• Home
  • About The Newspaper
  • Abercornucopia Editions
    • Abercorn History.
    • Horizon articles on Abercorn and District.
    • Abercorn People, Settlers, Red Locust personnel and Government figures.
    • Treaties with Chief Tafuna and other Ulungu chiefs
    • Personal Memoirs of Abercorn.
    • Abercorn Co-operative Society and schemes for extracting essential oil
    • Abercorn Social History – Programmes for Abercorn Dramatics and School and other events.
    • The Polish Refugee Camp.
    • Abercorn for Tourists.
    • History of the Red Locust Control Organisation and TseTse Fly Control measures.
    • Mpulungu, the Liemba and other Lake Tanganyika steamers, fishing vessels, and pleasure craft.
    • Social Life
    • Abercorn District Archaeology
    • Alice In Abercorn at the Abercorn Club
    • New Page
  • Abercorn Galleries
  • Links
  • Contact
Menu

Abercornucopia

  • Home
  • About The Newspaper
  • Abercornucopia Editions
  • Abercorn History
    • Abercorn History.
    • Horizon articles on Abercorn and District.
    • Abercorn People, Settlers, Red Locust personnel and Government figures.
    • Treaties with Chief Tafuna and other Ulungu chiefs
    • Personal Memoirs of Abercorn.
    • Abercorn Co-operative Society and schemes for extracting essential oil
    • Abercorn Social History – Programmes for Abercorn Dramatics and School and other events.
    • The Polish Refugee Camp.
    • Abercorn for Tourists.
    • History of the Red Locust Control Organisation and TseTse Fly Control measures.
    • Mpulungu, the Liemba and other Lake Tanganyika steamers, fishing vessels, and pleasure craft.
    • Social Life
    • Abercorn District Archaeology
    • Alice In Abercorn at the Abercorn Club
    • New Page
  • Abercorn Galleries
  • Links
  • Contact

The International Red Locust Control Organisation.

Please click on an image to start a dynamic slideshow

Featured
 A Red Locust from an IRLCS  Christmas Card

A Red Locust from an IRLCS  Christmas Card

 M. Bredo is honoured for his early work on Locusts. Article from the Bulawayo Chronicle courtesy Mr Harry Mantell.

M. Bredo is honoured for his early work on Locusts. Article from the Bulawayo Chronicle courtesy Mr Harry Mantell.

 The IRLCS Swamp Skipper coming ashore at Lake Chila, Abercorn after trials. It was powered by two Land Rover engines and was designed and built in the IRLCS workshops by Peter Parton and others in the 1950s. The large floaing wheels were designed to

The IRLCS Swamp Skipper coming ashore at Lake Chila, Abercorn after trials. It was powered by two Land Rover engines and was designed and built in the IRLCS workshops by Peter Parton and others in the 1950s. The large floaing wheels were designed to enable the vehicle to operate in the swamps, shallows and grass lands of the Rukwa.

  The IRLCS Swamp Skipper Trials. Afloat on 3 feet of water. The Skipper was designed and built in Abercorn in the 1950s for  locust control on Lake Rukwa.


The IRLCS Swamp Skipper Trials. Afloat on 3 feet of water. The Skipper was designed and built in Abercorn in the 1950s for  locust control on Lake Rukwa.

 Abercon in the early 1960s. Looking North from over the IRLCS. Grasshopper Inn to the left.

Abercon in the early 1960s. Looking North from over the IRLCS. Grasshopper Inn to the left.

 International Red Locust Control Headquarters building Abercorn

International Red Locust Control Headquarters building Abercorn

 Wet-Season Locust Control. Living conditons of the men who are keeping South, Central and East Africa safe from Red Locusts. The Land rover is marooned and inextricable. 

Wet-Season Locust Control. Living conditons of the men who are keeping South, Central and East Africa safe from Red Locusts. The Land rover is marooned and inextricable. 

 Tuzela Camp, Lake Rukwa, "Tanganiyika".Taken from the "deck" of the Swamp Skipper . This shows how Locust Scouts could see over the man-high grass where the machine could travel easily through the  floods that disabled  four wheel drive ve

Tuzela Camp, Lake Rukwa, "Tanganiyika".Taken from the "deck" of the Swamp Skipper . This shows how Locust Scouts could see over the man-high grass where the machine could travel easily through the  floods that disabled  four wheel drive vehicles.  Each track in the photo is nearly four feet wide.

 IRLCS aircraft servicing workshops Abercorn Airport in the 1960s.  Photo Adam Malujlo

IRLCS aircraft servicing workshops Abercorn Airport in the 1960s.

Photo Adam Malujlo

 Ted Malujlo with one of the Red Locust cCntrol scouting helicopters.  From from Adam Malujlo.

Ted Malujlo with one of the Red Locust cCntrol scouting helicopters.

From from Adam Malujlo.

 The Swamp Skipper Maneuvers down to Lake Chila. Note the low water level in the mid 1950s.

The Swamp Skipper Maneuvers down to Lake Chila. Note the low water level in the mid 1950s.

Arnold Lea  [ in spectacles ] was instrumental in establishing the IRLCS from the South African Dept. of Locust Control.
IRLCS vehicles in front of the old Head Quarters building where the conference is under way. Note the pre Land Rover jeeps and the South African, Belgian [?] and British flags
Dr Donald Gunn then of Locust Control, London on the right with Colleagues. Photo Jenny Lea courtesy Dorothy Van der Linde
 Dr Lea and colleagues in the Rukwa valley.   

Dr Lea and colleagues in the Rukwa valley.

 

Unknown conference delegate.
Delegates in front of the Rest House building known locally in Abercorn as the Cathedral. This was down on beside the Lucheche stream Mushito in an area called the Gardens. Photo Jenny Lea.
IRLCS STAFF 1956.jpg
Ten Malujlo with IRLCS Helicopter.jpg
IRLCS He;icopter.jpg
 I.R.L.C.S Aircraft hanger at Abercorn Airoport

I.R.L.C.S Aircraft hanger at Abercorn Airoport

 Red Locust spotter plane. The pilots flew really close to the ground while the locusts were at the hopper stage before swarming.  The slipstream  then blew the hoppers up into the air behind the aircraft. Thus the piltos also had to look behind them

Red Locust spotter plane. The pilots flew really close to the ground while the locusts were at the hopper stage before swarming. The slipstream then blew the hoppers up into the air behind the aircraft. Thus the piltos also had to look behind them!. On one occastion a buffalo stood up as the plane approched and caught one of the landing wheels on its horn. It must had had quite a headache. The pilot landed more or less safely .

 The I.R.L.C.S. Director's residence. This was at the top of the hill coming up from the Lake Chila pump station.

The I.R.L.C.S. Director's residence. This was at the top of the hill coming up from the Lake Chila pump station.

* This website is owned by Colin Carlin. All material used is either the property of the owner, or is used with the permission of the original copyright holder, or in the case of pre-published material has been fully referenced.

While every effort has been made to contact original owners many are no longer available. Any errors of attribution will be corrected following notification.

Privacy Policy

Website design by Chris Wakefield