Operation ’Snow Queen’, It turned out to be a ’Jolly’ (2 months skiing in Bavaria) First month was spent in Zwiezel, honing our bodies into potential cross-country skiers (Langlauf). Then we moved on to Mittenwald, 4 star accommodation in a top class ski resort.
We were booked in as representatives of the ’Gross Britannien’ (GB) Olympic skiing team A misrepresentation not entirely discouraged by our glorious leader Capt. Barratt RE. who was doing a very passable impersonation of an Olympic official. The ’Pay Off’ was that we were entered in the upcoming Langlauf ski races, to be held over distances of 30 km and 50 km (This after just 4 weeks training, only 2 weeks actually on skis!). We had never really mastered the techniques involved in waxing the skis prior to racing. Indeed we had never really mastered the art of skiing either! When the great day arrived we were in ’Gung Ho’ mode. How difficult can it be? When I say that we were a sorry sight at the end of the races, well we would have been, if there had been anyone there to see us finish. We were a good hour behind all the other skiers! As with all other (GB) Winter sports, our miserable effort had somehow turned into a glorious defeat! When the news had spread back to ’Blighty’, a newspaper ’Hack’ was dispatched to cover the story. Interviews were given and action photographs were taken of us ’Neck and Neck’ with our fellow competitors. This happened over the initial one hundred metres, when we were bravely ’Holding our own’ in true British fashion. ’Local Boy makes good’ were the banner headlines in the ’Liverpool Echo’, my dear Mother bought 20 copies of the newspaper. It showed an action shot of yours truly looking the part as I ’ Whooshed’ down a rather steep piste. Which would have been great if our glorious leader, had not arranged for sponsorship on our ski suits! To this day I am still reminded of the photographs, with ’Nivea’ emblazoned on my chest.
Very Macho Squaddie, (In Liverpool I don’t think!). | 
