I never knew her name. She was pretty and full figured and worked for the Malcolm Cub an organisation that provided food and relaxation for RAF junior ranks. It was a time of turmoil in the then country of Palestine. I was to fly the young uniformed lady from the RAF base at Ismailia in the Suez canal zone to Kolundia Jerusalem's small hill top airport. The aircraft was a
four seater single engined Percival Proctor. The only thing I knew about my passenger was a nickname given her by a locker room bragart "Kiss me quick ". I shall refer to her as KMQ.
A sandstorm known as the Gibly was blowing from the south yellowing the sky and turning
the morning sun into a translucent disc .
As the pilot I occupied the left seat whilst KMQ occupied the right front seat with the charts on her lap. There were no radio beacons in the desert so navigation consisted of following the black top road leading to Gaza.
I set a northeasterly heading passing over the Suez canal. Below us the French liner "Isle de France was steaming north with her cargo of wounded from the battle fields of Indo China.
The cockpit was full of noise. Particles of sand made their way through the ill fitting windows.
Suddenly without warning my passenger slid back the side window.
Just as lift on an aircraft wing is generated by air moving rapidly over the upper surface so the same applies to an open cockpit window resulting in lighter objects being sucked out.
My passenger had just demonstrated Bernouli's theorem resuting in my charts plus a light jacket resting on her knee fluttering down to the desert below.
After dropping off my passenger in Kolundia I was to proceed to Haifa to pick up a very senior officer. My options were limited. Should I proceed relying on compass headings in the hope the visibility would improve or return to Ismailia and collect another set of charts. The loss of the charts was my fault , in the world of aviation the pilot is always to blame I should of told the young lady not to open the window. I decided to press on.
I turned to KMQ " If we get lost we may have to force land in the desert " I told her. "We could die of thurst or suffer a worse fate in the hands of Bedouin tribesmen , they may decide
to have their way with you as for me" I added " I f they decide to remove my pants they may obsreve that the skill of a country doctor falls far short of that of a Rabbi in the art of circumcism " What I was telling her I had hastily made up, Darn it she had lost my charts.
Soon the sky cleared and there below us was the Holy Land. It all looked so peaceful despite the fighting .
I was able to pick out Kolundia airport but was not ready for what happened next . What looked like a Jewish settlement lay close to the airfield . A Piper Cub was diving on the settlement dropping packages. Arabs were firing at the small aircraft who seemed to be oblivious to the danger.
'' It looks as though there is a war going on close to where we are going to land " I told
KMQ. I am sure the poor girl wished she had not come flying with me.
There was an RAF staff car waiting by a small hut . I told my passenger I was going to land
and that she must quickly get out of the Proctor and run to the staff car. I was going to get out of there as quickly as possible. Forgoing any pre take off checks I started my take of run
when I felt something hit the wing . It was a sod runway and I thought it might be a small rock.
I picked up the Air Marshall in Haifa. He was in a hurry so I didnt close down the engine.
We flew back to Ismailia . Next morning an irate Wing Commander summoned me to his office.
'' Flying Officer " he snarled " What the hell were you doing landing here with a very senior officer on board , a bullet hole in the wing and five gallons of fuel left.
Years later I called at a pub in the Cotswold hills . Behind the bar a familiar face" Kiss me quick". " Well if it isn't my favorite pilot" .she said . '" I lay on the floor of the staff car all the way to Jerusalem that day. For your information I did not believe that bull you told me after I lost your charts "