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                                    307careful not to twist or do anything strenuous as they were very worried about my back. So was I. I had 5 years service to go and losing my ejection seat category would be a domestic disaster.The Station Commander told me to go to the bar as soon as the early board interviews were over. He may actually have taken me. I walked into a busy bar it now being just after 5pm. He gave both of us I think a glass of champagne and then a beer. One of the QFIs gave me my car keys and told me where my car was parked. In the RAF if someone was killed, their car was immediately taken off base. If it was on the base it might be impounded until the new ownership could be established. Bad enough that her husband had died but even worse if the family car was impounded until the will was read. If it was off base it was nothing to do with the RAF. After a bit one of the students went to the Station Commander and asked if some girls who were waiting in the courtyard outside could come in. The bar was open from 5 till 7 every evening but only for officers not guests. These girls were the local girlfriends of Dode and some of his course. And said they were worried about him. I think that the Station Commander was so relieved that both of us had survived, and the accident was clearly caused by a technical fault for which he could not be held responsible, said yes. And a group of young ladies came in and mobbed Dode. I believe that the accident did wonders for his sex life.I drove home and then had to drive my car, which Gabby had left in the road, back to the garage. While I was doing so, I met our neighbour who commented on the Tucano crash. When I told them it was me, arrangements were immediately put in place for a typical Tholthorpe Party. Many of the pantomime crowd came round and I know we demolished a special bottle of Malt Whisky that Peter had.The next morning, I had to hand in everything that I had been wearing on the ejection so they could see how it had stood up to it. The board 
                                
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