My Life on the MDC Barge by Lood (Terry) Terblanche

[Michael Alexander]

This is a very interesting account by Lood Terblanche on his time spent on the MDC barges. This is the kind of History that made DeBeers Marine what it is today. Thanks Lood!

[Michael Alexander]

If you know anyone or have any tales related to the MDC, please post them here....

[Malcolm Bertoni]

Hey Mike

So that old airstrip which is located at 27° 50' 20.25" S, 15° 43' 0.90" E, just north of Affenrucken and south of Chameis Bay was used by the MDC mob during the 60s. The airstrip must have been built especially for the barges.

Malcolm

[Michael Alexander]

Malcolm, I never knew about the airstrips until Alfie pointed it out to the group about 3 months back..... not much left, just a runway in the desert with white drums.... Alfie has the snap..... wonder where about that other helicopter is under the sea then?

[Malcolm Bertoni]

I describe the airstrip in my book (Diamonds and Dust), and how we took the old Landrover from the dump and raced around a circuit made of 44-gallon drums.

Until one of  the guys rolled it . . . .

Malcolm

[musiklood@telkomsa.net]

As far as I remember, the Sikorsky was recovered by the company but as I mentioned this incident happened during my six day shore leave. The wreck at Affenrucken: can it be that one? Just wondering. Lood

[Alfred Boehme]

Yes the Sikorsky was at Affenrucken till SA Metal sent it to Cape Town for scrap

[SandyB]

Interesting reading .. Thanks  Lood ,,,

[Malcolm Bertoni]

Yep - Alf is correct - that was the Sikorsky that lay at Affenrucken dump during the 70s.  Must have been the one that was used for the barges.

When I got to Affenrucken in 1968, their was a helicopter and two pilots based in a big warehouse there.  They must have worked for De Beers, who took over MDC in 1965 and kept operating until 1971 with the new barge, the Pomona, which worked in the Chameis Bay area.  We had a few flights in the helicopter while they were there - until about 1970.

De Beers stopped marine mining in March 1971 until about 1989 I think.

Essie Esterhuizen, worked on Barge 77 when she was wrecked at Chameis Bay in 1963.  He ended up worked at No 1 plant as a foreman.

Malcolm

[Michael Alexander]

This is a relevant link that Clint found....

LINK: http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/18282641/Marine_Diamond_Corporation_MV_Rockeater_Menue_Photos_1970.html

I wonder who it belonged to?

[musiklood@telkomsa.net]

Those Sikorsky's! I still can't make it out by myself what was worst: The Daks or them. Both almost as noisy as the barges and equally uncomfortable. Yet, it was a fab experience for me. I still think the wreck ex Affenrucken was the one they salvaged, who will just dump a chopper?

[Michael Alexander]

, who will just dump a chopper?

CDM would..... they dumped 100's of perfectly working vehicles in the scrapyards or even buried them, only because they had reached their operating hours....

[Mike Thurtell]

  My dad worked on the Pomona for a short time. "Short" because soem machinery fell through a floor on the Pomona and crushed his thumb. He was taken to Oranjemund Hospital by helicopter (I assume the Sikorsky) and was so impressed by this desert town that he asked for a transfer. We moved to Oramjemund in June 1969 - had to wait ages at the security gates at the river because a Jowells tuck had gone over the narrow bridge head first with the tail still dangling on the bridge. My dad's anme was Owen Thurtell but was called Doc because in his early years at the SAR and Harbours salt river locomotives workshop he used to have a black bag which went every where with him.I still have the toolbox he made whe he was an appie (fitter and turner). I thinked he enjoyed his time at the Pomona, or perhaps was positive because of his family. he used to tell us of the dolphins, birds etc that accompanied the Pomona.

I recall seeing the Pomona when it came to Cape Town harbour for a clean-up. Pomona was still written on the wall at the docks until very recently, where she used to moor (where the tugs are and before that where the Robin Island ferry used to moor).
I am (hopefully) attaching three photos from either 1967 or 1968 Christmas on the Pomona. My dad is in one of them - he has a bokbaartjie (I think in English this is known as a goatee beard like that which Smuts had) and is bald acroos much of his head. Unfortunately I don't know who the others are but maybe some visitors to this site will know.
My dad was on the Pomona when people had the two weeks on 1 week off work schedule and flew down to Cape Town by Dakota - probably the same that we had to fly on to boarding school in the early 70's. I think we made "history" by being the largest aeroplane to land at Kleinzee.

Thank you to all who work on this site and contribute to it - it brings back some memories I'd forgotten about.
Mike Thurtell

[Michael Alexander]

Here's a wee bit more from Lood and one Albert Huddlestone.......

"Herken jy hierdie Sampson onderwater kamera (fotos aangeheg) wat in die Sam Collins en MDC era moontlik gebruik was.   
Dit het behoort aan Joey en Andrew Horne (beide al oorlede).
Hulle was albei in senior posisies by MDC en Sam Collins werksaam en was vriende van my en woonagtig in Parow-omgewing."

[Michael Alexander]

This topic is still getting a few good reads and memories....


Lood had further correspondences on the topic, which If nobody minds, will post here...

"Hallo Mr Lood. (Terry) Terblanche. Reading your story with interest made me
go through my dads old papers. Mr JD van Aswegen. Van.  Dated August 1.
1965. He was appointed. Assistant Mining Superintendent and in terms of that
appointment as Managerial Assistant he was put fully in charge of all
operations on the Colpontoon. As a child I  can still remember the stories
that was told of the Colpontoon and that was where Respect was earned.
Also of the time that was spent on the skeleton coast beached up on the
sand. So also of the great guys that gave there lives to get the Colpontoon
off the beach and back home to the Cape. I thank you for the interesting
memories that you keep alive with sharing your experience.
Yours sincerely.   
                JD van Aswegen. Dave. "