BEMBRIDGE ISLE OF WIGHT
SATURDAY 18th OCTOBER

The day dawned clear and cold in the nether regions of Hurn Airport* as the author joined Michael Bonham Cozens as ‘looker’ in G-MAPR for the great Bembridge adventure which was organised by Leo Baker. This overseas fly-in resulted in the arrival of Pat and Jacqueline Mountain, Jill and Tony Ashmead, Phil and Sue Moore, Michael Ryan with Doc Holliday, Neville and Gwen Duke, Leo Baker with Peter Lovegrove and Michael Bonham Cozens with Ron Dobree-Carey.

After signing in at Bembridge, briefing then took place for an aerial Treasure Hunt organised by Leo Baker. Participants were given an 19th century early Ordnance Survey map of the eastern half of the Isle of Wight with 16 points marked upon it together with a sealed envelope which contained 25 questions pertaining to these points. The envelopes were not to be opened until after start up.

The resulting melee was a lot of fun but a trifle hairy and it was felt afterwards that it would have been beneficial to have had an interval between participating aircraft on take off.

All went well however and on return to the airfield with its strong crosswind, aircrews were conveyed by fast blacks to the Bembridge Sailing Club for lunch.

Prizewinners of the aerial Treasure Hunt were as follows:- 1st Tony Ashmead with Peter Lovegrove (champagne) 2nd Phil and Sue Moore (wine) and 3rd joint equal were Michael Bonham Cozens/ Ron Dobree-Carey and Pat / Jacqueline Mountain (book).

* There are those who know Hurn Airport by the rather more grandiose title of Bournemouth International Airport. I was born two miles from Hurn and as a small boy saw Hurn being built and later witnessed a wide variety of wartime aircraft followed by the early BOAC aircraft including the Lancastrian, the York, the Viking, the Dragon Rapide (£8 return to Guernsey !) and the Tudors and Hermes and the graceful Ambassador.
To me it will always be Hurn.

Photographs by Phil Moore. Report by Ron Dobree-Carey.