Revolvers and Moneybelts,
Chugalug,
A thoughtful intervention, as ever!...... I think they were a bit overcautious on the five-round load. As I remember, no one would be crazy enough to have a cocked weapon in his holster, and with the hammer closed the S&W had a good safety catch. The greater danger we foresaw was of strangling yourself with your lanyard if that got caught up in some way and it was round your neck.
Your co-pilots seem to have been handy with figures - did the RAF send them on an accounting Course? And in the belts, they must have looked like Michelin men! (did they get any extra pay for the extra duty?)
As for our moneybelts, the Burmese were a humane race, and in any case it was generally known that the Govt. would pay out far more for an intact airman than the Rs60 in the belt, although it would be more trouble to collect. Quite a few people did successfully walk back, but I don't know what experiences they had with their belts.
All in all, our 'ops' outfit was a bit of a pain, but if you had to hop out, you'd be very glad of it. Alas, it is all too true that, as you say: "if a thing can happen, it will happen" (this is just a restatement of "Sod's Law").
Changing the subject, shall we ring down the curtain on the Mk. IV. Vengeance in general, and on the Camden one in particular, and just enjoy the pretty pictures ? I think we've said all that can usefully be said. Let's pack it in!
Time I went to bed!
Danny.