News from former students
Course 21
There were 33 Graduates of which 8 received First Class Diplomas.
ALLEN, Denzell Hugh.
BRYAN, Dennis Milton. Deceased – heart attack.
CARTWRIGHT, Clifford Ballantyne graduated with a First Class Diploma.
COETZEE, Carel Jacobus.
COLLETT, Anthony Peter.
Ant was born on the 24th September, 1948 in Chingola on the Copperbelt, in what was 
Northern Rhodesia, to Rosemary and Dim Collett and has two younger siblings, Chris and Jocelyn. The family farmed on Manyengele Farm in the Mazabuka district.
Ant was schooled at Gilbert Rennie High School in Lusaka, St. Stephen’s College in Balla-Balla and did M Levels at Milton High School in Bulawayo.
On leaving school Ant had a leaning towards teaching and was given a grant to go to Teachers Training College in Bulawayo but soon realised that this career path was not what he wanted and decided that farming was probably where his future lay. He then decided to attend Gwebi but first needed to do a season’s practical farming on Samba Ranch in the Lowveld, then under the management of Geoff Friedrichs, followed by nine months on call-up in the Rhodesian Army. Once these commitments were fulfilled he enrolled at Gwebi with C21 in October, 1969.
On graduating from the College in 1971 Ant returned to Zambia to work for Geoff Godson, C12, on Water Valley Farm near Mazabuka and after a year decided to travel to the UK and Europe to work and see how the other half lived. One of Ant’s many jobs was working on the Supply Boat that serviced the Oil Rigs in the North Sea. After two years overseas Ant returned to Zambia to the farm in Mazabuka as his parents wanted to retire in SA. He married Mary Deegan in 1984 and they have four children, now adult and spread all over the world who in turn have given Mary and Ant four grandchildren so far.
The farm specialises in growing peppadews which are exported to Holland and Germany and breeding Bonsmara cattle. He runs 320 breeding cows and feedlots all his weaners. He also feedlots for the Eco Beef Abattoir.
COULSON, Alastair Frank graduated with a First Class Diploma.
CUMMING, Edward Hughes graduated with a First Class Diploma.
DIX, James David Edward.
DOLPHIN, David.
DOLPHIN, Norman Michael.
DRAKE, John Norman.
EDWARDS, Michael Anthony.
Mike was born 19th April, 1950 in Bulawayo. He attended St Thomas Aquinas for his 
Junior Schooling, then Christian Brothers College where he attained his ‘M’ Levels.
Having decided to apply to Gwebi he did his pre-Gwebi practical for Don Davies in the Somabhula area and enrolled at Gwebi with C21 and graduated in 1971. After fulfilling his National Service he returned to Don Davies and ran the Dairy, first as a Manager, then Partner and finally bought the farm in 1978. Mike married Shane Peterson from Selukwe on the 6th December, 1980 and their children are Duane and Dana.
Mike and Shane ran the farm until they sold it in 1998 due to Foot and Mouth, droughts and political uncertainty and moved to Mt. Hampden where he worked as the Manager on three hectares of Roses for the Turners. Mike moved to Luxaflor Roses but shortly after emigrated to Zambia in 2005 where he joined Khal Amazi as the Production Manager running the propagation unit and the pack shed for export Roses. Two years later he left to work for Bonanza which unfortunately went into receivership a short while after. Thereafter Mike was made General Manager in 2008 for Hybrid Poultry Farm producing broilers on an ‘all in all out system’ for their abattoir where he stayed for six years, retiring in 2014.
Mike and Shane then decided to go on their own again and were offered a 388 ha farm in Kapiri Mposhi where they do 8000 layers, tobacco, maize and a small beef herd. At 72 Mike is still working hard and Shane is caring in the UK to help pay off the farm as quickly as possible.
FERREIRA, Solomon Theunis graduated with a First Class Diploma.
