- Contributed by听
- 大象传媒 Scotland
- People in story:听
- John Morrison McLeod
- Location of story:听
- Alness, Easter Ross
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A5845142
- Contributed on:听
- 21 September 2005
This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Allan Price, of 大象传媒 Scotland, on behalf of John Morrison McLeod and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
In 1941 the Lewis squadron of the Air Training Corps No 1791 Squadron was formed and I was one of the founder members. I was at that time a pupil in the Nicholson Institute, Stornoway. In 1942 during the school holidays we were taken to a camp in Alness, Rosshire under the auspices of the RAF.
In the camp there were squadrons from the Highlands including the Aviemore Squadron where we were given training by NCOs from the RAF. The officer commanding the Highland squadron of the ATC one day paid a visit to the camp. We were having lunch in a large marquee and when lunch was over the OC came round on a tour of inspection. The OC prided himself in being able to recognise each squadron from the number on their tunics. He stopped, beheld a certain lad, looked at the number on his tunic, tapped his should and said 鈥淎viemore?鈥 The lad turned round, beamed at the OC and replied, 鈥淣o, thank you sir, I鈥檝e had enough!鈥
While at the camp, groups of us were taken up in a Sutherland Flying Boat. Sutherlands were at that time at Invergordon 鈥 and when our turn came we were one day being marched down to the pier at Invergordon wearing our May Wests. A dispatch rider roared up alongside. He stopped beside the sergeant in charge and handed him a message. We were brought to a halt, the sergeant read the message and gave the order: 鈥淪quad, about turn. Quick march!鈥 When we next halted we quizzed the sergeant and asked for an explanation, but he gave nothing away. However, we discovered that the Duke of Kent had been killed in mysterious circumstances in a Sutherland crash in the Northern Highlands. Therefore all Sutherlands were 鈥済rounded鈥 temporarily, if that is the word. We cadets were not amused. There was one survivor from the crash 鈥 the tail gunner 鈥 but little if anything ever transpired publicly regarding the reason for the tragedy.
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