View attachment 223667 View attachment 223668 View attachment 223669 Hello, I see a couple photos of my Dad George Balogh on here who passed away. I was wondering if anyone had more photos of him or could tell me stories of him from up in camp. He was with Timber West for about 44 years if my memory is correct & drove the bus everyday to take the guys up to work & drove them back home everyday. I used to clean out the cigarette butts from the ash trays in that bus on weekends when I was a little girl & would get paid to take a rag to all the mud. I never knew at the time, it would be one of my fondest childhood memories. I miss him & would love to hear your memories of him! Brianna Balogh
Wish I could be off help dear,
You might want to post this in the forestry equipment forum where more people are likely to see it.
I worked with George at Caycuse. He was the one who took me under his wing so to speak. He taught me how to splice in the splice shack with Al Norman and further taught me how to buck wood and sharpen my saw, when I was a landing man and George was the Bucker. I am very sorry to hear of his passing. George was one of the nicest guys that I had the pleasure of knowing and working with. My condolences for your loss.
I visited Mosaic Forest Management in Nanaimo who are managing TimberWest and Island Timberlands private lands. When TimberWest was operating the office as you walked in there were photos of George and the last skidder crew on the wall as you walked up the stairs to their office. Unfortunately the pictures are no longer there. Mosaic did provide me 2 links that provides some photos and a write up on the last Skidder Crew, other photos are from Rob Normans collection. Hopefully they will contact me when the find where they have stored them. Last Skidder Show https://bcforestdiscoverycentre.com/the-last-skidder-show-june-6-1967/ From Rob Norman Collection George and Walter Cook
This made me cry! I think everyone would say my Dad was the nicest person you could ever meet. He would give you the shirt off his back & sneak $50 into your pocket if he knew you needed it. Thank you So much!
Yes I have these but the only 2 I have seen. I hope someone has more. My Dad was 1 of the original dinosaurs there I believe as he started logging with them at 19 after he ran from the Hungarian revolution & landed here on the island. What I wouldn't give...
Could you send me a link? Or is it on this blog somewhere?
The Last Skidder Show – June 6, 1967 On June 6, 1967, the last operational skidder in British Columbia was retired by BC Forest Products. The Washington steam skidder was originally purchased by Abernathy & Lougheed Logging Co. (1905 – 31) who operated in Haney. Industrial Timber Mills bcforestdiscoverycentre.com I am hoping to get a few more but I am still waiting for a reply from Mosaic and the United Steelworkers union who merged with the IWA.
It's one of the forums on this site if you scroll down further. I know 2 families that escaped Hungary in the 50's as well. They were cousins and very into motorcycles. They had a Honda dealership for 49 years. One of them is the 2nd most winning world vet MX champion having won 12 times in 40, 50, 60, and 70 year old age classes. He was still riding up to a couple month's before he passed away due to pancreatic cancer. Maybe your dad knew them, Rudi Zackso and Zoli Berenyi? There is also Rudi Jr. and Zoli Jr. so it got confusing sometimes figuring out who someone was talking about.
I wish I could ask him but I never heard those names growing up.
These are the only ones I have seen. I cleaned them up as best I could. They are a little clearer now.
I'm sure there were many who got out of Hungary. Rudi Sr. called them the boat people from 1957 I believe.