Former motor rally driver and champion Bert Shankland (pictured, his car below) who died on January 26, 2012 in Glasgow at the age of 79, will be buried on Friday at a small township of Perth in Scotland. According to the latest reports from the Automobile Association of Tanzania official Satindersingh Birdi, Shankland is survived by wife, Margaret, and two sons, Scots and Neil.
Reports say the former driver who used to pull huge crowds during his driving career in the mid 60’s and late 70’s died after long illness.
He was born on on September 12, 1932 in Glasgow and came to Tanzania in 1958 to start a career as technician at the Arusha-based branch of, Ridoch Motors.
He was transferred to Dar es Salaam in 1962 with same company while participating in various motor rally events staged by then.
His driving talent shocked and won admiration from the Tanganyika Motors Managing director by then Jimmy Finney who convinced him to cross over to his firm as a workshop Manger.
Shankland got all the blessings from Finney and made full use of Peugeot car in motor rally events .
He also got backing from Ken Kassam, the director of Leyland Albion to steady his rallying career.
Kassam is now residing in Toronto Canada.
Shankland was an icon of the Tanzania motor rally drivers and his move from Ridoch Motors to Tanganyika Motors that was coupled with rally victories boosted sales of Peugeot cars in the country and beyond.
The Scottish driver will be in the history books of rallying in Tanzania for many decades to come if not centuries.
Shankland’s career was later rocked by politics in Tanzania when motor rallies were abolished in late 70’s owing to fuel scarcity and economic hardships.
However the Government reintroduced motor rally events after remarkable improvement of the economy, rocked by the consequences Uganda war in 1978-9.
The Automobile Association of Tanzania and the rest of motor sports fraternity, drivers, navigators and fans wish Shankland to rest in peace.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
May you rest in peace. I remmeber very well those good old days of Bert Shankland, Joginder Singh and the others. It was really good
ReplyDeleteHI SHANKLAND R.I.P.NAKUMBUKA ENZI ZAKO WAKATI NATEMBEA MAILI ZAIDI KUKUSUBIRI UPITE TUWEZE KUKUONA LEO MUNGU KAKUNDA ZAIDI.
ReplyDeleteMUNGU AIWEKE ROHO YAKO MAHALIPEMA PEPONI AMEEN
nakumbuka mama yangu alitusimulia sana historia yake. rest in peace SHAKLAND BERT.
ReplyDeleteDu mumbe huyo mtu kumbe alikuwa bado tu anaishi mungu amuweke mahali mpema peponi, ALICHANGIA SANA KUITANGAZA NCHI YETU HUKO ULAYA kwa ajili ya East aaaaaaaaaaaaaafrican Safari,
ReplyDeleteR I P
Long time!..vikombe vyako mpaka leo vipo peugeot hse!....wapi joginder singh, Remtullah and others!..RIP DADDY!
ReplyDeleteOooh Beti Shakilendi mungu akulaze mahala pema. Enzi zako wee acha tu.
ReplyDeleteJamani nimekumbuka sana tulipokuwa tunawangoja Moshi pembeni mwa barabara wapite kwenye East Africa Safari Rally, nashukuru kuiona sura yake maana walikuwa wanapita tunaona gari tu na kusikia jina bila kumuona mtu jinsi vumbi na mbio wanazopita. R.I.P
ReplyDeleteRIP. Good all days sio leo tumeng'ang'ana na mpira wa miguu tuuu!
ReplyDeleteRIP Shankland, as a child the EA rally was a highlight of the year in Moshi and his name was uttered with great pride and respect.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in Mpwapwa in the early isxties. My mom used to go and watch the rally. Well thats life and thank you Michuzi for posting this at least now my kids understand what I mean when I tell their father "Vipi umekuwa Bert Shekiland leo" akiwa anaenda kasi.
ReplyDeletenilikuwa namsikia sana huyu jamaa but sikuwa najua anatokea nchi gani. jamani enzi zile za 1970s tulikuwa na magari ya mabua na katika hayo magari tulikuwa tunajua gari ipi ni ya "shaklend"
ReplyDeletePamoja nawe pia nawakumbuka akina Joginder Singh na Hannu Mikola nikiwa nimejificha kibandani kwetu Kishungambuzi, Kae enzi za mvua za masika za Aprili ya kila mwaka enzi hizo za 1970s.
ReplyDeleteKWA KWELI IMENIUMA SANA KUSIKIA SHANKLAND AMEKUFA. NAKUMBUKA MIAKA YA 70's HUYU BWANA ALIVUMA SANA ENZI HIZO TUKIWA WADOGO. HATA HIVYO SIKUJUA KAMA BADO SHUJAA HUYU ALIKUWA HAI.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P SHANKLAND
Haaa!, R.I.P Shank. Nimefurahi kuiona sura yake,
ReplyDeletenilipokuwa mdogo, tulikuwa tunasimama kando kando ya barabara ya Soni kuelekea Lushoto (Milima ya Usambara)pamoja na wazazi wangu, tulikuwa tunamshangilia hivi, shekiland ! shekiland! nilijua ni msambaa mwenzetu, kwa ajili ya "She" baadaye nilikuja kumjua kwamba kumbe ni mzungu aliyeloea Tanzania.
Tulipohamia Dar, mashindano hayo yalikuwa yanaanzia Anatoglo hall karibu na Hospitali ya Mnazimmoja, wakati huo tulikuwa tunaishi Magomeni. Wazazi wangu walikuwa washabiki sana wa mbio hizo. Mungu amlaze pema! shankland
Mama G.
http://sunofafrica.com is a good place where to find safari services across the whole continent of Africa.
ReplyDelete