The House Doctor

ORRU 30 years....

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BushWacker
Location: Johannesburg
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#16

Post by BushWacker »

I used to be quite good friends with Eric Lawrenson in early days of ORRU ( ... with a U ) ... and v. early days of Base 4 ...
( ... when Manny was probly only doing his matric ... )
... he was their main Radio Comms guy and a radio ham expert etc ...
... Little Daihatsu fully kitted and packed with rescue kit ...
Very professional.
... Famous Fiver VoorLoper ...
... Veni Vidi Vici ...

Saxj
Location: East Rand
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#17

Post by Saxj »

BushWacker wrote:
Tue Apr 28, 2020 11:21 am
I used to be quite good friends with Eric Lawrenson in early days of ORRU ( ... with a U ) ... and v. early days of Base 4 ...
( ... when Manny was probly only doing his matric ... )
... he was their main Radio Comms guy and a radio ham expert etc ...
... Little Daihatsu fully kitted and packed with rescue kit ...
Very professional.
Eric is still a very active member of ORRU. He is still their radio expert. He didn't have the Daihatsu for very long. He is a Suzuki man at heart and has had a number of Vitaras, SJs and Samurais. He currently drives a Jimny - fully kitted and packed with rescue kit ...

BushWacker
Location: Johannesburg
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#18

Post by BushWacker »

Mad Manny wrote:
Mon Feb 17, 2020 1:44 pm
A great organisation.
ORRU was founded out of the 4WDCSA
Read here...



The Off Road Rescue Unit can trace its origins to the late 1980’s as the Four Wheel Drive Club (4WDCSA) of South Africa.

In the late 1980’s when a prospective member joined the 4WDC he/she filled in a form; on the form one of the questions that was asked was “Will you be willing to assist in times of national or civil emergency?”. As a result of this question the Club had an indication of who amongst the membership was prepared to assist in an emergency situation.

During mid 1990 an aircraft went missing in the Black Umfolozi River valley of Northern Kwazulu Natal (KZN). After an extended search for the aircraft turned up nothing, the official search was called off. However, the family of the missing people decided to continue the search and put out the word for private assistance. The local parachute club, the local hiking club and the local police force made themselves available. One of the family members was also a member of the KZN chapter of the 4WDC and asked the club if they could assist. This request ended up at the 4WDC in Johannesburg and members willing to assist were called up, based on what they had filled in on their application forms.

From this, a group of 6 vehicles under the leadership of the then 4WDC Chairman Neville Marsh, left Johannesburg on a Thursday morning and drove down to assist in the search activities in KZN. Using only 29 mHz CB radios as communications (there were only 3 hams in the convoy so VHF was not an option) the party’s search was unsuccessful and they returned to Johannesburg on the Monday evening. Unfortunately the aircraft was not found (in fact the wreckage was discovered in the Southern Drakensberg area hundreds of kilometers away a number of years later by some backpackers).
Also some years back there were 3 jets that flew into a cliffside ... I think, deep in the Wolkburg Wilderness area, but N of Magoebaskloof road. ... the leader got it wrong and the other two followed ...
I think ORRU also involved in follow up there.
Ive been a little off-road around those parts there and its near impenetrable forest and undergrowth (even for LR!!) with just a few forest tracks and paths etc

PS that waterfall nearer the bottom near that dam E of Magoebaskloof is great place to swim ,
but I dont think we could book it to camp as a club meet ?
... Famous Fiver VoorLoper ...
... Veni Vidi Vici ...

Saxj
Location: East Rand
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#19

Post by Saxj »

BushWacker wrote:
Wed Apr 29, 2020 1:02 pm
Mad Manny wrote:
Mon Feb 17, 2020 1:44 pm
A great organisation.
ORRU was founded out of the 4WDCSA
Read here...



The Off Road Rescue Unit can trace its origins to the late 1980’s as the Four Wheel Drive Club (4WDCSA) of South Africa.

In the late 1980’s when a prospective member joined the 4WDC he/she filled in a form; on the form one of the questions that was asked was “Will you be willing to assist in times of national or civil emergency?”. As a result of this question the Club had an indication of who amongst the membership was prepared to assist in an emergency situation.

During mid 1990 an aircraft went missing in the Black Umfolozi River valley of Northern Kwazulu Natal (KZN). After an extended search for the aircraft turned up nothing, the official search was called off. However, the family of the missing people decided to continue the search and put out the word for private assistance. The local parachute club, the local hiking club and the local police force made themselves available. One of the family members was also a member of the KZN chapter of the 4WDC and asked the club if they could assist. This request ended up at the 4WDC in Johannesburg and members willing to assist were called up, based on what they had filled in on their application forms.

From this, a group of 6 vehicles under the leadership of the then 4WDC Chairman Neville Marsh, left Johannesburg on a Thursday morning and drove down to assist in the search activities in KZN. Using only 29 mHz CB radios as communications (there were only 3 hams in the convoy so VHF was not an option) the party’s search was unsuccessful and they returned to Johannesburg on the Monday evening. Unfortunately the aircraft was not found (in fact the wreckage was discovered in the Southern Drakensberg area hundreds of kilometers away a number of years later by some backpackers).
Also some years back there were 3 jets that flew into a cliffside ... I think, deep in the Wolkburg Wilderness area, but N of Magoebaskloof road. ... the leader got it wrong and the other two followed ...
I think ORRU also involved in follow up there.
Ive been a little off-road around those parts there and its near impenetrable forest and undergrowth (even for LR!!) with just a few forest tracks and paths etc

PS that waterfall nearer the bottom near that dam E of Magoebaskloof is great place to swim ,
but I dont think we could book it to camp as a club meet ?
It was 2 Albatrosses, with a total of 13 people on board. ORRU and Mountain Club Search and Rescue were involved on that one. We had an idea where the planes had crashed, but couldn't reach them until the cloud cover lifted.

As regards Wolkberg Wilderness area, it is very sad that nature conservation no longer does their job in the area, and what was pristine wilderness area, is now criss-crossed with 4x4 tracks.

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