Long time no see [Archive] - 32 Battalion Forum

Chris Shelton

03-02-2008, 20:48

Hi all. I served with 32BN in 1980/81. I was with Vet Dup in Alpha 2. I am very pleased to have found this site. I must admit I've lost contact with all but one Gary 'Blackie' Swart who has been tenaciously knocking at my door at least once a year every year. Blackie, if you are on this forum, I salute you for your perserverance and interest in keeping me in the loop all these years mate. Thanks a lot!

Hopefully I'll get to meet up with a few more of you guys through this forum.

Regards
Chris

Groenie

04-02-2008, 09:53

Hi Chris,
Groenie here good to hear from you ... also joined the forum today ... let see what's happening here ... will have a read tonight.
Cheers,
G

Hagar

04-02-2008, 10:20

Hi there Chris and welcome to the boards. Were you a Somerset West laatjie in your youth? :confused:

Kim Zocher - Germany

Chris Shelton

04-02-2008, 14:09

Chris Shelton

04-02-2008, 21:43

Hi there Chris and welcome to the boards. Were you a Somerset West laatjie in your youth? :confused:

Kim Zocher - Germany

Howzit Kim. No, I was a Milnerton laatjie :)

Are you the same Kim who was draughted to the Cape Town Highlanders?

Chris Shelton

04-02-2008, 21:45

Welcome chris, good to ahve another A coy man on board.
If Blackie is not on this site, he will be on the comms channel.

Thanks Stan. It's good to meet up with you guys again!

Chris Shelton

04-02-2008, 21:47

Hi Chris,
Groenie here good to hear from you ... also joined the forum today ... let see what's happening here ... will have a read tonight.
Cheers,
G

Hi Groenie. I see you were in 32 pretty much the same time as me, but I can't put a face to the name. What coy were you in?

Clive

04-02-2008, 22:39

Greetings Chris & Groenie

Welcome, Welkom en Wamekele...:D

Clive
Slangvel

Chris Shelton

04-02-2008, 22:47

Hey there Clive, thanks very much! Good to be home :)

Hagar

05-02-2008, 00:39

Howzit Kim. No, I was a Milnerton laatjie :)

Are you the same Kim who was draughted to the Cape Town Highlanders?

That is me, where have our paths crossed then? As I recognize your name big time. :confused:

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 05:57

That is me, where have our paths crossed then? As I recognize your name big time. :confused:

Remember the famous photograph of you on top of the command Ratel during Thunder Charriot? I took the photo :)

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 06:12

Welcome chris, good to ahve another A coy man on board.
If Blackie is not on this site, he will be on the comms channel.
Hi Stan, where do I find the comms channel?

Keith

05-02-2008, 08:38

Welcome home Chris:)

Hagar

05-02-2008, 13:30

Remember the famous photograph of you on top of the command Ratel during Thunder Charriot? I took the photo :)

Hi Chris, so we served in CTH together then?

I remember a pic of myself doing the rounds after Thunder Chariot with an open shirt somewhere? Then there was one of myself standing on my 9F turret somewhere sometime, but I do think Thunder Chariot. As I was still only an Anti Tank platoon Sgt then? But stand to correction as always. :confused:

But now so many years later the grey matter is not functioning that well, and many separate experiences often blur into one or total loss from memory. :D

Chris do you still have a copy of the picture you are referring to or the original negative? As I would greatly appreciate it if could scan a copy and email to me at Zocher32@yahoo.com (if you do?).

Thanks and Cheers KZ

Keith

05-02-2008, 13:44

Hagar

Please dont forget the website!!!

Chris if you have any other photos please consider making them available for the website?

Cheers, Keith

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 14:08

Hi Chris, so we served in CTH together then?

I remember a pic of myself doing the rounds after Thunder Chariot with an open shirt somewhere? Then there was one of myself standing on my 9F turret somewhere sometime, but I do think Thunder Chariot. As I was still only an Anti Tank platoon Sgt then? But stand to correction as always. :confused:

But now so many years later the grey matter is not functioning that well, and many separate experiences often blur into one or total loss from memory. :D

Chris do you still have a copy of the picture you are referring to or the original negative? As I would greatly appreciate it if could scan a copy and email to me at Zocher32@yahoo.com (if you do?).

