THE PJIs WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? Part 1

THE RARE BREVET

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF PARACHUTE JUMPING INSTRUCTORS WHO ARE ENTITLED TO WEAR THE RHODESIAN AIR FORCE PJI BREVET AND WHERE THE AWARD TOOK PLACE 

NAME                                                            DATE                            LOC OF TRAINING 

M.J. Swart                                   Dec 1963                     PTS RRAF New Sarum

D.J.G. de Kock                            Aug 1961                     PTS RAF Abingdon U.K.

W.P. Maitland                              Aug 1961                     PTS RAF Abingdon U.K.

T.P. Smith                                    Aug 1961                      PTS RAF Abingdon U.K.

Norman. Suttie                            Aug 1961                      PTS RAF Abingdon U.K.

Frank Hales                                 Sept 1963                      PTS RAF Abingdon U.K.

Tony Hughes                               April 1966                     PTS RRAF New Sarum

Dennis Buchan                            Sept 1971                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Ralph Moore                               Sept 1971                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

John Boynton                              Sept 1971                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Mike Wiltshire                            Sept 1971                      PTS Rhaf New Sarum

Iain Bowen                                  Sept 1971                      PTS Rhaf New Sarum

Kevin Milligan                            Sept 1974                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Paul Hogan                                  Sept 1974                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Pete Marshall                              Sept 1974                       PTS RhAF New Sarum

John Early                                   Sept 1977                       PTS RhAF New Sarum

Chris Pessara                               Sept 1977                       PTS RhAF New Sarum

Andy Stein                                   Sept 1977                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Billy Simpson                              Sept 1977                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Roy Tidman                                 Sept 1977                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Pete Labuschagne                        Sept 1977                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Pete Waite                                    Sept 1977                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Frank Pendergast                         Sept 1977                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Fred van der Weer                       Sept 1977                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

John Mellett                                 Sept 1977                     PTS RhAF New Sarum

Mike Duffy                                  Sept 1977                     PTS RhAF New Sarum

John Bolton Smith                      June 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Dick Gledhill                               June 1978                     PTS RhAF New Sarum

Carlos Gomez                              June 1978                     PTS RhAF New Sarum

Mike Kemmish                            June 1978                     PTS RhAF New Sarum

Chris Francis                                June 1978                     PTS RhAF New Sarum

Ralph Gratton                              June 1978                    PTS RhAF New Sarum

Rich Griffin                                 Oct 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Pete Farmer                                  Oct 1978                         PTS RhAF New Sarum

Alf Hynds                                     Oct 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Ken Turner                                   Dec 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Ian Douglas                                  Dec 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Trevor Williams                           Dec 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Norman Mayne                            Dec 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

Roy Johnson                                 Dec 1978                      PTS RhAF New Sarum

                                

The above picture of the Rhodesian Air Force Parachute Jumping Instructor Brevet was issued to all the men listed above on the successful completion of their PJI course. The Brevet was worn on the left breast above any medals or decorations in the same manner as other aircrew insignia.

In 1970 the Royal was removed from the Royal Rhodesian Air Force when Rhodesia became a Republic. Soon after the proclamation it was decided to change all the aircrew flying badges. In the case of the Pilots’ aircrew wings, and the Navigator’ half wing, they simply removed the crown from above the Rhodesia Coat of Arms and replaced it with the Lion and Tusk insignia. The shape of the actual wing was changed from the Royal Air Force shape to the Rhodesian Bataleur Eagle shape. The size of the Pilots’ wings and the Navigator’ half wing remained the same.

For some reason, and much to our chagrin, the Parachute Jumping Instructor half wing was reduced in size to about three quarters of the original RAF half wing. At the time the following RhAF PJIs were entitled to wear the RAF PJI Brevet; Sqn.Ldr Boet Swart,(Boet returned to Army in 1969), Sqn.Ldr Derek de Kock, Air Lt. Frank Hales, Air Lt  Bill Maitland (posted to GSU 1969), W.O. Trevor Smith, Flt. Sgt Tony Hughes and W.O. Norman Suttie. Norman Suttie had returned to his Equipment Trade but was available for call back to PTS as required.

Objections were submitted, (loudly) to Air Force Headquarters about the reduction in size but orders were received to change to the new brevets as mandated, and to "shut up". It must be remembered that those PJIs who were awarded the RAF PJI brevet were qualified by the Royal Air Force – perhaps this fed into what we saw as a total lack of respect from the higher-ups. The Rhodesian Air Force PJI Brevet has always been omitted from posters depicting the Rhodesian Air Force flying badges and ranks. Only 40 RhAF PJI brevets were ever issued - this must then make it one of the rarest combat parachute badges in the world. Another reason for this attitude is that in 1970 or thereabouts, the pilots in the Air Force thought of us, and actually called us, “MEAT BOMBS”.

