The Flight of The Arctic Fox

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2021 NEWS

2023 NEWS

 

2022 NEWS

6 Jan. BBC Radio considering book for Saturday Live show on 29th Jan. Good review from Valerie Wharton on Amazon. See under Reviews.

10 Jan. Agenda bookshops in Malta start promotion for the book.

11 Jan. Deal Radio broadcast interview with Richard Sirot on Paperback Writer.

12 Jan. Letter received from Grace Stewart (nee Cadger) who was the fiancé of Richard Golden from Sligo. She never forgot Richard and keeps in touch with the family after she married in 1964, and lives in Inverness.

20 Jan. I have found my brothers flying log from November 1957 to October 1958 which he was keeping for the final interview in October to obtain his Pilots Licence. This showed that he had never flown with Captain Frank Foster before the crash but had flown twice with First Officer Geoff Wright and once with Rosemary Bevan. He had flown the London-Naples- Malta route several times.

29 Jan. Interview with Richard Cole and Nikki Bedi on Saturday Live on BBC4 Radio. Very interested in the book, the amazing variety of stories of those on board and picked out the Garth Marshallsay story for attention. Many emails starting coming in but no more clues for John Booth’s family. The interview was picked up in Australia, Europe and Ireland. It is available on BBC Sounds bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013zcc5

30 Jan. I received an email from a Colin Gray that was in the forces based in Malta in Oct 1958. His father had sent a letter to him that was on the Viscount on 22 October and went down in the plane. He received the letter a few weeks later, a little crumpled but readable!

30 Jan. Orders have been brisk and Amazon is already out of stock. More have been sent to the distributors. Checking for a reprint which should only take two weeks.

4 Feb. Interview with Bill Buckley at 10.00 on BBC Radio Berkshire.

The Flight of The Arctic Fox now back in stock on Amazon.

16 Feb. I sent a copy of the book to HRH Duchess of Cornwall as she is a cousin of one of the passengers (Desmond Cubitt) with her mother born a Cubitt. Today I received a letter congratulating me on the book and she was looking forward to reading it, and hope that we are able to travel to Italy for the Memorial Service in October.

18 Feb. My publisher has had interest from a small American publisher who has requested a copy.

22 Feb. I received an email from Harriet Ware–Austin after listening to my Radio 4 interview on Saturday Live on 29 January. This is an abridged version.

I was electrified by your interview on Radio 4 about the story of your brother’s death and finding out about the lives of the other victims of the air disaster, because it resonated with my own story. Fifty years ago (1972) I watched a plane crash at Addis Ababa airport, in Ethiopia. On board were my two older sisters, both of whom died. I was eight at the time. (Many years later) I began my own mission to try and find other relatives and friends of the 43 people who died and was interviewed on the ‘Life Changing’ series on Radio 4 in 2021. It led to a flood of messages from people connected with the people connected with those on the flight with many remarkable stories…

Harriet is hoping to arrange a 50th Commemoration this year and we are corresponding to see how we can help. Further details also under Review section.

23 Feb. Visited the RAF Hendon Museum in London and met with the manager of the book shop. I handed over a copy of the book for their review and possible display in the bookshop.

1 Mar. A talk has been confirmed with the Faversham Rotory Club on 25 April.

12 Mar. I received an email from Charm Hawkes, the niece of George Kimble and heard the BBC4 Radio interview last month in her home in South Africa. She has provided more information about George (always known as Ralph) and is sending more photos. She is aiming to be in England in June and hoping to meet up. It looks like a second edition required in November!

22 Mar. A talk has been confirmed at the Phyllis Court Club at Henley Upon Thames on 10 May 2023. This is one of the venues for the Henley Literary Festival in October this year so hoping to

visit earlier!

4 Apr. Update sent out on October gathering. Total now over 50 confirmed

5 Apr. At least two confirmed coming from Malta

5 Apr. More information received on George Kimble from Charm Hawkes in S. Africa. Will be meeting her when she comes across to UK in June.

12 Apr. The book has been sent out to the five Legal Deposit libraries in the UK including the British Library in London.

