Thanks for the private messages and phone calls, it is all beginning to fall into place and I can almost remember 1946-1947 if I try hard !!!

In June 1947 my father, mother, uncle, aunt, my cousin Lee and I set out from Chester-le-Street across the spine of Britain (no motorways in them days) in what seemed to be a big car. It was loaded up with luggage and an ex-RAF dinghy which my uncle wanted to float round Douglas Bay.

The wind on the moors was gale force and my uncle lost his new trilby which flew off into the fields while he was making a necessary stop !!

Unfortunately the dinghy (not full of air) also swirled away and we couldn't catch iy.

The crossing was dreadful