Foxache,
Now that's more like it! The "Kevin from Sutton Coalfield/get a life" jibe was a masterstroke - nicely observed and well expressed. I withdraw my criticism of your bantering skills, and grovel in abject apology at ever having doubted you. I do resent the implication that I've never been a lowly clerical assistant, however. Don't you know what the word journalist means?
I am, however, going to bore you. Most of the wartime survivors I've met don't use e-mail, so fortunately it has to be face-to-face (always a privilege, often an honour, sometimes priceless!), and occasionally just over the phone. The scary thing is how quickly they are dying off. I wrote a book about the Sunderland only a couple of years ago, and three of the wartime chaps I interviewed for it have since shuffled off this mortal coil.
JAFO,
Excellent response. As long as you don't think I'm serious - though perhaps if its restored proper balance to the aircrew-journalist relationship......!
Mad Boom,
The exact opposite of what I'd heard, but with a ring of truth. How sad, if true.