GARNETT, Barry Michael. Deceased – lost at sea
Barry was a high flier and graduated with a First Class Diploma from the College. Whatever he did, he did well and seemed to make good money along the way. Here is what Tim Reynolds, one of Barry’s good friends remembers about him. 
“Yes, Barry was one of my best mates and an extremely bright boy. After his time with Wright Rain he left Rhodesia and moved to the UK with his wife Lyn, not sure how long he spent in the UK, they had two sons and then sadly Barry and Lyn got divorced.
“Barry then returned to Zim with a fair amount of cash and set up a maize milling plant in Banket and he came and lived on my farm in Banket. By this time he had met his new partner who was also called Lyn. His business was doing really well when sadly his partner Lyn was killed in a horse riding accident on the farm. Barry could not come to terms with Lyn’s death and decided to go to the USA to get his Yacht Captain’s licence. This he did and then spent a couple of years captaining rich boy’s yachts around the world.
“Barry had now made enough money and came back to South Africa, bought his own huge yacht and settled in Port Alfred. He then took off with his new girlfriend (crew girl) and literally sailed around the world eventually returning to Port Alfred as his home base and his crew girl then returned to her family in Port Elizabeth.
“Barry then had to earn a living, at that time there was nobody in the Port Alfred area that had his high qualifications and experience of the high seas, hence he became a very highly acclaimed instructor and was hugely sought after. This is when Barry and I caught up with each other again. By this time we had been kicked off the farm at Banket and were living in Gaborone, Botswana and Barry was still on a Zim passport with no resident’s permit to live in SA, so every three months he would drive up to Gabs, spend a couple of days with us and then back to SA on another three months visitor’s visa. This was fine for a while but I think Barry was getting itchy feet and wanted to set off around the world again but had nobody to go with.
“Then as luck would have it a yacht limped into Port Alfred on its way up from Cape Town and the Captain of this boat was a woman and it was not long before they became an item. So it was then decided to sell her yacht and they would then be able to set off together on ‘Tiana’ which was Barry’s boat. This was early in the February and he was adamant they would have to sail before the end of March straight across to Fremantle in Aussie because the “Roaring Forties” become too dangerous to sail through any later in the year. They battled to sell the other yacht, but it did happen so they set sail on the 26th March much against Barry’s better judgment, but he just had to get away. We phoned our mates in Fremantle and Barry had given them an estimated date of arrival. When it came to five days late we contacted the authorities in SA but they could do nothing to help, but the Australian Search and Rescue Services sent aircraft out and contacted shipping lines to be on the lookout for his boat. We were never able to know what happened, absolutely nothing found, no sign of anything. He had the most up to date equipment on board so how no distress signal was never received we will never know. So very sad.”
GRANT, Kevin Louis.
GREEN, Michael Frederick Knowles.
HALDER, Clive Aubrey graduated with a First Class Diploma.
HORTON, Ian Richard George.
LANGLEY, Michael John.
Pre Gwebi, I did four months on Lesbury Estates, Rusape with Roy Smart. His son Rob Smart and Andrew Misdorp were the managers, both having been the same Course 16 at Gwebi. Being straight from school it was an eye opener as we all lived in one house and I learnt my drinking skills pretty quickly! I then moved to Mt. Zonga, Inyazura to the dairy farm of Cecil Boyd-Clarke, his son Gerald Boyd-Clarke was the manager, and had previously been a lecturer at Gwebi.
After National Service I farmed for Neil de Kock doing tobacco in Inyazura, I did a year with Neil, and then spent the following year overseas. On my return I worked for Neil’s brother, Wickus, who at that time was Minister of Tourism. It didn’t work out too well - I came back with shoulder length hair and a bit of a liberal attitude – didn’t go down too well in the very traditional Afrikaans Inyazura! A policeman and myself were the only ones who spoke English as our mother tongue!
