Thanks for the spotlight Richard. Believe I thanked you sometime ago viz the information you passed about Alex Cooper , Deceased. Believe that was his Father in the government position before the fall of Singapore that you supplied. I was fairly close to Alex who was not a one to talk about himself, but whenever I stayed with him when he was convalescing at various times managed to get some of his history out of him usually over a bottle of whisky. He like yourself had led a full life, starting life as a junior accountant with British Imperial Airlines, the fore runner of British Airways. Was at Dunkirk as a reservist in the army as a Driver in the RASC. At the end of the war came out in 1946 as a Bird Colonel. Went back and worked a number of years as an accountant for various Airlines and finished up as Head Accountant I think at various times for Malaysian and Singapore Airlines. His various stations over the years included India, The Bahamas, and Aden which even in those days had to go around with an armed bodyguard, so even then there were troubles in the Middle East. Settled in Perth and opened his own travel bureau. Pity you didn't have contact with him when he was alive, as no doubt you would both have been with the same stream of ex pats, especially in Singapore. Although Alex wasn't a seaman he had the same wanderlust and quest to see new places and is a man sorely missed today, as his type would know a lot more than the present day diplomat and gung ho politician. Thanks once again your interesting post of what things used to be like. Regards JS