I am sorry to say that this Royal Air Force Parachute Jumping Instructor Brevet is a little tatty but it gives an indication of its shape and size compared to the later Rhodesian PJI Brevet. In 1961 these brevets were presented to the five Rhodesian PJIs trained at RAF Abingdon. We were then required to train two courses of The Parachute Regiment before we returned to Rhodesia to start training the Rhodesian SAS. We were good at this parachuting business and remained so for the next 19 years. 

 Unfortunately, I have not kept up with all the Rhodesian PJIs – following is the fate of only some of those I had the honor to work with.

This photograph is of Boet on his basic course wings parade where he is seen in the uniform of the Kings African Rifles (Later the Rhodesian African Rifles) He is seen talking to the reviewing officer with the then OC PTS in the background Flying Officer R.T.D. Smith BEM RAF and Flt Sgt Robinson BEM RAF acting PTS Warrant Officer in the foreground.

This photograph shows the PTS staff after the RAF secondments had returned to the  U.K. seated from LtoR 

Sgt Frank Hales,  W.O.1 Bill Maitland,  Sqn. Ldr. Boet Swart, Flying Officer Derek de Kock  Sgt Trevor Smith.

This is a course photograph taken in about 1964

 

This photograph shows Boet dressed in all his finery,  as the President of  The Officers Mess, guiding the Rhodesian Air Force Commander Air Marshal A.O.G. Wilson and the President of Rhodesia The Honorable Clifford Dupont into dinner at the Officers Mess New Sarum

Boet Swart died in Kimberly, South Africa after serving with the Selous Scouts and the South African Special Forces. Boet first came to PTS on basic static line course number 3 in 1961 as a Captain in the Federal Army. Boet completed this course despite an injured coccyx. We in PTS forgot about this particular officer as we were inclined to do after every wings parade, but about a year or so later Boet suddenly appeared as a Flt/Lt in PTS and needed to be taught how to be a PJI. At the same time I was sent off to the RAF for training to become an Officer. Boet was one of  those people who could fit into any gathering of men and lead them in a short time. He took command of PTS as a Squadron Leader in December 1963. Boet soon made himself known in the Air Force and volunteered the services of PTS to teach the Air Crew how to survive in the bush. He and the PJIs, especially Frank Hales, soon dragged the Pilot cadets through the wilds of Rhodesia and taught them to squeeze water from the stomach contents of an antelope they'd just shot. I believe that the Rhodesian Air Force needed a man like Boet to do all those jobs that were too dirty for the Air Crew officers to do, like survival training, building rifle ranges and then running the annual President's Medal shooting competition, building the chalets at the Air Force Welfare Site, filling in as O.C. Admin Wing or Station Adjutant, training airmen how to be soldiers in fact any of the many jobs other than flying. During his time as O.C. PTS Boet stated quite emphatically that he hated parachuting and would only jump when the weather conditions were perfect. He did manage to accumulate 99 X type jumps before he retired from the Air Force in 1969.  He was awarded the MFC Military Forces Commendation - non op) .Boet then rejoined the Rhodesian Army and was in the RLI for a short time as a Major. When the Selous Scouts were formed Boet joined the unit and was awarded the OLM (Order of the Legion of Merit).  Boet returned to South Africa where he joined the Special Forces and served until his retirement

The above photograph is of Frank Hales (nearest the camera ) and Boet Swart  dressed in their survival gear waiting for the Air Crew Cadets to show up. This was about 1966 and was before the terrorist war became extremely hot. The courses in those days was run in the sparsely populated low veld area of Rhodesia.  Hot and dry at times  

 Frank Hales died in Durban South Africa soon after his wife Freda passed away. Frank was the ultimate instructor and leader, always ready to share his knowledge. Frank joined the British Army as a boy soldier and saw service in the Korean War where he served with British Artillery. He later joined the British SAS and saw service in Borneo where he was mentioned in dispatches. He joined the Rhodesian Army and he and his wife Freda moved to the Federation in about 1960 and were stationed with the Staff Corps in Bulawayo. When a vacancy occurred in the Parachute Training School in 1963, Frank put up his hand, was accepted, and completed his PJI training at RAF Abingdon UK. He later became the Training Officer/Chief Instructor and finally the Commanding Officer in 1979.In 1977 Frank returned to the Rhodesian SAS and completed a tour on SAS operations where he was awarded the right to wear his SAS wings on his chest for incredible service, he was also awarded the DMM for the development of Free Fall Techniques in the Parachute Training School.  

