Rhodesian Fuel Ration Card (Coupons)

Nick Baalbergen has made this image available to ORAFs.



Thanks to Nick for sharing his memories with ORAFs.

ORAFs seems to recall that 1 (one) unit equalled 1 gallon of petrol.

Each motorist had to advise the relevant authority of the distance
to and from work and this was the basis of one's monthly allocation.
For holidays and trips elsewhere one also had to advise the authorities
and if approved coupons were allocated.

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Dave Macdonald Writes:-
Your Bits 'n Pieces prompted me to dig these out - souvenirs of a slightly earlier sanctions period (in the late 60's) when petrol was on ration. Off ration coupons could be bought at Post Offices adding a whopping 5c to the cost of a unit (which I also think was a gallon). I guess our farm/family ration was sufficient that we never used/needed these ones.



There was joke going around at the time that in answer to the question (which really was asked when making an allowance application) "Do you use your vehicle for pleasure?" our man Van answered, " No. The back seat's too small!"

Lewis Walter Writes:-
Thanks for interesting petrol rationing items recently.



These coupons were issued to my father in Bulawayo in 1946. "S1975" was a beautiful old Vauxhall he had just bought on returning to Rhodesia after serving with the 6th SA Armoured Division during WW2.

I seem to remember there was petrol rationing again about 1949/50, and that we used to put a mixture of benzine and petrol into our motor bikes to eke out the ration. This was illegal, and potentially lethal, but no-one seemed to worry ! My bike at that time was a second-hand 250cc BSA bought from John Waterworth. (A 350cc AJS and a beautiful 500cc AJS Twin followed later).

Thanks to Dave and Lewis for sharing his memories with us all.

BSA - Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) motorcycles
(Many a Rhodesian school boy owned the BSA Pellet Gun.)
AJS - A J Stevens & Co (AJS). British motorcycle manufacturer.