Ian and I did quite a bit together in our teens/20s. When he finished university in Edinburgh, I drove up there to bring him and all his clobber back home, though we did a week’s camping in the Highlands before driving home. While in Edinburgh, I met several of Ian’s friends and, later, I received an invitation from a rather nice young lady to a pre-Christmas party one Friday night in Kensington. Ian had just been called for National Service and was in barracks in Maidstone. In one’s first few weeks of NS, one is confined to barracks so I was astonished to find Ian turn up for the party. He agreed he was AWOL but he told me he had left a note for the corporal to say he would be coming back!!! He intended that on Sunday afternoon. I remember delivering him to London Bridge station and seeing him on the first train on Saturday morning. As it turned out, the corporal had got the note and was discussing with the sergeant what to do, when Ian arrived. It went no further but he had all the dirty jobs for the remainder of his initial training. On completion of his training, he was stationed out west of London – Berkhampstead, I think - and he got home for a number of weekends. One Sunday night, we had been with mutual girl-friends watching TV. It was pouring with rain and Ian intended to take the train to Uxbridge, get himself to the A40 and thumb a lift. Being a softie, I agreed to drive him out to the A40 and one of the girls came for the ride. When we got to the A 40, the rain was so heavy, I just could not leave him so I ended up driving all the way to the camp. As we approached, he got me to stop & he got out. He was soon back, got in and we proceeded. We passed someone, who saluted and drove past what was obviously the Officer’s mess and pulled up at a hut. He suggested I “go down and you’ll find room to turn”. I did – on the parade ground!! It was midnight and I, with a young lady, was trespassing inside an Army base. He then delivered his washing to be given to his mother!! Ian certainly lived dangerously.

He was given sergeant’s stripes in the Education Corps since, as a college boy, he was reckoned to be more intelligent than most. He was sent to a camp in Dover, where he was told that he had to participate in sports. Now I don’t know how things were later in life but, as a young man, if Ian had an energetic thought, he lay down for half an hour till it passed. The thought of having to be involved in cricket or soccer or rugby was not a happy one! Then he was told that what no one wanted to do was organize the sailing!! Now that was right up his alley and he spent several afternoons a week teaching sailing in Dover harbour. He always landed on his feet – bless him.

Ian was a dear friend although in later years, our contact was by a Christmas letter. We spent a weekend with Ian and Elizabeth in the course of which I crewed for Ian in a race in Poole Harbour – and he turned the boat over so we swam!
Some happy memories. Bernard