Bill North in the R.Test
One fine July night Chris Plummer ran a Gage Tyler evening event that was to turn out more eventful than usual. The site Near Aldermaston (again) was a reasonably open scrubby woodland area with open wide tracks criss -crossing it. Chris had gone in a few days before and armed with fishing rod and bow and arrows, set up a fairly high aerial for use on the day. However, this was a fairly dodgy activity as July thunder storms were rolling around and dumping inches of rain on him. Come the day of the event, Chris found the end of his aerial, but the ground was then inches deep in water, where the area had run off its excess rain. Thus hiding was less effective than normal as he had to sit on a stool within his bush.
Come the time for competitors to arrive 8:30ish, it was getting dark again with the storm clouds coming back, Chris hears a car draw up near the entrance to the area, someone vaulted the gate, and splashed onto the track, ‘Ughh’ was the comment, ‘He can’t be here’, doors slam and the car drives off, only to return minutes later when the TX was switched on again. Splash Splash, they came in down the track and turned left into the site. By Ten O’clock all the teams had found the TX, and Bill North offered to help carry out some of the gear. His offer was gladly accepted, as we were still using valve TX’s with the necessary 40Amphour car battery in those days. Bill kindly staggered off with the earth stake and the car battery, as well as his DF RX. ‘Turn Right , back to the car Bill’ he was told, but he forgot and turned left, away from his car, and into the bog.... The River Test has its source in this wood, and although it looks like a mossy clearing, it is in fact floating weed over 5-6’ deep water. Bill progressed in the gloom, and fell head first into the water. Miraculously he surfaced, and got back to firmer ground, whilst still grasping the heavy battery, and his DF set, BUT he lost the earth stake.
Bill seems to have had a liking for water in his DF career, at one time he used to carry a inflated tyre inner tube if he went anywhere near water........But maybe that was because he was navigating for Brian Bristow , who also had a phobia for deep water.