Seed Trophy
I knew Uncle Clifford all of my life, indeed he gave me an eight man dinghy from a Lancaster during the war when I was a small child [no inflator]! He showed me the trophy at `The White House` Driglington before its presentation to the service and I spoke to him about it subsequently. First service suggestion was that it be awarded as an inter UAS trophy but when senior staff saw it they felt something more important should be its fate. Much of what has been written in correspondence is misleading. Clifford had first seen the trophy in the `30s. in Sheffield. I have not seen the trophy since before presentation at Scampton but a senior officer told me about ten years ago that it was insured for £28,000. Clifford was an incredibly shrewd businessman and many regretted trying to take advantage of his apparent naivity. He became almost a mythical figure in the West Riding and stories about him were legion. The biggest mystery is why he gave the trophy away. He certainly was not an aviation enthusiast. I have my theory -----------.