I say, I did all this time on the squadron
and my ambition was to do the necessary
five or six operations so I could get my own crew.
I wanted my own crew.
And I was sitting in the sergeants' mess,
bored out of my mind.
Yet again, my name wasn't on the battle order.
And the phone went, so I answer the phone.
And it's a lady who turned out to be
a very, very attractive indeed barmaid at the local pub.
And she wanted another chap.
Well, he happened to be flying.
So one thing led to another, and in the end
she agreed to let me take his place that evening.
So I sat there and I thought, I better go and get started
getting ready, I think, for this evening's date.
Chap came on and said,
"I see you're on battle orders tonight, Finch."
I said, "Don't be daft, man.
"I've just had a look. I'm not on."
He said, "Well, you better look again."
The point was, was he joking or wasn't he?
I thought I'd better play it safe.
And I went to look and my heart sank.
Sure enough, he was right.
My name was on the battle order.
I thought, "Look at the time, I've got to get ready
'cause I've got to be trucked over to Bourne to fly."
And so to Bourne we went.
And of course I never did get my date, did I?
'Cause that was my last trip I ever did.
(laughs)