Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Dummy run saved HRH from landing on Barratt H
THE Duke of Edinburgh revealed the “boozy” secrets of the Buckingham Palace dinner table during a special trip to Dundee in July of 1982.
Prince Philip, who died last week at the age of 99 and will be laid to rest today, was in the city to meet 600 Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme participants at Whitfield High School.
He told the girls from St Leonards School in St Andrews that his favourite recipe was chocolate mousse with a “good dollop” of malt whisky added to it.
The St Leonards pupils were doing cookery as part of the scheme.
Prince Philip arrived in a flame red helicopter on the grassed playing field following a dummy run which almost landed in a construction site.
Joe Morgan was depute rector at Whitfield High for 21 years and was the first teacher appointed to the new school which opened in August 1976.
He said: “Maybe Whitfield was chosen because of its location at the top of a hill with nothing but farmland behind it and wide and flat playing fields. It was never said, but I suspect it was a good location from a security point of view.
“Anyway, the helicopter made a dummy run before the event. It came in above the playing fields where it was to land, but in fact, it hovered for what seemed an unusual length of time.
“Eventually, it did land and I spoke to the pilot. He said it was a most confusing experience. He knew where he was scheduled to land but was completely confused because of the housing estate which was being built by Barratt’s just over the school fence.
“You might remember that part of their advertising was to have, as I remember, a helipad at some of their sites and there, just yards from his designated landing was a huge helipad with the massive H beckoning the poor pilot to land in the wrong place. Thankfully, Prince Philip wasn’t on the dummy run.”
Prince Philip was met by Lord Provost James Gowans and regional officials before inspecting a detachment from the Dudhope Air Training Squadron.
The young people taking part in the display had come to set up stalls, displaying the skills and techniques learned from the scheme.
Displays included floral art, pet care, archery and outdoor survival.
Prince Philip also watched a display of swimming and lifesaving in the pool and various athletic activities in the gym including weightlifting and judo.
Five girls from the 20th Dundee Girls’ Brigade were surprised that he seemed to know so much about the Cayman Island Turtle Farm, the subject of their display.
The duke was particularly interested to hear about a group of unemployed young people from Perth who were attending a full-time course relating to the awards scheme at Perth College.
At the end of the visit he met nine members of the Tayside Golds Club, whose members were those who had gained a gold award in the scheme.
He signed the school’s visitor book at the end of his visit and left by helicopter for Moodiesburn for a display by participants in Glasgow.
“The day was a great success for all who took part and was blessed by warm sunshine throughout the day,” said Mr Morgan.
“It was a lovely day and there was a very nice feeling of camaraderie from all the schools involved.
“We were very pleased indeed that Whitfield was chosen.”