The above picture is of Ralph (the RAT) Moore in the uniform of a Selous Scout with his medals showing British medals with the MID (Mentioned in Dispatches), and the Rhodesian general service medal showing the gold pick depicting his award of Military Forces Commendation Operational  

Ralph Moore (The Rat) died in South Africa after serving in the Selous Scouts and the South African Special Forces. Ralph The Rat, as he was affectionately known, had a remarkable military career, He jumped into Egypt in the 1956 Suez crisis with the Parachute Regiment and was mentioned in dispatches. He joined the British 22nd SAS and saw service in Borneo and the Yemen, then joined the Rhodesian SAS for a while. He transferred to the Rhodesian Air Force Parachute Training School in 1971 where he qualified as a PJI. He stayed in the PTS until 1979, when he transferred to the Selous Scouts. As soon as Rhodesia became Zimbabwe Ralph moved to South Africa and joined the South African Special Forces. Ralph The Rat was a true warrior and served with absolute distinction. Ralph was awarded the MFC Operational for his service on Fire Force as a PJI.   

This is a great photograph of Warrant Officer John Boynton the PTS W.O. (same as RSM in the Army). John was an extremely accomplished combat medic. and was responsible for discipline in the Parachute Training School, a role he achieved with a mere look and shake of his head

 John Boynton joined the British Army and trained as a paramedic in the Parachute Regiment. He was also an accomplished boxer. After completing his British Army service he was recruited into the RLI but before he actually started serving with them he discovered the PTS was looking for PJIs. He qualified as a PJI and served with the PTS until it changed to Zimbabwe. John Boynton moved to South Africa and served with a parachute battalion. He later joined a security company in Durban and I believe he was murdered whilst on duty. 

Warrant Officer A B Hughes  being  rescued after one of his many water Jumps. Tony was a great asset to the Parachute Training School because he always made himself available when we were desperate for PJI's to mann Aircraft  on large operational across border  parachute drops he was awarded the M.F.C. for his duty to parachuting

Tony Hughes joined the RRAF and trained as an Air Radio Fitter. When Mercer Thompson badly injured his arm doing a sky dive with the local civilian Sky Dive Club a vacancy occurred in the Parachute Training School. After completing his PJI training Tony was awarded his PJI brevet in 1966. Subsequently Tony was also injured doing a parachute jump as a PJI and was invalided out of the Rhodesian Air Force and placed on the Air Force Reserve. Tony then joined an insurance company and, by using some of the skills he’d picked up as a PJI, won many business awards. When the Bush War intensified in Rhodesia, Tony was called up to fill the post of a PJI on Fire Force and often on the airborne attacks on terrorist base camps over the Rhodesian borders. After Rhodesia became Zimbabwe Tony continued with his civilian occupation in insurance for a time but eventually he and his wife, Bernie, migrated to Australia and settled in Perth Western Australia. Tony was one of the fittest people I know and was always running marathons or riding his bike flat-out. He is still working in the insurance industry and continues to work out on his rowing machine at home.   

In December 1961 the Royal Rhodesian Air Force Parachute Training School carried out the 1000th parachute descent. It was done by Sgt T.P. Smith who jumped with Fred Bear our Teddy Bear mascot. On this occasion the G.Q. Parachute Company, who manufactured our parachutes, had presented a silver trophy to the PTS and Trevor is seen handing it over to Flt/Lt Ron Smith RAF (O.C. PTS at the time) for safe keeping. This trophy then became part of the RRAF Officers Mess Silver and I wonder what has happened to it. Fred Bear who jumped with Trevor on this occasion had not yet qualified as a PJI and is seen wearing the Air Force Commander's hat. It was a great party and much beer was consumed.
 Trevor Smith came from South Africa and joined the British South Africa Police, which was the Rhodesian Police Force. In those days the BSAP was the first line of defence in Rhodesia and included patrolling on horseback through which Trevor learned all about horses and their care. He transferred to the RRAF into the Provost Branch and was stationed at Thornhill Air Force Base. He volunteered for PJI training and was one of the founding members, trained at RAF Abingdon. Trevor became the school Warrant Officer and Senior PJI until a back injury necessitated his transfer out of PTS to the personnel branch at Air Force Headquarters. Trevor applied for and was granted the opportunity to attend a degree course in accountancy at the University of Rhodesia. After completing this course Trevor was Commissioned and served in various appointments at Air Force Headquarters. But he was always a loyal PJI and was called back to PTS to help out when large operations required every PJI to man the Dakotas. Trevor retired from the Air Force and became the accountant for a tea estate in the Eastern Districts of Rhodesia. He also joined the Rhodesian Air Force Volunteer Reserve and was the Adjutant for the VR Squadron in his area. In the 1980s, Trevor and his wife Marjory, obtained a property in Malawi on the shore of Lake Malawi where Trevor was able to finesse another of his many skills, sailing. Later Trevor and Marjory migrated to Australia and now live in Perth W.A.