I've got it written on a piece of paper.

May I introduce Cecilia. I was on my way to deliver prints to June, I moved my scooter out of the way to allow Cecilia to walk past with Reggie, her gorgeous little dog and had to ask if I might take her picture. As you can see, she is absolutely delightful and we had a really engaging and interesting discussion. There are two extras, I would or could have used either as the main picture. 

An inspirational figure in my early life was a former Royal Navy Petty Officer, John Crossman. He had been a Bunting Tosser in the RN then converted to Radar. Here’s where a couple of explanations are required. 
A Bunting Tosser is a signals rating; in centuries gone by, when a signal had been formed from signal flags (Bunting) the armful of flags was thrown into the air, to reduce the chance of entanglement, as another rating hauled rapidly on a halyard to raise the signal aloft. Hence Bunting Tosser. Then the Navy gave their signallers lights to send messages, once the gas ran out they were given radios. Gosh, long winded or what. 
John had been a surface ship sailor, which is handy, because his next posting was to a radar course, followed by a draft (posting) to HMS Belfast. She was part of the 10th Cruiser Sqn. Part of which, Ajax and Achilles were sent, with Exeter, to destroy the Graaf Spee when she made a run into the North Atlantic. 
A signal was sent from the Admiralty, “Sink Graaf Spee.” No more, no less. John, being a bright lad conveyed the original hard copy to the signals officer, then he folded the flimsy copy and slipped it into his wallet. That thin piece of paper, bearing the command to destroy Germany’s finest remaining warship is now in the vaults of the imperial War Museum. John rests on the Thames Tideway. Two years ago his ashes were committed to the deep from the Belfast. 
My habit of Mickey taking drove John nuts. He had transferred to submarines; there are two things that are generally useless under water, one is a radio operator, the second is a radar operator. After his Naval service he became a fireman and eventually a station officer, the bossman. 
In retirement he moved back to Portsmouth, ‘Pompey.’ If you have ever been on a tour of HMS Alliance, the WW2 submarine exhibit you may well have been shown around the boat by John, he was an enthusiastic volunteer guide.


Please please please watch and especially listen to the Youtube video. 2.5 minutes of the best Goon Show clip.
You will then understand my allusion to “I’ve got it written on a piece of paper.” You may also understand my sense of humour a bit better. :-)))
I've got it written on a piece of paper.