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quite a big job and I enjoyed it but when completed it was clear we were living in the wrong place for my job was to either in France or Derby but never in Camberley! What was more they had given up the Twin Engined company plane!!

During the summer of 1974 I was giving one of these “Crane schools at my new Derby school when some urgent Telexes arrived from Belgrade in Jugoslavia Our Agent there who had just received one of our Mobile cranes had arranged to display it at a large Exhibition centre just outside the capital. It seems the crane was driven into the the Main Exhibition hall where some heavy lifting was required The driver had started to operate the boom extending to it’s fullest extend but once extended he was unable to lower it again. They had very little knowledge of the machine and asked me for advice but I was involved with my class and I believe my Service Manager decided he could

Solve the problem quickly and easily over the phone. Following his advice it appears the machine locked solid! And all hell was let loose on Telexes copies of which came to me in Derby.

The exhibition was to open on the Monday and our crane was suck in the middle of the Exhibition Hall unable to be moved for the boom would have struck the girders within the roof. Other exhibits were restricted in their movement and our company was beginning tocome a nasty word. My manager again tried to take the initiative he prepared boxes of spare parts which he was to send by express delivery but these were stopped and held by the Yugoslave customs who forcast a delay of at least three weeks.

 I should point out that our Agent had no idea what these spares for nor where they were to be fitted even if required. Clearly my boss was making a complete pigs ear of it and by the Friday was pleading with me to pick up the spares from Camberley and take them by road driving at once for Belgrade! I suggested the problem was a technical one and probably little or no spares would be required but he insisted and said I should take my wife or someone with me and explain I was visited the country on holiday in order not to be held up by customs! I stalled him for two days for I had to get insurance and tickets and it was agreed I would take the 9 am ferry to Ostend.

I telephone Pamela what was happening but she was not at all keen to travel Our daughter Clare was expecting her second child and Pamela does not like travelling abroad anyway. So I telephoned my brother John to see if he would come with me but he didn’t so it looked like I was to travel alone.

However on the Saturday evening my brother phoned back Pamela took the message “Would I take John’s wife Yvonne instead?” I fear I never got on very well with my sister in law in the past but if she really wanted to come I telephoned back to say that would be O.K. with me.

All was arranged I would leave home to get to my brothers soon after 7 am Monday morning and she was to be ready. Now I should explain that I am a lot different from my brothers I like to give the air of devil may care attitude! Fast cars and flying no problem. But my brother John is the type who worries about such things! When he leave for a holiday he always returns at least once to check if the Water and Electricity is switched off, Yvonne was the same and so when I turn up 7 a.m. in the morning I stayed no more than five minutes and off we go again. As Yvonne said herself it was like James Bond had arrived and swept her off her feet!!

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