I left Wickus and spent three years with Pete Landos, a Greek and a complete gentleman, however with the war hotting up and being single and stuck out 60 kms from Rusape where I socialized with great success I decided to head back overseas. However I was offered a job by John Freeland, 15 kms out of Rusape and tar to my front door, I took it. I had a bad run in with the opposition on the farm boundary early one morning when my bakkie was ambushed, three of my dogs were taken out from the opposition’s firing positions but it gave me time to run like hell and was unscathed.
We have no kids, but I do have two brothers, one is retired in Harare and the youngest is a PH, runs a big hunting concession in Uganda, the off-season being spent in the UK.
LILFORD, Warwick. Deceased – Killed on active service.
Warwick was born in Sinoia on 31st August, 1949 to Fay Beadnell (née Cumings) and Guy Powys Lilford. Guy had come to Rhodesia from The Free State in South Africa with roots back to the 1820 Settlers.
Warwick, Field Reservist, Police Reserve, British South Africa Police, was injured in a vehicle accident when a police vehicle collided with a pantechnicon in North Karoi on 24th December 1976. Field Reservist David Bashford and Arnold Bathurst died at the scene and Warwick was transported to Andrew Fleming Hospital in Salisbury. He succumbed to his wounds two weeks after the accident on 9th January 1977 aged 27 years.
McDONALD, Iain Andrew graduated with a First Class Diploma.
MEYER, Johan Hendrik.
OLDS, Anthony Ryall.
OLIVEY, Charles Hugh. Deceased – killed in action
Charles is the twin brother of Tony, born on 9th May 1950, and they were the youngest of six children to John Richard and Mary Madge 'Mickey' (née Tollner) Olivey at Sawerombi Farm on Pork Pie Mountain above Melsetter
. The tiny boys were brought up in a shoebox as they were so small.
Charles's father had bought the farm in 1928. During World War II, John Olivey was awarded the Military Cross after serving with the Long Range Desert Group with distinction. He married Mickey while on leave from the army as they had met when she was teaching in Melsetter. John was also a lay-minister and was instrumental in the building of the Anglican Church of St George. When he died in 1968, the twins ran the farm with their mother.
Charles attended Melsetter Primary, Ruzawi, Chancellor Junior then Umtali Boys' High. He was prefect at Kopje House and was a keen rugby player with the 1st XV. He continued to play rugby when he was a student with Course 21 at Gwebi College of Agriculture until 1971. He also played water polo at Gwebi and rugby for Old Hararians 1st XV as a flank forward as well as country district representation for Manicaland.
He completed National Service in Intake 119 and passed out as Platoon Sergeant from Gwelo School of Infantry and was posted to 2nd (Independent) Company in Kariba. He served as a Territorial after being commissioned as Lieutenant in the 4th (Independent Company), Rhodesia Regiment based in Umtali. He was a strong leader and friend to many - with an outgoing, mischievous personality.
Charles was employed by Mike Buttler as the Stockfeeds representative for the Farmers' Co-op and travelled extensively throughout the Eastern Districts. He returned to Sawerombi Farm with his girlfriend Shelagh Page, a Rhodesian hockey international but he was often away on business. A ZANLA gang attacked the homestead so Charles returned to inspect the damage after the military had cleared the road to the farm for landmines. When he parked his vehicle in his parking space within the homestead he detonated a landmine and was killed instantly.
He was mourned by his mother Mickey, siblings Annabel, PJ 'Peter', twins Ros and Dee and his twin Tony and countless friends.
PHILP, Anthony Stowe. Deceased.
Stowe was also known as "Spanner" and was at Peterhouse until 1965.
At Gwebi he was involved with student affairs representing his course on the student committee.
He was farming at Concession but died from a heart attack on 5th July 2002 after fighting cancer for 18 months.
ROBERTS, Dunkley John George.
SAMUELS, David Andrew. Deceased.
SCHLEY, Richard Henry.
SMITH, Michael John.
THOMSON, Nigel Scott.
WIGGINS, Nicholas Philip.
WILKINSON, Adrian Woodleigh Pelham.
WILLIAMSON, David. Deceased.
