i have a feeling you would be a fine poet — start with short verses…I started with origninal quotes — 🙂 just somehow think there is an inner poet there…
My wife is sitting next to me and she does not see any hidden poet here she says… an old codger that would never get it right… I think I’ll leave it up to you that can…
Ok -ok — if Linda is sure – -than I’ll just let you keep taking those fantastic photos of animals and things I’ll likely never see in my lifetime over there! And your narratives are always so interesting too! Just have to keep encouraging – as if Julie did not push me some – i NEVER was going t write a single poem!! xo
Thanks for sharing, bdt. The ceremony must have been extremely moving.
Oh it was… we even had a fly past by the old Helicopters we knew so well form Rhodesia…
Excellent photos thanks Robert. One day when I grow up, I want to be as good at taking them as you are at it!!
Thanks Keith just enjoy pointing and pressing the button… the camera does the rest….
Hi Robert, very nice photos. Its not a big deal but Keith did make a small error with my rank, I was a C / SGT before I went on my officers course which I passed and awarded officer status, but did not receive my commission as I resigned from the army shortly after Mugabe came into power.
Officially Colour Sergeant, resigned as Non Commissioned Officer.
Best regards
Bez
I will have them up on orders for getting it wrong… what do you reckon a stint in DB… lol… thanks for letting me know so any one looking at the post will see your comment and know the error… did you see the first blog with the flag fluttering… hope so..
Yes DB will do hahaa. Ja I did see the first blog, very nice thanks.
Corrected your rank C/Sgt