Tales from John Haycox!

[Michael Alexander]

Ex Resident, John Haycox, found the site and sent the following tales:

"You want more Michael, I lived there when stories were all that kept us
sane.

We were sent off to high school, by air.

The Hungarians and the Russians were doing their thing over in Europe

The young South African Airways sent their brand new large Sky Masters
to evacuate those not involved.

Leaving the ex OPS scholars to fly in the old Sky Masters 66 seaters to
Cape Town to join their new high schools.

As history would have it, we were the last civilian aircraft to land on
Wingfield, the next flight was from DF Malan airport.

That evening the paw paw hit the fan.

Many of us were scheduled to travel by bus from Wingfield to Cape Town
where we would connect our trains to the different towns where we would
go to school.

The evening news revealed that there had been a massive train smash near
Cape Town.

Fortunately none of us were involved."

[Michael Alexander]

"I should immagine that you all know that anything that was brought into
Oranjemund in the old days, stayed there.
Nothing brought into the "camp" was allowed to be taken out, so there
was very little private property.
Definately no private cars.

Then our most enterprising teacher Mrs Tinka Castle brought her car to town.

The first private car in town was a three wheeled GOGGA MOBILE owned by
Mrs Castle.

I am digging for some pictures."

[Michael Alexander]

"You asked why people were in a barge crossing the river.

When we first arrived in Oranjemund there was no bridge across the river.
Our cars were left in garages at the farm on the "Union" side of the river
and we crossed the river in a DUKW, an amphibious vehicle left over from
the second world war.
We had many second world war vehiles, including Sherman Tanks.

Then a company "Christiany and Nielsen" , I seem to remember, got the
contract to build a bridge across the mighty Gariep.

Well, the story goes that everybody in the know predicted that the
bridge was too low.  What do we know, they are engineers of repute.

The first rainy season in the Transvaal/Free State had a devastating effect.

800 or was it 400 meters of the bridge was washed away.

The only way across was again in the DUKW, untill the bridge was
temporarely ( for many years) repaired by installing a series of up and
down wooden hills over the washed away section.

After that our cars were stored in garages on the SWA side of the river."

[Michael Alexander]

This tale , I really enjoyed....


"When I started school our principal was mister Anderson, kindly referred
to as Pop Andy
well, I can't remember why mister Anderson was replaced by mister Levey

Nevertheless, it was decided to build a sports field in front of the school
this sports field was going to be named after Mr Anderson "AW ANDERSON
SPORTS FIELD"

One morning big trucks (ERF and DIAMOND T) dumped lage mounds of gravel,
from the disused field at South, right in front of the school
Then Tonner Rockers and front end loaders proceded to flatten this lot
We naturally thought this was a loveley new playground
We thought that the authorities would appreciate our help in flattening
these dumps.

Well, as it happened some of us found some stones in these dumps.

Early the next morning the graders, lorries etc arrived and removed the
top soil of our new sports field."

[Michael Alexander]

"Hi,

The story goes that someone, no names, had got hold of some stones, we
never spoke of diamonds in those days.
Apparently these "stones" were hidden in a Vaseline bottle.
The bottle had disappeared, and there was no proof of a fellony.

The town plumber got the shitty deal.
"Dig up the drains"
I can't remember if the vaseline bottle was ever found."

[Michael Alexander]

Now this one , I would never have thought of....

"You have read "Diamonds Are Forever" by Ian Flemming ( the James Bond
author)

Well, in the book he refers to Jock Kennedy.

Jock was a family friend.

Jock went on holiday to Cape Town.

The next thing we heard was that Jock had been arrested.

Apparently, while on holiday in Cape Town, Jock had rented a private
plane to fly to Chamais, where he had hidden a parcel in the cistern of
the toilet.
The pilot of the private plane landed at Chamais in the dark of night,
Jock got out and retrieved the parcel.
Jock got back into the plane.
The pilot proceeded to taxi for take off, but put the plane into a
prospectors trench.
The next morning an Ovambo boss boy found them there, and had the arrested.
The rest is history."

[Michael Alexander]

This was awesome stuff John, get on the forum and start posting.... 

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Great reading....we'll have somemore 

[Michael Alexander]

Sorry, here was John's original email... some of you might find it interesting...

"Hi Mike,

I can't believe it.  First time I've come across your web site.

Never thought of searching for Oranjemund.

I must scratch in some old stuff, must have some pics.

The pic that you have the town in 1948 seems to be before that.  I
thought the town (camp) was larger.

We lived in a wooden house untill about 1954, then moved next door into
a brand new brick house that was specially built for us. Number 21, 11th
avenue.

Somewhere on the site I saw Errol's name and also Hennie, they were in
the same class as me."

[georgswa (Georg Ruf) (RIP)]

That was the most authentic tale about the diamonds and the plane

Wow.....good story

[Richard Opperman]

This is what we need, history man history!

[Bertie Horak]

This is great!!! I'm drooling, give us more,   

[John Creedy]

Hey Mike - great to hear about John Haycox.  His story on the new house is quite a nice one.  We too lived in a wooden house in 1954 and waited for the new house to be built.  It was 24 11 Ave just a few houses down the road from us.  We lived in the same steet in the same era.  Kevin Pilling and Karl and Paul Jackson will probably have memories of this. I do recall his Dad and radio.  Thanks for that and hope he gets on line.

[John Haycox]

Hi John,

I thought you lived in 10th avenue, the tarred road behind us.  Did you not live on the corner opposite Lazarus Dry Cleaners?

[John Creedy]

Hi John
Yes opposit the Lazarus's.  It was the corner of 8th st and 11 Ave.  8th ave goes up to the "store" and post ofice area.  Quite a few photos on this site.  Do you remember Freddie van As perhaps?  how about Karl Jackson?

Cheers
John