Thanks and Cheers KZ

It was the photo of you in the turret with the sunset behind you. May not have been Thunder Charriot, I can't remember now. You had the radio headphones on. Remember that pic? It hung in the Sgt's mess.

I'm sure I still have the negs yes, I'll scratch around and see what I can find

Keith

05-02-2008, 14:08

Kom Keith, give Chris the directions to the comms channel and the website.

P.S. I believe that the guys who enlisted after 1981 were all a bunch of woosies

Hi Stan, where do I find the comms channel?

I’m a woosie remember and my name is not Stan!!! :D:D

Chris if you go to the website at http://www.32battalion.net and you browse down the left hand side menu you will find a link under FORUMS called "32Bn Mailman List". Just click on that and send a blank email and the registration process will begin. Mailman is an email network initiated and run by Piet Nortje and it is currently more active than the forum in that if any registered member sends an email to the list it is automatically distributed to all the other registered members and at this stage there are more old boys on mailman than on this forum.

The idea is that the forum should be for Chit Chat and Mailman for the genuine stuff but as you will see we are still in progress of managing the change :rolleyes:

Hope that helps!

Cheers, Keith

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 14:11

Hagar

Please dont forget the website!!!

Chris if you have any other photos please consider making them available for the website?

Cheers, Keith

I had a album with a few bits and pieces that Blackie relieved me of last year....bugger! :(

When i get it back, I'll scan a few for the site.

I do have lots of post 32 SADF photos of Ratels in action and things like that. I don't think you guys will be interested in that though?

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 14:13

I’m a woosie remember and my name is not Stan!!! :D:D

Chris if you go to the website at http://www.32battalion.net and you browse down the left hand side menu you will find a link under FORUMS called "32Bn Mailman List". Just click on that and send a blank email and the registration process will begin. Mailman is an email network initiated and run by Piet Nortje and it is currently more active than the forum in that if any registered member sends an email to the list it is automatically distributed to all the other registered members and at this stage there are more old boys on mailman than on this forum.

The idea is that the forum should be for Chit Chat and Mailman for the genuine stuff but as you will see we are still in progress of managing the change :rolleyes:

Hope that helps!

Cheers, Keith

Thanks for the info mate, much appreciated!

Keith

05-02-2008, 14:19

When i get it back, I'll scan a few for the site.

Thanks Chris, it will be greatly appreciated!

Ag kom nou Blackie, gee asb Chris se album terug.

Cheers, keith

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 14:45

Thanks Chris, it will be greatly appreciated!

Ag kom nou Blackie, gee asb Chris se album terug.

Cheers, keith

It is mostly cuttings from old newspapers and also an article that appeared in the Scope a long time ago called 'Forged in battle' or 'The terrible ones'....something like that. Do you recall the article?

Keith

05-02-2008, 15:58

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 16:21

Yeah I do and I will be deeply in-debt to you if you could forward it to me because I was still in school and my dad took me into town (Pietersburg) during a school holiday on a little R&R from the farm to the local CNA and we bought that Scope! 1980 or '81 I believe?

That’s also why my Dad did a double backward tumbleyota when I phoned him from Infantry School in ’82 to inform him that I had volunteered for 32Bn. His words were “WHAT? No ways are you going to join that bunch of cut throats” Today he can be listed as one of the greatest fans of 32 and has made an effort in the upkeep of James Conroy’s grave in Oudtshoorn even though he never even met James, 32 is in his blood starting with that Scope.

Cheers, keith

That's so nice of him Keith....all respect to your old man! James was a good mate of mine. We shared the same bungalow in the A coy lines. I shudder when I think of his death, because, had I stayed on an extra year, it could have been me. We operated together!

I have the full Scope article and then also the full newspaper clipping about that Trevor Edwards arsehole who deserted and betrayed us in 1980

Chris Shelton

05-02-2008, 17:40

Hi Chris, so we served in CTH together then?

I remember a pic of myself doing the rounds after Thunder Chariot with an open shirt somewhere? Then there was one of myself standing on my 9F turret somewhere sometime, but I do think Thunder Chariot. As I was still only an Anti Tank platoon Sgt then? But stand to correction as always. :confused:

But now so many years later the grey matter is not functioning that well, and many separate experiences often blur into one or total loss from memory. :D

Chris do you still have a copy of the picture you are referring to or the original negative? As I would greatly appreciate it if could scan a copy and email to me at Zocher32@yahoo.com (if you do?).