21 Apr. Terry and Nuala Bannon will be going to Nettuno on 10 May for five days for meetings to start preparations for the gathering in October

25 Apr. A talk on the book was given to 40 members of the Sittingbourne Invicta Rotary Club. It was well received, many questions and healthy book sales!

29 Apr. Invitation to Rotary Radio for interview, which will be international, on 14 June .

8 May. Email from Martin Powell, who saw the article in Times of Malta last year and trying to make contact with Anthony Clover mentioned in Robert Chalmers story.

10 May. October Gathering update sent out

11 May. Terry and Nuala arrived in Nettuno and had meetings with town hall, new military chief Dario Porfidia and restauranteur Danillo to prepare for October. Final numbers and Passport details will be required by 22 August to get military passes for October. More details to follow in early June.

12 May. Terry and Nuala met Marlet Hunter, niece of Richard Golden, in Nettuno and arranged a visit to the memorial stone. Marlet was accompanied by her husband Alec and friends Sheena and Alan Hunter. They were received at the army base by the new Colonel and representatives from the Town Hall and Carabineri. All organised as usual with the help of Massimo DeMarco.

15 May. Terry found the grave of Geoffrey Baggaley from the John Prince story. He is buried at Anzio after being killed in action on 8 April 1944 aged 25.

28 May. First 5 star Review received on Amazon from USA from Eduardo Numes Pimento. Details under Review section.

10 June. Update of October gathering in Nettuno sent out.

13 June. Sheila Lane story revised with the latest information found.

14 June. Interview about the book with Steve Wood at Rotary International Radio Station in Sittingbourne, Kent. Transmission date to be confirmed.

25 June. Met with Charm Hawkes (niece of George Kimble) in London, who is across from South Africa for a visit. Tapes found from 1952 and more additional information and photos, so George Kimble’s story will be updated. 

20 July. Roderick Chalmers was passing through Malta airport bookshop and noticed the Flight of the Arctic Fox in a prominent position on the shelves! Amazon down to 4 copies left.

25 July. Update of October gathering in Nettuno sent out. 

11 Aug. Lois Fogaty Wren, niece of Brian Fogaty, and her husband John confirmed coming to Nettuno from the USA.

12 Aug. Conrad Press confirmed that an American publisher is interested in the book and looking at the possibility of a Spanish translation for the South American market.

30 Aug. All passport details received and sent out to Italy for the military passes on 22nd October. Final number going is 49 plus a professional photographer, who will take a video at the memorial service and stills throughout the day. These will be edited and put on a CD and available to all for a small charge.

6 Sep. The Irish Independent newspaper has asked for an interview next week to talk about the book.

12 Sep. As we contemplate and look back over the momentous reign of Queen Elizabeth II this week, there is a link to our story. On June 18 1956 HM The Queen flew in our Vickers Viscount G-ANHC on a royal visit to Sweden with HRH Princess Margaret. James Bannon was the Radio Officer on that flight and Rosie Bevan was one of the Flight Attendants.

24 Sep. I received an invitation from the Canterbury Rotary Club to talk on 5 December

23 Sep. At a Publishers’ dinner last Friday in a hotel in London organised by The Conrad Press, I gave a short speech on the making of the Arctic Fox and a reading from the book. About 80 attended and it was well received with good applause. Lots of interest including from two screenwriters and a director of Channel 4. Let’s see where that takes us. 

22 Oct. Commemoration Service Nettuno

31 Oct. We have had further discussions on the USB commemoration stick and the content is to be expanded including the 1958 Pathe News clip, more photos  and a short story taken from my diary at Nettuno. It will take to the end of December to assemble it and ready for distribution in early January.

29 Oct. A talk has been confirmed at the prestigious Phyllis Court Club at Henley On Thames on 14 June 

15 Nov. Waterstones in Canterbury have confirmed they are now stocking The Flight of the Arctic Fox.

5 Dec. My thanks to the Forest of Blean Rotary Club who invited me to the Canterbury Golf Club to give a talk. It was well attended, attracted some interesting questions afterwards, and sold more books.

15 Dec. Millers Bookshop in Malta has confirmed they have sold 48 books in their branches on the island this year.