BIRTHDAY GIRL
It is pleasing to report that Mary Brill, our senior member celebrated her 100th birthday in good style. As bright as ever she has emailed the Association saying, "We had a wonderful time at my party which my darling daughter and grand daughter did at the care home. So lovely to have friends and my lovely family around me. Two of my lovely grand children included as well as my son and daughter-in-law from Scotland. A wonderful day, so many cards and good wishes. - PS: Thank you for the Nypol card which I've put in pride of place next to the letter from the King."
Mary, 14th December 2024
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Bob Carr ~ RIP
It is sad to report that Bob passed away on the 5th December 2024, he was 87. He joined the Nyasaland Police in June 1958 and served variously throughout the country including Zomba, Blantyre and Nkata Bay. Leaving in 1964 he returned to rejoin the Kent Police where he had previously been a cadet. He was a firm supporter of the Association and attended many of our reunions. ~ Click here to read his article in Vol 6 of 'Life and Work in Nyasaland' by Colin Baker.
His funeral will be on Friday January 3rd at 14:30 at Charing Chapel Newcourt Wood, Charing, Ashford Kent TN27 0EB. It will be available to view via: https://watch.obitus.com ~ Username noze1134 ~ Password 139446.
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Allan Dew ~ RIP
It is sad to report that Allan passed away peacefully on the 13th November 2024, he was 89. He joined the Nyasaland Police in April 1956 and served variously throughout the country including Mlanje and Dedza. He was a firm supporter of the Association and attended many of our reunions.
Funeral:The funeral is at 11.15am on the 6th of December 2024 at Shay Grange Crematorium, Long Lane, Heaton, Shipley, Bradford BD9 6ST to be followed by a sit down meal at the Bradford and Bingley Rugby Club, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1LT.
Note: The service will be available for viewing live on-line at https://watch.obitus.com ~ User name: zacu2940, Password: 475394. The video stream will then be available to watch again 24 hours after the ceremony and will be further available for about 28 days.
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Detail: For catering requirements if you would like to attend the Bradford and Bingley Rugby Club after the ceremony can you let Allan's son, Niall, know as soon as possible by way of his email address niall.dew@icloud.com. Family flowers only please, and if you would like to make a donation to Allan's memory, also by way of Niall, this will be divided between the Alzheimers Society, Crohns and Colitis UK and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).
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 Danny's Medals
Emailed Members were aware that medals awarded to Danny Morrison were up sale by Spink auctioneers on 12th September, 2024. Obtained from a private collector in South Australia there was a pre-sale estimate of £280. In the event this was greatly exceeded by the final accepted bid of £1,900.
Click here for more
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 Richard Smallshaw ~ RIP
It is sad to report the passing of Richard Smallshaw on 29th September, 2024. Aged 87, he joined the Nyasaland Police in January 1959 having previously served in the BSAP from 1955 to 1958. Leaving Nyasaland in 1964 he served in the Royal Hong Kong Police from 1964 where, after distiguished service, he retired in 1994 in the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner.
Note: Richard's funeral was held on Monday 21st October at 2.00 pm. The ceremony was available by way of a livestream using Zoom and the following link details:
Meeting ID: 840 2390 5636 and Passcode: 092395
or CLICK HERE
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Thank you Allan & Ronelle 
| It is good to hear from Allan Bean that with his wife, Ronelle, they visited the Nypol Memorial at the National Arboretum on Saturday 27 July 2024. The memorial appeared to be in good condition and the surrounding landscape was well tended but anticipating some avian fouling and other causes the Memorial was given a thorough cleaning. Allan also made a video of their visit and certainly it was a job well done and is appreciated by our members.
Play video
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Leigh (Dorset) Flower Show 
Pictured left is our senior member, Mary Brill, now well into her late nineties. Well known for the production of her intricate Dorset Buttons, proudly displayed by so many of our members. Well, here she is, still going strong in August 2024. Her worthy entry into the Leigh Flower Show of Dorset buttons was pipped this year given some stiff competition but the knitting of them got a second prize and for her entry into the Greetings Card section she won First Prize for the Wedding Anniversery card she put together. Well done Mary!
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Corona Clubs Nyasaland
Do you remember the Corona Clubs in Nyasaland? They were located variously throughout the country. Norman Carswell, when in Sunnyside Police accommodation, attended the local Chikwawa Rd club where his son, Nypol member Brian Carswell, learnt to play table tennis and darts to a high standard - now resident in Australia he went on to play A Grade tennis and soccer and still plays table tennis. He recalls that there was a sports field attached but he was unable to identify the site in 1997.
To view the Facebook page of the Nyasaland clubs
Click here
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 CHIRADZULU MOUNTAIN AIR DISASTER
Added to Items of Interest is a link to the facebook page "Malawi - Nyasaland Historical Moments", a Facebook page covering a variety of interesting articles. In particular it carries an extract from Malcolm Llewelyn's book "My Life in the Nyasaland Police" posted by his son Ian and which details his father's actions following the disastrous aircraft crash into Chiradzulu Mountain on 19th October 1958.
To read it, click here
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The WESM MALAWI CALENDAR 2025
FOMA, again this year, are selling the WESM (Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi) Malawi Calendar 2025, the profits from which are to be shared between two charities with Malawi interests, one being The Friends of Malawi Association .
