Rampaging elephant puts end to last safari

Bevan Jones

As day broke across Victoria Falls on Tuesday a son stood alone above the turbulent water and set his father's ashes free.

It was the last safari of retired microbiologist Bevan Jones.

The 75-year-old from Waihi was killed five days earlier by a charging elephant on the Zambia plains as his son Colin tried to distract the animal.

Son-in-law Bruce Storrie says Mr Jones snr knew he was getting old - the three-week trip with his son was his goodbye to the country he loved and where he had worked for the UN for 10 years.

During his work with the UN, the disease bovine pleuropneumonia was eradicated from both Zambia and Uganda.

Mr Jones, his wife Elaine and their children had lived in London, Wales, Africa and New Zealand. His children grew up playing on the banks of the Zambezi River.
"The photo albums are full of their years over there. He really did love the place," said Mr Storrie.

The couple, originally from Wales, moved to New Zealand with their five children, David now 38, Liz, 40, Huw, 43, Colin, 46, and Peter, 48, when most of the children were in their teens.

They settled in Hamilton and eventually retired to Waihi, taking trips to Queensland during the winter to escape the cold.

David Jones was the first white child born in Entebbe Hospital, Uganda. Father and son went on safari three years ago. They took a four-wheel-drive and travelled, camping, from Harare to Kampala.

Mr Storrie said his father-in-law had said that because of his age he might not be able to visit the continent again after this latest trip. "This was his last chance to get to Africa."

Bevan Jones and son Colin visited their old camping spots beside the Zambezi River.

Mrs Jones was in Perth with Colin's family when her husband of nearly 50 years was killed.

They had planned to celebrate their wedding anniversary on October 2 when he returned.

Mr Storrie said Mrs Jones talked to her husband, who had asthma, before he left about what they would do if he died.

"He couldn't have scripted his own death and funeral better. This was what he wanted."

Mr Jones and Colin were alone when the female elephant broke away from the herd and charged.

Colin drove his father's body back to Lusaka, where locals built a funeral pyre.

"When it was hot enough they put his coffin on the fire and it burnt through the night," Mr Storrie said.

In the morning Colin Jones gathered his father's ashes and drove five hours to Victoria Falls.

"He said he wanted to take his old man on his last safari. He said it was a privilege to represent the family," Mr Storrie said.

Colin timed his trip so family members knew when he would be standing over Victoria Falls, and called them when he arrived.

At the end of the journey the sun was rising over Victoria Falls.

On the other side of the world it was 4pm and Mr Storrie, his wife Liz and son Declan, 10, went out on to their balcony.

As Colin Jones let his father's ashes go, they raised a glass.

"We sat on the deck and said, 'Cheers, Granddad'."