Looking for friends from the Amporaha camp in Nosy Be

Hi Bruno,

To help jog your memory, here’s a photo of the CMAI where I think some of you will recognize yourselves. In no particular order, there’s you, your sister, Marie-France, and Geneviève (whom I married), Magali, Colette, and Hervé. I’m not in the photo taken in June ’71 because I’d already left the year before. We’re missing 3 names!!!! Time to dig into those memories… ROM or RAM?

Christian

Hey everyone,

I did a little digging. This photo isn’t unfamiliar to me. I think it was taken by Christophe SALVAN. The girl all the way to the left is a friend of Marie-France, whose name I can’t remember, the guy behind Marie-France is Philippe CARDOT, and the little lady sitting on the bench with Magali’s arms around her shoulders is Mrs. BOULISSIERE. There you go. Well, that doesn’t make us any younger, and it confirms I didn’t wait until I was old to act the fool...

I went back to CMAI two years ago. Needless to say, things have changed. I also got to visit the base, the pool, the cinema, the tennis courts, the housing area... Quite an impression!

See you soon,

BRUNO

Hi Bruno

I’d really love to hear news from Dany, who was one of my best friends in Madagascar. A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to see Christian and Nini, Francis, Muriel, Marie-Louise, and Philippe again. It was pure happiness. I also spoke to Jean-Michel Nourreux on the phone. We’d love to hear from Hervé Muiron too. I live near Lille. I’m eagerly waiting for news. Hugs. Marie-jo

Nosy-Bé, 12/01/08 Hi everyone, Well, here I am again! Since things are finally going smoothly, I’m taking advantage of it. Thanks for the personal messages, but I’ll get back to you after I return—only two weeks left now... Still dealing with electricity issues in Nosy-Bé. On the other hand, I’m impressed by the road crew’s perseverance at work! The weather’s actually pretty nice during the day (too hot and humid for my taste, though...) as long as it doesn’t rain—can’t complain, especially since I heard it snowed in the Paris area the night before last... Here are a few more photos.

12/11 Z'oreil, sorry about the text! Only one week left! See you soon

Hi Marie-Jo, and to everyone who’ll read this message. My name might ring a bell for some of you: Alain GERMANOVITCH. Like many of you, I’m looking for those who knew IVATO (BA181) and NOSY BE between 1969 and 1971. I see you already have a lot of contacts. I stumbled upon this forum yesterday, and this morning I spoke with Francis on the phone. He’s out fishing near the Sacred Islet, across from Amporaha Beach. So many of the names you mention take me back nearly 40 years, and some have never left my memory (Muiron, Guillotin, Nourreux, Tavel, Salvan, Normann, Roth, ...). So many memories of the base, the cinema next to the pool, the tennis courts, Byebye with his 2CV break selling fruits and veggies near the clubhouse. I really hope we can organize a big reunion one day to get together and relive those wonderful years. Hugs to all, and hope to hear from you soon.

Hi Marie-Lou, Just to remind you, in the photo, the tall guy on the right is Marc ROTH (nicknamed "la rotouze"—I think he was a radio-nav). A very close friend of my parents. He was on the Nord Atlas 2501 with my dad (my dad was a mech-nav). For those interested who want to see a Nord Atlas 2501 again if they didn’t get the chance to go inside (Ivato - Nosy Be was quite the trip), there’s one in the Paris region, specifically in Aulnay-sous-Bois (93), next to a sports complex. I’m lucky enough to see it every time I go to my office when I’m in France. Kisses and greetings to all, @+

😎 Hi everyone, Just a quick hello from Nosy Be to send you the last rays of sunshine... no Amporaha unfortunately... but from the sacred islet (photo attached) where I got a call from... Romania (gotta love it! technology does have its perks!) from Alain Germanovitch (1969-70 in Nosy Be), who just discovered our forum. Welcome to the club, Alain! Only 2 days left and I'm heading back. See you all soon, Francis

Hello Alain, The sound of your name rings a bell—I was in Madagascar from 1967 to 1969, and it seems we were in Nosy-Be together. I was there with my dear Marie Louise, and while some beautiful memories remain, the years do fade them. Anyway! The main thing is that all of us who once walked the fine sands of Amporaha can reconnect. If only Nathalie Gac, Solange Delpech, Catherine, and Jean Jacques Perrin could discover this site, I think many of us would be thrilled to find them again.

Hello dear Francis, I’m here to reassure you—and you’ll understand—my Nosy-Be hope can still be planned, and the results are good. My Christmas gift is that my candle won’t go out this year…

Thank you for your emails and photos—it means so much. See you soon, all friends of Madagascar, past and present.

Patrick

Hello there,

I’ve kept a few photos since I was lucky enough to visit Nosy Be three times in ’67, ’68, and ’69. I made the trip twice on a Nord and once on a DC3. Here are the photos—I still have the negatives, so I’ll re-scan them in high definition. The third photo is me back in 1968. Just a few nostalgic snapshots to share with the community here. Fair winds to all. Patrick Romé

Hi Alain,

Welcome to the group! It’s great to see our Madagascar alumni club growing. I think we’ll need to rent a big house for our next meet-ups because we’re going to be so many—and that’s awesome!!! 🙂 I’ve added you to my friends list on the "Copains d’Avant" site. If you can share some photos, that would help jog my memory a bit. Looking forward to hearing from you. Big hugs. See you soon.

