Equatorial elegance

A photo from 89 FSS Kenya which I took on the equator near Eldoret en route for Lodwar (NFD) in September 1958. Most of the lads were NS or 3 year regulars. Only a few names come to mind: from left to right: Doug Witt (MT), unknown (MT), Mick Bunn? (surveyor), Bill Purves (MT), unknown (hidden), unknown (MT), unknown (MT), unknown (surveyor), unknown (MT), unknown (MT), Holmes? (surveyor), SSM "Chimpy" Freestone. As regards surveyors in the Sqn, apart from Alan McVeagh, there were the Percival twins Bob and Phil and I seem to remember Bob Paxton too, but otherwise no other names come readily to mind. Can anyone help me?

 

Just a brief e-mail from the hidden " unknown" in the Equatorial elegance photo on the Equator in 1958 . I am Ian Tromans now living in France and was one of the Suveyors on the trips described by Bill Powell.
 
Another unknown on that photo is Johnny Rennie ( centre rear ) ( he is also photograhed later with his pipe , I am sure in lower Sudan where he and I were abandoned with Sudanese Army " observers when a front spring broke on our Bedford RL ) . I think the little MT guy was called Stan Hill , but not sure .
 
When monsoons prevented Survey Work in the NFP , I managed to seure the job of barman in the Sgts Mess at High Ridges serving Bill Powell , " Chimpy" and others .
 
I met another 89 Surveyor called Johnny Foster in Bedford in the mid sixties and also Malc Green in Wisbech ( my home town ) in the early sixties .
 
I think I caught a glimpse of Bob Percival in the Delicatessen Branch of Sainsburys in Marlborough in the early '80's .
 
Bills article brings back many memories and I am sure he will remember me as the only Surveyor capable of getting lost ( with Tellurometer slave unit ) and writing off a land rover in the Lodwar region .
 
  Ian Tromans 

With thanks to  Bill Powell for this contribution.