I’d Like To Know

Q Can you tell me if Carmen Miranda was ever married? Mrs A.H., Glasgow.

A Also known as the the Brazilian Bombshell, Carmen Miranda was born in Portugal, and she and her family moved to Brazil when she was young. She achieved fame as an actress, singer and dancer, and was married to David Sebastian.

Q Something on “Antiques Roadshow” about a cat aboard the HMS Amethyst jogged my memory. Can you please tell me a bit more about his story? Mrs B.D., Bournemouth.

A The cat was a stray found wandering around Hong Kong’s docks in 1948. He was adopted by the crew of the Amethyst, who named him Simon. He proved to be worth his keep as he was adept at killing rats.

The ship came under fire as it travelled up the Yangtze River to Nanjing, and Simon was so badly injured in what became known as the Yangtze Incident that he wasn’t expected to survive.

But survive he did, achieving celebrity status, and he was awarded the Blue Cross Medal and the Dickin Medal – the only feline ever to have been awarded this.

Q The query in a recent issue from Ms L.P., Lytham about the poem which begins “January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow” reminded me of the hilarious song by Flanders and Swann entitled “A Song Of The Weather”. Can you provide a verse or two? Mrs S.H., Bracknell.

A An excerpt of the song is: April brings the sweet spring showers,

On and on for hours and hours. Farmers fear unkindly May, Frost by night and hail by day. June just rains and never stops, Thirty days and spoils the crops. In July the sun is hot, [Flanders]: Is it shining?

[Swann]: No, it’s not!