Marie-Jo

Hi Bruno, Sorry for the delay in my reply—I was on assignment in Mauritius, not too far from you since I think you're on Réunion!! About my participation in the 12 Hours of Mantasao, the answer is no; but we did race at the CMAI on Lake Anbohibao, or go aquaplaning together... Hervé Muiron was part of it, as well as Jean-Michel and others... For my part, I was in Ivato in '71 and '72 because after that, I returned to France at the end of '72, and my parents stayed in Ivato until '73. I also knew your sister Dany, and Bernard Pallardy, with whom we had a few parties—I even found some photos of those. My last name is Agrissais. I go to Madagascar from time to time for work! Looking forward to hearing from you Philippe

Hi, For my part, I recognized Bruno, Hervé, and Dany, but starting from the right and on the bottom bench, wouldn’t that be Catherine Esse, an old friend of Magali’s? I didn’t know everyone because I arrived at the end of ’70 or the beginning of ’71. To be continued… Philippe

I think now’s the perfect time, so here goes!

To all the former Amporaha crew and your families, I wish you happy holidays and an amazing 2009. Sending hugs to all of you, even if I didn’t know everyone—our bond is still there. Hope you’re not too cold for Christmas; I’ll be thinking of you from Réunion, where it’s lovely right now. Thanks for everything...

After that, I’ll be taking it easy on January 2nd in Fort Dauphin, and I’ll keep thinking of you all...

Okay, I’ll stop now,

Happy New Year to everyone!

BRUNO

Hello everyone, I’m back home from Madagascar, and contrary to what you might think: Happy to be back!! Because it was way too hot, too heavy, hard to bear—even for someone who’s native to the place! I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very, very happy New Year 2009, even if sometimes the circumstances aren’t ideal. My thoughts are especially with the Tavel family, as Monsieur recently passed away. Stay strong! Wishing everyone a happy and joyful year ahead. Best regards to all, Francis

DECEMBER 25, 2008 TO FRANCIS AND MY FRIENDS (MALE AND FEMALE) FROM MADAGASCAR AND NOSY-BE, AND TO ALL THOSE I KNOW OR DON’T KNOW. 😉 TO EVERYONE I KNOW OR DON’T KNOW, WHO HAS BEEN TO MADAGASCAR VIA NOSY-BE AT SOME POINT, I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS 2008, AND MAY ALL THE MEMORIES OF THE BEAUTIFUL MALAGASY YEARS LIVE ON. THROUGH OUR MEMORIES, OUR PHOTOS, OUR VIDEOS, WHY NOT CREATE A MEMORY FILM WITH ALL OUR ELEMENTS.

HERE’S MY CHRISTMAS WISH—IF THIS IS FEASIBLE, I THINK THAT DURING A CHRISTMAS, WE COULD PRESENT TO THE PEOPLE OF NOSY-BE A REFLECTION OF PARADISE AND HAPPINESS IN LIFE.

A BEAUTIFUL GIFT! CALLING ALL ENTHUSIASTS—IF THIS TIMELESS PROJECT INTERESTS YOU, MY JOB ALLOWS ME TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

You can contact me for more information:

objectif.reportages@orange.fr

MERRY AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE, AND THANKS AGAIN TO FRANCIS FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND YOUR WEBSITE. 😎

Best regards, Patrick

I wholeheartedly support your project! Personally, I made a slideshow with photos taken in '62-'63 in Nosy-Be and at the Ivato air base, and I’d be happy to share it with everyone.

Happy New Year 2009—I hope that those of us who aren’t *quite* as young anymore can take another trip to the places of our memories!

I WAS A SOLDIER IN THE AIR FORCE (CONSCRIPT) AT IVATO FROM OCTOBER 1962 TO 1963; IN JULY 1963 I HAD THE CHANCE TO STAY AT THE NOSY BE BASE AS A BARTENDER; VERY, VERY GOOD MEMORIES; UNFORTUNATELY, I NO LONGER REMEMBER THE NAMES OF THE BUDDIES WHO WERE WITH ME; IF ANY OF THEM RECOGNIZE THEMSELVES, I WOULD LOVE TO RECONNECT WITH THEM; CHEERS...

I was at Ivato from '62 to March '63—maybe you recognize some of the friends whose photo I posted on page 3 of the forum? I was assigned to the sports service and was detached to Nosy-Be in the summer of '62.

See you maybe on the forum!

Hi there. I stumbled upon your post while looking for info about Nosy Be on the Amporaha camp friends' website. I saw you were looking for people who spent time there. I'm Thierry Denis, 1968-70. I think you might be Patrick, who lived at the edge of the village and played guitar. Is that right? I’ll also reach out to Francis. It’s amazing to find photos and see names of people we knew over 30 years ago. So many memories!!! Hello to those who recognize me, and maybe see you soon.

December 29, 2008 Hello Thierry, and surely Gilles, your brother,

If you're the one I knew well in Tana during those years 67/69, your father was a commander and after Madagascar, you were posted to Strasbourg or Metz, somewhere in eastern France. By the way, I’d written to you from Creil, a place far less paradisiacal than Madagascar was back then.

We were really good friends. I know the group included JJ and Catherine Perrin, but things were a bit distant between JJ and you. There was also Nathalie Gac, Solange Delpech, JJ Gourves, JJ Patachini, etc. Just to jog your memory—were you at ESCA? I’ve got tons of memories from Madagascar, and ever since I reconnected with ML TROIN, Muriel CRUCHOU, FRANCIS, and everyone from the site, those memories have come flooding back. Here’s my professional email for my business: objectif.reportages@orange.fr I’m counting on you to reach out—I think Francis’s idea is amazing. This site is pure joy, whether it’s reconnecting with old friends or those who came before or after us. Looking forward to catching up again. Sending you all my friendship from back in the day. On the eve of the new year, I wish you and your family all my best. Vélouma. Patrick Romé