None of the wonder solutions involved in Borneo though, was there Thud_and_Blunder? Ghurkas storm in on Blackburn Beverleys. The grey funnel line turns up with a clapped out WWII carrier converted to commando ship and fill the sky with Westland Whirlwinds, the RAF turn up with Hunter FGAs firing 30mm Adens and all the while the RN museum ship HMS Cavalier was moored out in Brunei Bay serving as command centre for the whole operation. Yet despite the lack of any proper weaponry or equipment, everything still went wonderfully well. Oh and never forget the Royal Marines making a 'seaborne' landing at Limbang after converting a gravel lighter into a landing craft. Heavy casualties but they hacked it. Of course. I suppose it must have had something to do with the quality of the manpower rather than the quality of the equipment we were made to do it with, thanks to Mr. Plonker the Defence Sectretary.
No, Duncan Sandys it has to be - for his services, not only to all three of the Armed (?) Forces but to the British aircraft industry in general. Instead of his acres of hi-tech wonder rockets the RAF staggered on with the poor old V force and its prehistoric bombing system, the radar core of which had seen actual service over the Third Reich, right up to the Falklands conflict. I'm amazed we ever managed to find the bloody Belgrano let alone sink it.
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Through difficulties to the cinema