ra la Rivers from African Hunter just informed me that Zimbabwean rifle and cartridge expert, Charley Haley, passed away last night in his sleep. Charley was a true expert. He served 20 years in the CID and as the officer commanding Zimbabwe’s forensic ballistics laboratory. He served our industry as gunwriter, hunter, committee member of and chief instructor to the Zimbabwe Shooting Sport Federation and Chief Training Officer for the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters' and Guides' Association. This means that both the authors of the book Hunter's Guide to Classic African Cartridges have now passed away. The trees are falling ... Condolences to all concerned

I never met Charlie but i have heard numerous tales about him ,by my late friend Don Heath .Very sad great trees have fallen .
See you in the Valhalla ,perhasp we will share a scotch by the fire with Ganyana .

Posted by Pierre van der Walt .

Condolences to his family and friends.

Sorry to hear this.

A very respected man in the firearm handling and safety in Zimbabwe
RIP
Condolences to the Haley Family

Some background on Charlie Haley.

He joined the British South Africa Police after high school and passed selection into the elite PATU (Police Anti-Terrorist Unit) unit. In 1979 he was on patrol as the MAG gunner with his team and was seriously wounded in a firefight outside Salisbury. After recovering with a seriously compromised leg, he transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department where he served over 20 years, retiring as officer commanding, firearms ballistics section with the rank of Superintendent.

Charlie then served as the head of security for the British Embassy in Harare for another 13 years.

With Don Heath he wrote "Hunter's Guide to Classic African Cartridges" (Amazon CreateSpace) and developed the current firearms shooting proficiency exam for all learner PHs and Guides.

He will be sorely missed by the shooting and hunting fraternity.

RIP

Peace be with him and his family. Prayers to all.

Another good friend has passed. I'm fast running out of friends. Some of the best go way too early!

465H&H

I am privileged to have spent some real quality time with Charlie Haley. This was in the Rifa Safari Area of the Zambezi Valley. At the time Rifa Camp was the training area for the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters & Guides Association where both he and I used to assist learner PH's in their quest to become fully licensed PH's. Slightly built, with a pronounced limp, Charley's physical appearance most certainly did not portray the charisma of the man he really was. Charlie was a real man amongst men. Together with Andy Seale, these two men controlled for a while eliminated the rhino poaching in the Chewore Safari Area of the Zambezi Valley. There is a prominent mountain in the Chewore, 'Chemmakungau' near the Sapi Chewore boundry. With his wonky leg Charlie and Andy would climb this prominent feature at last light. They would then wait there until darkness fell - long enough for them to see in the distance the rhino poachers campfires. Charlie and Andy would then take a compass bearing and on total darkness, with only the aid of very 'basic' night vision goggles walk towards the poachers camp. Walking in total darkness, with only the aid of night vision goggles through the Chewore's DG infested Jesse thickets took balls - and Charlie had them and then some! Initially Charlie used to use a pump actioned 12 gauge shotgun and SSG to sort out the sleeping poachers, but he progressed to an M 16 with a infra red sights which was a lot more effective. I total darkness Charlie could see the poachers, thanks to his night vision goggles and the infra-red sight and he would eliminate all of those he encountered. In darkness, with only the embers of a long dead campfire glowing the poacher could not see Charlie and he was an effective 'eliminator'. As I'm sure you can imagine, this was an effective anti-poaching initiative!!
Charlie once let me don his night vision goggles to see what it looked like when wearing them. In that silent, slime-green world, the very last thing I would have done would have walked through elephant cow and black rhino infested Jesse bush with only an M16 in my hands!!! One of the poachers Charlie shot in this manner had important political connections and this was to have a severe ripple effect to his career within the ZRP.
Charlie could play the bagpipes like master 'piper'. My lasting memory of Charlie was of him playing the 'pipes' on the banks of the Zambezi at sunset. On that occasion we then shared a dram of good single malt Scotch and talked about the good old days. My life has been enriched by knowing people like Charlie - he was indeed a man to respect and admire.