Born in Southern Rhodesia in 1950 the first of two boys, Dave grew up in Headlands, schooling in Marandellas at Digglefold then at Marandellas High. In 1964 his folks bought a 
farm in Umvukwes. 9 months National Service was completed in 68/69 then Dave enrolled with Course 21 at Gwebi College of Agriculture. This is when he met Colleen. He graduated and Dave had always enjoyed the practical side of things – especially engineering.
Col continues: “We were married in 1973 and have two children, son Neal 1975 and daughter Karen 1977. Worked on Yomba, large cotton, wheat, groundnuts farm all under irrigation, Raffingora, and later we moved to Umvukwes, Forrester Estate, before emigrating to New Zealand in September 1979. Initially we worked on a mixed sheep/crop farm for 3 and half years in Mid Canterbury, before moving to Ashburton where he used his engineering skills and interests to become partner & manager at Lynn Williamson Engineering. The business specialised in Ancillary equipment for the plastics industry, Dave designed and built all products including haul-offs, coilers, printers, cutters, and also looked after the local farmers by providing pelleting machines for stock feed. His business partner Peter Lynn has a successful global kite business and Dave helped here with his engineering skills and was sent to China to set up the factory, there being no-one else with the knowledge and expertise. He had designed and built a kite cutting table. After 18 years here we realised change to a more vibrant economy was necessary, so the decision was made to 
move. After a holiday on the Gold Coast we decided to move to Australia in 2001. Dave was very happy here. He worked for companies manufacturing for the Water industry - from draughting, production manager through to Quality, H&S & Environmental Manager. He took on a big contract in Darwin for a year on a large LNG project before he retired back in Brisbane. In 2015 Dave was diagnosed with Renal Cell Cancer which later moved into his bones. Dave put up a good fight right to the end. He was a man of integrity, honour, loyalty and decency. A true gentleman, dearly loved by family and many friends.”
Lecturer John Petheram shared these words on Dave and Col “They were extremely close and always did so much together - right to the end. Both worked incredibly hard at their respective jobs, but enjoyed riding bikes everywhere and some travel since their retirement a few years ago. Their son Neal is still based in New Zealand, but the daughter Karen is close by in Brisbane fortunately.
“Dave was one of the few ex-students from my days at Gwebi from 1971-5 with whom I have kept in touch. He was impressive as a student in the way he looked so practically at everything - always asking 'why is that important’. He was especially interested in soils, water and engineering. He also kept in touch with Fred Gilling, engineering instructor from Gwebi, He and Col visited Fred and Joan a few years ago in England. Fred says the visit was a real highlight - but the relationship had changed over the years, with David becoming the teacher.
“I suppose my bond with Dave was strengthened after Gwebi by a few call-ups we did together. I wish I had realised how serious Dave’s illness was and had gone to see him in his last years in Brisbane, but he was extremely stoical and despite our email and phone correspondence, would never let on that he was suffering so badly. We feel deep sympathy for Colleen, Karen and Neal in their great loss.”
WRIGHT, Christopher John d’Auvergne.
ZIETSMAN, Leon Wessel. Deceased.
Leon was born on the 27th September, 1950. He attended REPS for his junior schooling where he was Head Boy in 1963 and then Plumtree where he passed his ‘M’ Levels in 1968.
Leon did his pre-Gwebi practical experience on the family farm in the Greystones/Filabusi farming district and enrolled at the College with C21 in 1969. After graduating with a First Class Diploma he worked on Balla Balla Ranch managing the beef cattle then moved to Lancaster Ranch to manage for Stan Schur in the Fort Rixon district. Leon did his military commitment in the Police Reserve and by this time had married Annette Bartlett with whom he had two children, Shaun and Letetia.
After Zimbabwe’s independence the family moved to South Africa in 1984 and Leon worked for a Piggery in Pretoria and then moved to Pongola in KwaZulu-Natal for Steenkamp Cattle Ranching until his death on the 15th July, 2008.
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