Regiment Sqn.Ldr. Dougie Bliss. The trick, as stated, was to boil an egg using two razor blades, and then to eat it at once. "Impossible", we all said. After a due pause while the requisite egg and razor blades were fetched, and a piece of electric flex found, the demonstration began. The ends of the twin flex were separated and bared. At one end a razor blade was attached to each wire. A glass tankard of Pils was sent for. With part of it drunk, the egg was popped into the half full glass. The other ends of the flex were pushed into a live power socket and held in place with match sticks. The separated razor blades were pushed into the Pils, one each side of the egg. No, there was no flash, but the Pils started to boil, thus cooking the egg. After the necessary, seemingly endless, five minutes had passed, with all onlookers silent and spellbound, Jim pulled the flex out of the socket, tipped the egg into an empty glass then, fishing it out and holding it in his handkerchief, peeled the shell off, at the same time ordering another Pils. Once shelled, he popped the still almost boiling egg, whole, into his mouth and swallowed it in one action, hastily following it with the glass of Pils to cool his innards down. The astounded look on Dougie Bliss's face was a picture to behold.
It was over half way through February, and after more parade rehearsals, that the weather cleared enough for us to be able to fly again. 50 minutes battle formation was followed by my being leader in a four-ship tail chase. This sortie was followed by an hour of flying in the No.3 position in a six-ship formation involving a snake climb to altitude, form up, fly around involving 10 minutes of close (very close) formation in cloud, then a snake descent back to base. I flew again the next day, firing rockets on Meppen Range.
Practice for the Presentation Parade had reached the point when full dress rehearsals were called for, both outdoors and indoors, for the actual Presentation the following day.
On the day itself the parade went ahead in light snow. The band's instruments froze it was so cold, yet, regardless, the parade continued to the beat of drums, and was entirely successful. The Presentation was made by Air Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst, C-in-C 2ATAF. The outdoor business over, a formal luncheon followed in the Mess. The C-in-C visited the Squadron hangar later, so restrained drinking was called for during lunch. Indoor hockey followed, with the C-in-C among the spectators.
My next sortie in February was 45 minutes of close formation. With all the practice we had by now, our formation flying was very tight, and always with one's wing tip tucked in close behind one's leader's trailing edge. Such flying could be very tiring due to the concentration involved. We took pride in our formation work and reckoned that we were at least as good as anyone else.
Three days later I flew again, this time in a sixteen-ship formation in low visibility and below a 1200 feet cloud base. There wasn't much room to manoeuvre in a tight turn. Depending on which way the turn was, a wing man could find himself not only formating on his next aircraft but, with the most fleeting of glances the other way, on a factory chimney not far away below, or be in the cloud.
On the same day I was sent off on a search for a crashed Anson. After patrolling my allotted area for some time I was told over the R/T to call the search off as the Anson had been found and the pilot was safe. Later in the morning I flew a 1 hour sortie involving battle formation and a QGH, with 15 minutes IF through thick cloud with some icing.
On the evening of the first day of March we Dined Out Flt.Lt. Al Paterson, our 'A' Flight commander. There were the usual speeches and high jinks. It was the norm on being dined out, to present a piece of silver to the Squadron, and for the Squadron to present an engraved silver tankard to the person leaving. This was
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