Thanks and Cheers KZ

Does this one ring a bell Kim? :)

http://http://www.32battalion.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1&stc=1&d=1202229387

Hagar

05-02-2008, 18:15

Does this one ring a bell Kim? :)

Thanks a million Chris, I will save that file/pic straight away.

That was the picture I had in mind when said the one in the mess ;)

It was a couple of years after exercise Thunder Chariot, as I am wearing SSgt rank by then commanding my Echelon from 9F. Although that definitely was a sunset, I think a lot of that fantastic red back ground, were fires ragging on the objective.

Hagar

05-02-2008, 18:41

Hagar, Please dont forget the website!!!

What a question Keith, of course.

I have made contact with a friend of mine Etienne Venter, also known as “Ore” or Pink Panther. His service in the regiment was queried a few weeks ago. He and I were room mates and instructors at Inf. School before joining 32 (after his return from DB that was, which is another story).

He tells me he has about 20 pictures from back then, and going to work on a plan with him to send them on to Piet for copying, who can then send copies to you, me and whoever. Unfortunately they are all from a Polaroid camera, so not sure of the quality when copied. :(

debton

06-02-2008, 04:26

Hi Chris. Welcome to the forum. I see there are quite a few old Alpha guys that are on the forum.

Tony Nienaber.

Chris Shelton

06-02-2008, 08:01

Hi Chris. Welcome to the forum. I see there are quite a few old Alpha guys that are on the forum.

Tony Nienaber.

Oh my word, my old company commander! *salutes* Wow, it sure is good to see you here Captain (or should that be Maj or Cmdt?) Thanks so much for the welcome.

You know, I've often thought of you, you are one of those guys who made a huge impression on my life. To think, I was only 17 when I was enlisted and 18 when I joined the battalion. Those were hugely impressionable years. Although I was a real snotkop when I entered the battalion, hell, I sure grew up very quickly. I must say, much of what I learnt in 32 under your guidance, I've taken with me into civvy life, and it has served me well.

One of the things my time with 32 left me with was a constant craving for the bush and the desire to explore. I'm pretty involved with researching indigenous fish and I initiated a yellowfish working group here in the Cape, working hand in hand with Cape Nature Conservation. One of the things I really love doing is perusing over my trig maps and planning trips accordingly, but the thing I am getting to is this; many a time my mind has gone back to your navigational abilities in the bush. There was one operation where we were not trooped out by helicopter, we had to walk out to the cutline as I recall. I was absolutely amazed how accurate you were. I mean, after 6 weeks of patrolling and 600km later you brought us out right (on the nail) to the designated pickup RV. Absolutely amazing!

Another thing that gave me a lot of comfort was your cool and calculating way of approaching things, your level headedness at all times, even in the face of danger and in the heat of the battle and under extreme pressure. It was very reassuring to have a leader like you........and a real pleasure to go into battle with. You were highly respected by all of us, and most importantly the troops loved you!

By the way, I saw you a few years back with your wife on some or other quiz show on the telly. Could'nt believe my eyes. You did damn well aswell.

How have you been doing all these years by the way?

So much to catch up on........but hell, it's really good to see you again. Keep well!

Regards
Chris

Hagar

06-02-2008, 09:40

Another thing that gave me a lot of comfort was your cool and calculating way of approaching things, your level headedness at all times, even in the face of danger and in the heat of the battle and under extreme pressure. It was very reassuring to have a leader like you........and a real pleasure to go into battle with. You were highly respected by all of us, and most importantly the troops loved you!

Hear Hear Chris, I can only reiterate what you have said about Tony. To me he is a perfect example of the term “Officer and a Gentleman”, role model soldier and leader.

Chris Shelton

06-02-2008, 09:47

Hear Hear Chris, I can only reiterate what you have said about Tony. To me he is a perfect example of the term “Officer and a Gentleman”, role model soldier and leader.

I agree Kim. He became for me the benchmark of what a leader should be. I've yet to come across anybody who quite makes the grade.

Chris Shelton

06-02-2008, 12:03

Hey hou op gatkruip julle twee!:)
You are getting me all misty eyed here...

wahahahaha........touche :D