In memory of those we have lost
I WAS privileged to meet Hamish Macinnes a couple of times; once in the Clachaig Inn after a traverse of the Aonach Eagach and again at a reception in Glasgow after he had received his honorary doctorate from the University.
On the latter occasion, he was accompanied by an attractive young American actress named Betsy Brantley. She told me that she had met Hamish when she was filming a movie, Five Days One Summer set in the Swiss Alps and starring Sean Connery.
Hamish was acting as a mountaineering advisor.
At the end of one day, they were all sitting around having a drink when some Alpine guides entered the bar and enthusiastically hailed Hamish, ignoring the worldfamous movie star.
As she said, it was then that she realized that Hamish was the real thing, and that was it, as far as she was concerned.
John Moreland,
Killearn.
I WAS sorry to read of the passing of Len Scoullar, independent councillor for Bute and subsequent Provost of Argyll and Bute.
He was very affable and independent of mind, a credit to his native city of Glasgow.
Possibly his main pastime, outside of his career in the licensed trade, was flying. He was a keen aviator, flying his small plane out of Glasgow Airport.
There was one experience he relished telling any willing audience.
He had taken off and was flying over the mountains and glens of Argyll when he discovered his navigation equipment had failed.
Very urgently he heeded to know his bearings. Len put out a call to any nearby planes for help in fixing his bearings but, looking around, there were no planes anywhere in sight.
A few seconds later a voice came over the intercom: “This is Big Bird. This is Big Bird”.
Several miles above him was supersonic Concorde on its Atlantic flight.
Concorde’s officers gave aviator Len his position and wished him a safe onward journey.
I have sometimes wondered whether Concorde reached New York before Len finally got home for his tea.
Graeme Smith,
Glasgow.
Remembering Diego
I WAS fortunate enough to be at Hampden that day when Scotland were dismantled by Argentina and Diego Maradona.
I can still remember the thrill that the Scots fans experienced when he set off on one of his remarkable runs, trailing several of our defenders in his wake.
I hadn’t heard much about him prior to that day, but afterwards, he was all that my friends and I could talk about. What a player.
S Miller,
Glasgow.