Whispering Smith Column published in the Littlehampton Gazette August 4th. 2014

THE SHOREHAM AIRSHOW at the weekend… the Swingtime Sweethearts were singing ‘Coming in on a Wing And a Prayer, as they pointed to the lightly clouded sky and thousands of heads turned cameras and mobile phones held high recorded the spectacular appearance of the Memorial Flight’s entrance into the air space above Shoreham Airfield. A Lancaster bomber, there should have been two but the Canadian plane had engine trouble, two Spitfires, one with DDay markings, flying low and many an adult, including myself, shed a tear. And who among the appreciative crowd was not moved by the appearance of Sally B the last US Flying Fortress and our own magnificent Vulcan – how does it stay up there and manoeuvre with such grace? A lovely day, so much to see and do for all ages. Happy to see so many Littlehampton faces among the spectators. Wound up the day by joining the RAF Police Association, my old mob, and listening to Annie Riley and Le’arna Ashleigh singing swing, thanks for the many memories, girls.

 DESPERATELY  to remember the name of the Connaught Road School music teacher. I spent days brooding over it, wondering how it would be if I traced another old boy and asked him, a question out of the blue, contact after fifty years. Then, just like that, this morning, while spreading Branson Pickle (Thin Cut)  onto a piece of burned toast, the name just popped into my head. Mr Cottrill. I am wondering, where did that come from and why this morning and what does the teacher’s name have to do with toast and pickle? I see this as a big headline for the Daily Express…’Forget statins and five a day, Branson Pickle may help restore  memory loss and delay the onset of dementia…’ then again, perhaps not. There are other things to worry about this morning like why do I suddenly long for a cigarette after years of abstaining, why do mismatched socks suddenly become a problem or why does my toaster frazzle my bread? The name thing that puzzles me most but the toaster, I am certain, is malfunctioning.

HAPPY to report that ‘Stormin’ Norman is alive and well, gone to a local rest home for old cockerels… I may join him shortly.