Fixed Cross (your #7912),
...Continued up above cloud and called for advice. Nothing practical as all suggestions required sight of known landmarks. Then realised that the stars might provide an answer...
Good God ! Was it for the likes of this lot of ATCOs that I laboured three long years with "chalk and talk" at the JATCS at Shawbury ?
It was "in the '60s" and you were in a JP (please tell me it wasn't Leeming !). Had they never heard of "No Compass, No Gyro Procedures ?" What an Approach Room full of buffoons ! Whoever was on the CADF at the time should have had his/her Certificate of Competency torn up before his/her eyes, and been drummed out. (And SATCO, too, for giving it to him/her in the first place).
All day, the "Sun's Azimuth" was the preferred method for ATC. * If you couldn't see the sun (unlikely in your case, as normally you'd be above cloud or could easily get there), then things were more difficult, but I've had success with (and we taught) the "two and one" method, and that works day and night. And every cub Scout can identify Polaris.
...worked OK for the subsequent QGH...
I should damn well think so ! - after you'd done the hard work for them !
Note * There is a DIY method: if you take that enormous knuckleduster off your left wrist and point the hour hand at the Sun, then half way between the hour hand and 12 is South (1 pm and South in "A" time). But Approach has the figures for Sun's Azimuth (for all daylight hours) in front of him/her (or should have).
Words fail me !
Danny.