Originally Posted by
OUAQUKGF Ops
I knew John and Barbara quite well. John used to visit 2204 (Chesham) Sqdn ATC where I was a cadet to show us slides of his travels to places like Entebbe and South America; he flew to South America on the first BOAC VC10 service. John, myself and a few other ROC members helped form the Chorleywood Branch of Air Britain by joining on its first night.
Barbara I knew from when I joined the Royal Observer Corps Post N1 which used Amersham Community Centre for training while its 'bunker' was at Little Hundridge Farm; it was called 'Amersham' post despite being nearer to both Chesham and Great Missenden.
The second link contains something I've been trying to trace for years; my father (now deceased) told me several times he had flown with Alan Cobhams flying circus from a field 'along Lye Green Road' but this is the first time I've seen it in print.
As for the photo of 'Brandons' department store in Chesham Broadway, I went in there many times.
In latter years it was managed by a gentleman called Harborne, a wartime RAF pilot who had several sons, at least 2 of whom were ATC cadets and at least 2 who became pilots in the RAF; another son was an Air Traffic Control Assistant at Farnborough with me for a while.
Mr Harborne was also chairman of the local branch of the RAFA.
When Chesham United FC reached the final of the FA Amateur Cup in 1968, a civic reception was held and a dais was built at the front of Brandons to welcome the team home after they unfortunately lost 1-0 to a Leytonstone penalty; Chesham did get a penalty also but the thrill of playing at Wembley must have been too much for Chesham's striker and he mis-kicked.