Bring Skillie Home

Guymullins · 11-12-2016, 07:37

During an airborne raid on a terrorist base camp 250km behind enemy lines, a Paratrooper went MIA. We suspected that he had landed in a river that bordered the camp and either drowned or was taken by crocodiles.
In the last few months, we, his comrades learned that his body had been found and buried in an unmarked grave alongside the river.
It is our duty to now, 38 years after the battle, to make every effort to repatriate his remains.
This means an expedition of about 2300 kms through some of Africa's harshest terrain. See my Youtube video on what we wish to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWraZ3xQ-k8

Divemaster · 11-12-2016, 14:03

Guy,

Kudos to you and your mates for taking on the effort to bring your fallen brother home. Is there a timeline for the DNA recovery expedition? I wonder if some documentary film maker might be interested and possibly provide a method for defraying the costs.

PSM · 11-12-2016, 15:45

Go get him, Mike! "Everybody comes home!"

I believe that Brush Okie meant Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/ I'm not sure how that works internationally but it is worth looking into.

On a side note, it's nice to put a face and a voice to you after all these years. Salute!

Pat

Guymullins · 11-12-2016, 17:14

Hi Divemaster,
There is as yet no timeline. We await permissions from three countries, none of which are very keen on the project. We do have a documentary in process, but any funding will only come in after the expedition.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Divemaster

Guy,

Kudos to you and your mates for taking on the effort to bring your fallen brother home. Is there a timeline for the DNA recovery expedition? I wonder if some documentary film maker might be interested and possibly provide a method for defraying the costs.

Guymullins · 11-12-2016, 17:19

Thanks Pat. We are looking at Crowdfunding. We will see what comes of this appeal. We have already raised a fair bit locally, and some of us will fund ourselves to get there. However, the "sundry" payments that have to be paid to officials in Africa can be very onerous, thus the international appeal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM

Go get him, Mike! "Everybody comes home!"

I believe that Brush Okie meant Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/ I'm not sure how that works internationally but it is worth looking into.

On a side note, it's nice to put a face and a voice to you after all these years. Salute!

Pat

Guymullins · 11-12-2016, 17:23

Hi Brush.
I am looking at some form of crowd funding. Lets see whether this appeal works at all. We may have to make a new video if this one is not effective. Thanks for getting the book. All profits from the sale of which is going into the fund.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brush Okie

I read your book on the operation good job.

As for funding you might look at setting up a go find me page.

Gypsy · 11-13-2016, 10:58

I hope you're able to bring him home!

mark46th · 11-14-2016, 03:05

Good Luck, Guy.

Guymullins · 11-14-2016, 07:13

Thanks Mark and Gypsy,
I am sure we can do it. Plan A through Plan C will get us there even if we have to walk.

Guymullins · 01-22-2017, 15:16

Progress report. I have had help from some very unlikely sources. Old enemies are being particularly helpful. I am aiming at trying to get to Angola when the rains stop this year, around May to September. The urgency becomes greater because the President of Angola has said he is going to stand down later in the year and this could mean even more turmoil than your latest election.
I have been searching for some fitting music, apart from the usual Last Post and Reveille for the interment and came across this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofhao4SHXGo If you can get through this piece with a dry eye, you are a harder man than I, my friend.

Scimitar · 01-22-2017, 19:28

Thanks for the update Mr Mullins,

Could you tell us what the current cost gap is for the project?
And is that in Rand or $US?

S

Guymullins · 01-23-2017, 04:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scimitar

Thanks for the update Mr Mullins,

Could you tell us what the current cost gap is for the project?
And is that in Rand or $US?

S

Hi Scimitar,
the cost gap is about R250 000 at present. However that is at Gen. Opperman's estimate based on the previous re-patriation of remains.
Our costs for Skillie may be considerably less as I have been asked by an Angolan diplomat to help in tracing the whereabouts of a relative who was taken as a POW by our side.
He was not repatriated with his comrades and the family desperately wants to know what happened to him. I am making extensive enquiries our side and have as yet not found any answers, apart from a photo of him, apparently unwounded in captivity with his comrades.
If I can find a satisfactory answer to the puzzle, it will aid immeasurably in getting Skillie home quickly and inexpensively.
That means that we are probably only about R100 000 short right now.
The operation that started with the search for Skillies grave site has now morphed into a double search on both sides of the conflict. I am now looking for both Skillie Human as well as Capt. Sebastiao de Carvalho Jeronimo. Worthwhile things seldom come easy.

Scimitar · 01-23-2017, 12:10

Thank you for the information,

I have family heavily involved in the veterans movement here in New Zealand, and there is a resonably large Zim and SA veteran population over here as well.

Let us know when you have the "marketing" all set-up and we'll see what we can do this end.

Definately a worthy cause.

S

Guymullins · 01-23-2017, 12:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scimitar

Thank you for the information,

I have family heavily involved in the veterans movement here in New Zealand, and there is a resonably large Zim and SA veteran population over here as well.

Let us know when you have the "marketing" all set-up and we'll see what we can do this end.

Definately a worthy cause.

S

Thanks for the support Scimitar. I will keep you appraised with progress.