Sir Patrick Moore
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I had the pleasure of going for a curry with Sir Patrick Moore about 15 years ago. Apart from his obvious appreciation of spice, he was certainly an interesting character to share stories with. He told the story about having to take over the controls of a Lancaster at a tender age after the Pilot and FE were injured. It really brought home to me what courage and bravery had to be brought into play; when you compare that with some of today's young people of a similar age, how many would be found wanting?
He definitely represents an era of very different standards and expectations.
He definitely represents an era of very different standards and expectations.
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Taybird wrote:
<< ... It really brought home to me what courage and bravery had to be brought into play; when you compare that with some of today's young people of a similar age, how many would be found wanting?
He definitely represents an era of very different standards and expectations.>>
It's not the times but the environment - the young people of Rhodesia still had outstanding qualities as late as the '70s.
Like the earlier British generations, they had cultural and national identities - and pride in them.
WW2 was, in effect, fought against such values - you should not destroy one's cultural fabric without careful consideration of what you are going to replace it with. I suspect that there was very little discussion at the time as to whether we were going to abandon all forms of nationalism (indeed there was probably a lot of deception - for examples, the Russians being told that they were fighting a "Patriotic" war and Churchill warning of the threat to the British Empire) - too late now as you are too multi-cultural to define a national identity other than with practically meaningless soundbites. Just don't blame the young - your forebears left them in social limbo. Make the best of it by talking with other men as to what kind of community you want in future, what can be salvaged, etc - too late to cry over spilt milk.
<< ... It really brought home to me what courage and bravery had to be brought into play; when you compare that with some of today's young people of a similar age, how many would be found wanting?
He definitely represents an era of very different standards and expectations.>>
It's not the times but the environment - the young people of Rhodesia still had outstanding qualities as late as the '70s.
Like the earlier British generations, they had cultural and national identities - and pride in them.
WW2 was, in effect, fought against such values - you should not destroy one's cultural fabric without careful consideration of what you are going to replace it with. I suspect that there was very little discussion at the time as to whether we were going to abandon all forms of nationalism (indeed there was probably a lot of deception - for examples, the Russians being told that they were fighting a "Patriotic" war and Churchill warning of the threat to the British Empire) - too late now as you are too multi-cultural to define a national identity other than with practically meaningless soundbites. Just don't blame the young - your forebears left them in social limbo. Make the best of it by talking with other men as to what kind of community you want in future, what can be salvaged, etc - too late to cry over spilt milk.
Patrick Moore's death reminds me of a guy called Geoffrey Perry (who died in 2000) who was a science teacher at Kettering Grammar School. Geoffrey Perry followed events in space with rudimentary equipment (a coat hangar featured in one piece of equipment), momitored and gave evidence to the US Senate on Russian progress in space. He also fired the imagination of generations of youngsters, some of whom went on to careers in the space industry - I have no doubt GP and PM are shering a couple of beers in the celestial bar. RIP
Sir Patrick Moore
In answer to Walter Kennedy's post, I once had the pleasure of working with Sir Patrick on "Sky At Night" back in the early seventies. I asked him why the programme was so short and broadcast so late at night. he replied with words to the effect that "The BBC like to keep eccentrics like me tucked away in a corner so as not to upset too many people and astronomy is considered to be a very minority interest programme!"
RIP Sir.
RIP Sir.
Gentleman Aviator
Best piece of advice I heard from him was in a slim volume of his called "How to Annoy Bureaucrats" or similar.
He suggested rubbing candle-wax on the bits of forms marked "For Official Use Only", thereby making them unusable!
I think we should all try and do that once soon in his memory!
RIP Sir, there'll never be another like you.
He suggested rubbing candle-wax on the bits of forms marked "For Official Use Only", thereby making them unusable!
I think we should all try and do that once soon in his memory!
RIP Sir, there'll never be another like you.
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Teeteringhead
The book you refer to was called 'Bureaucrats: How to Annoy Them'. It was written by Sir Patrick using the pen name R.T. Fishall. A very amusing read and typical of the man's sense of humour.
Sun.
Sun.
Last edited by Sun Who; 11th Dec 2012 at 22:02. Reason: spelling
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Just watched Tuesday night's tribute, and was reminded within seconds of another eccentric genius, sorely missed - Magnus Pyke, although Dr Brian May looked considerably younger (hair colour) than he does now - see 2010 picture v 2011 lower down v 2012 appearance at Olympic Ceremony.
Sir Patrick Moore was awarded a Bafta for services to Science & Broadcasting and comments were that he met the first man in space and the first man to fly.
I disagree with the "first man to fly" - Was this Sir George Cayley's Coachman/Footman/Butler, d. ???, or Grandson, d. 1878, (some ambiguity), Augustus Herring, d. 1926, or Wilbur Wright, d. 1912 - 3s flight 17 Dec 1903.
Since Sir Patrick Moore was born in 1923, there is only the chance that he could have met Cayley's Coachman/Footman/Butler, seventy+ years after the event (1853) or Augustus Herring before his (Patrick's) 3rd birthday, or Orville Wright, d. 1948 - 2nd to fly powered.
(I've discounted all "Lighter Than Air" pilots - Montgolfier's 1700's, Zeppelin 1800's)
Sir Patrick Moore was awarded a Bafta for services to Science & Broadcasting and comments were that he met the first man in space and the first man to fly.
I disagree with the "first man to fly" - Was this Sir George Cayley's Coachman/Footman/Butler, d. ???, or Grandson, d. 1878, (some ambiguity), Augustus Herring, d. 1926, or Wilbur Wright, d. 1912 - 3s flight 17 Dec 1903.
Since Sir Patrick Moore was born in 1923, there is only the chance that he could have met Cayley's Coachman/Footman/Butler, seventy+ years after the event (1853) or Augustus Herring before his (Patrick's) 3rd birthday, or Orville Wright, d. 1948 - 2nd to fly powered.
(I've discounted all "Lighter Than Air" pilots - Montgolfier's 1700's, Zeppelin 1800's)
Last edited by unclenelli; 12th Dec 2012 at 23:18. Reason: watching whilst posting
