大象传媒

CHANCE WARTIME ENCOUNTER
One Sunday in 1943 we were walking across the field I usually used on my way to school. To my surprise I heard the roar of an aero engine which sounded like the pilot was throttling back. Suddenly, about one hundred yards ahead of us, this plane - I think it was a Miles Majester - which was a very light wooden-built trainer, landed and taxied round towards us and came to a halt. We stood transfixed with surprise. "Oh my God my mother gasped, supposing it's a German." Me being a fairly accomplished plane spotter assured her that it was an army plane, which I recall had slightly different roundels to RAF planes.
Thje pilot jumped down and came towards us. He was wearing an army officers uniform, I cannot recall his rank, but I distinctly remember he had the flash 'Canada' on his uniform and he was carrying a map.
"Good afternoon," he said, "could you tell me where I am, I'm lost!"
"Monks Risborough" I replied, it's about 6 miles north of High Wycombe and about 7 miles south of Aylesbury. I pointed in the general direction of both towns. He consulted the map.
"Would you know in which direction Abingdon is" he asked. By this time some other people had come into the field and we pointed him in the general direction of Oxford and Abingdon.
He consulted his map again and said he was pretty sure he knew where he was and said he would have to rush as it was getting dark and this plane was not equipped for night flying. He thanked and asked us to turn the plane around so that he could take off and away he went. I often think about him and wonder if he covered the 15 or so miles to Abingdon before it got dark.

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