Cocktail Party Conversation - During my tour at No.1 Air Division at Metz, France we attended many cocktail parties. I remember one in particular when Air Vice Marshal (A/V/M) Bill MacBrien (known as iron Bill) was to be our guest of honour. The Air Officer Commanding (AOC) A/V/M Hugh Campbell told us that our guest of honour would be interested in what the young Officers were doing and he encouraged us to speak to him at the cocktail party.

During the course of the evening I saddled up to our guest who in 1941 was the Chief Flying Instructor with the rank of Squadron leader at No.2 SFTS located at Uplands. I said to him, "You and I served together in 1941 at Uplands." He immediately replied, "Graham what rank were you then?" I answered. "AC2." He then commented, "Gee you have come a long way." I replied, "You haven't done badly yourself." He immediately walked away.

By Archie Graham, Flight Lieutenant, Retired