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The pilot's intercom plug had come loose, as we had suspected, but he remembered the time and turning point from the flight plan and decided to put them into action himself since he could not hear anything from the navigator.

What about the dive?

Well, the flight plan directed a turn and, shortly after, a dive of about 5,000 feet to a new cruising altitude. The skipper had simply got the order reversed. He dived first and planned to turn later. I forgot about the planned dive because I was in a state of unholy panic and was busy disentangling myself from hooks, cables and miscellaneous pipeware.

Why did I remember all this after it had slumbered in my unconscious for so may years? I think it must have been an incident which occurred a couple of weeks ago. My eldest son had been up in a microlight and was enthusing about it. "I'll treat you to a flight" he said. My answer was ungrateful and ungracious and went along the lines of "If you think you'll get me up in one of those things you must be daft."

"In fact" I added "it's time to go to the pub and I'm gonna WALK!"

Stuart Klnd

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: After surviving the war my father went on to a successful career closely associated with crime. In retirement he occupied himself by writing books on crime investigation. He was a very successful Forensic Scientist, becoming, amongst other things, the Director of the Newcastle Laboratory and later of the Central Research Establishment at Aldermaston. He was also President of the Forensic Science Society, and a member of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Office review team for the Yorkshire Ripper enquiry.

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