In past years members of both FOMA and Nypol have generously purchased a calendar and may be interested in a copy for 2025. It is on offer at £12.00 + UK p&p, a small increase of 50p on the 2024 price. The cover picture is left and Click here to view the pictures for each month. If you would like to have one (or more) of these calendars please email the Treasurer at
treasurer.foma@gmail.com. Ensure your name and address is included and order by 30th September 2024 at the latest. Payment will be requested at the time of posting, inclusive of any postal costs.
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Ken Wilkinson ~ RIP
It is sad to report that Ken passed away on 30th May 2024. He was 88 and suffered from prostrate cancer. His military service in Kenya during the Mau Mau emergency gave him a taste for Africa and he joined the Nyasaland Police in March 59 and served variously throughout the country before moving on to continued service with the the Colonial Police in Papua New Guinea. In particular he did a great job having taken over as Association Manager from Christopher Bean in 2018. During his terminal illness he greatly appreciated those emails of goodwill he received from so many members which surely reflected the high regard in which he was held.
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Funeral: There was a Thanksgiving Service for the life of Ken on Friday 21st June, 2024, at St Alban's Methodist Church, Stroud, Glos.
The service was available for viewing on line and remains available on demand.
Click here to access the service. |
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 John Clements - Owl Award 2023
In his letter dated 18 June 24 John reveals that he won the South African Owl Award. This award is by BirdLife South Africa in recognition of the valuable contributions that people and organisations make to the conservation of South Africa's birds and their habitats. This recognition is in the form of the presentation of our annual Owl Awards to deserving recipients.
Click here for John's award citation.
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 The Remarkable Barry Thorne
It is interesting to read a "Member Profile" of our 'Glorious Gloster' put out by the Rotary Club of Maidenhead some three years or so ago. It fills in that detail of his varied life that we have missed and further adds to our respect of this staunch Nypol member.
Click here to view.
Briefly, Rotary seeks to provide a service to others, to promote goodwill, peace and the wellbeing of mankind throughout the world by way of business and professional fellowship as well as through community leaders.
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 Gordon Samuel ~ RIP
It is sad to report the passing of Gordon Samuel on 24th February 2024 aged 92. Following military service he joined the Fife Constabulary which included two years on peacekeeping duties in Cyprus before joining the Nyasaland Police in 1960, serving in Muzuzu, Limbe, Kanjedza, Zomba and Kasupe. Leaving in 1971 he went on to Police duties in Oman and Vanuatu and between contracts he was employed on security duties in the Ministry of Defence. On retirement he settled in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. His wife predeceased him, a son and two daughters survive him. Members were pleased to see Gordon, his wife Pat and daughter Sue at the Nypol Reunions in 2016 and 2017.
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 Talent indeed
Did you know that we had an artist serving in the Nyasland Police? Well, pictured left is a small part of a painting by Robin (Matey) Martin. He joined in March 1949 and it is of his bush house accommodation in Dedza circa 1949/50. The full painting takes in the background including Dedza mountain and indeed it is truly a work of art. Click here to view the full picture which is also included in the Police Days Extra Gallery.
Curtesy of Anne Blackman
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 Paddy Chevalier ~ RIP
It is sad to report the passing of Paddy Chevalier on 4th February following a combination of pneumonia and Covid. She was 96, the widow of Frank Chevalier and well remembered by so many of us for her support and kindness. Frank achieved the senior rank of Deputy Commissioner in the Force before leaving in 1973 when they moved to South Africa. Frank found work there as senior security officer with Anglo American and on retirement in 1986 they made their home in Cape Town. In particular our members were very pleased to meet Paddy again, with Frank, at the 2007 Reunion.
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 Harold Williams
Nypol member Harold Williams joined the Nyasaland Police in March 1961 and proved a very sound and capable officer. He married locally and on leaving the Force settled in Malawi. Sadly he died of leukemia in 2011 (aged 72). Always forthright in his views it was perhaps inevitable that he became concerned with political issues where he considered circumstances were unaccepable. Pete Larson, an epidemiologist, has put together what he describes as a short, pseudo-obit which is a facinating account of Harold and his activities since leaving the Police.
Click here to read it
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Greetings from Down Under
On behalf of Members: "Thank you Alison McLennan for your New Year greetings" which heads your recent contact included in our 'Letters' page. Your comments are appreciated and your observations are surely in accord with which we are all familiar.
To read Alison's letter click here.
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 Eric Hopes - Belated Congratulations
Only very recently coming to notice but of interest is the fact that Eric Hopes (91), a former member was awarded the BEM in the New Year Honours 2023. Eric joined the Nyasaland Police in May 1960 following service in the East Suffolk County Constabulary (1953~1957) and Cyprus (1957~1960). His postings included the first spell at Lilongwe. On leaving in 1963 he returned to the Suffolk Constabulary where he had started his police career in 1949. Retiring in 1988 in the rank of Superintent he has since been active in the Suffolk Police Museum.
Click here for details ~
Click here to go behind the scenes at the museum.
(Pictured left is Eric on joining the Nyasaland Police in 1960 and on the right outside Suffolk Police Headquarters, Martlesham Heath, near Ipswich, in 2022)
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