Page 64 - Demo

62I loved Paddy%u2019s rejoinder %u201cJust like Dickie Wakeford, could never see the funny side of anything%u201d.David ForsythAnother Lunch Gone Wrong or Getting Away With ItIt was March 1968 and I had just reached 21. And we were in our final six months! I was now a Senior Flight Cadet. But not everything was going well, because at the start of that final term, I had a steady cold and wasn%u2019t able to fly for a week or so.I spent most days in the crew room, trying to brush up on all the %u2018behind the scenes%u2019 stuff like aerodynamics and other shatteringly interesting topics. This day would be slightly different though, because, along with several others from the senior 94 Entry, I had been invited to have lunch with the %u2018Big Boss%u2019 %u2013 the Commandant.But by late morning, the crew room was in a bit of an uproar. A photographer and journalist from the renowned %u2018The Illustrated London News%u2019 had arrived to tell our story because, of course, 1 April 1968 would mark the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force. They wanted four cadets %u2013 in flying gear %u2013 to pose around the cockpit, so I rushed to change into my kit. As with all photo shoots, one pose was nowhere near enough and a couple of hours flew by. Eventually, Dim Jones, Cliff Spink, Chris Stevens and I wandered back to the crew room to change. There was a message for me to report immediately to Squadron Leader Le Brock in the main College. It was quite a distance from the crew room up to the main building, but I made light work of it, being so chuffed about putting on my flying kit for the first time since 26 February. That feeling was not to last long%u2026%u201cWipe that smile off your face, Harris!%u201d said the Boss after I had saluted in front of him. %u201cTell me what you%u2019ve done wrong this time!%u201d