Another proud daughter of an illustrious pilot father. The pride and the love emerge from every sentence. It sounds as though she has led a notable life herself, starting with a staring role in Woman's Weekly! No doubt the Emeritus Professor did a worthy job of the oration, but I think Anne would have delivered one full of the emotion and love that clearly she feels for her lost Dad.
What a country for pilots is Australia! Immense distances over empty wilderness. No wonder so many retired there after the war. It sounds as if Sir Basil Embry (Whose wife was Australian) took fate by the scruff of its neck in making the decision to become a Sheep Farmer (Rancher surely, his spread was 1400 acres!). A write up was as follows:-
"He was both charming and rude, prejudiced and broad-minded, pliable and obstinate, dedicated and human." (Group Captain Peter Wykeham, No 2 Group 1944–45)
No wonder he was an excellent wartime commander!
Anne's tribute to her father reminded me of Christine Olds tribute to hers. It's an hour and threequarters presentation, so be prepared, but I would commend it to all if you haven't yet viewed it. Always quite a bit of dust in the air when watched:-