Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I could tell a story:
My Grandad Johnny Insole had spent his entire adult life smoking like a chimney and drinking like a fish.
From time to time I would ask him what he did during the war, but he wouldn't say. Every question would be answered by him tapping the side of his nose with a finger and saying; "Never you mind 'ol son, I signed the Official Secrets Act y'know..."
My father recalled him coming home on a couple of occasions with tins of Player's luxury filter cigarettes, at a time when obtaining any tobacco was difficult! As granddad was a chemical engineer, dad assumed that he'd been involved with the manufacture of the filters.
We have recently discovered that the old boy was working on the "Tube Alloys" Project, and that it was cellulose acetate (cigarette filter fibre) that was used to separate the critical uranium isotopes! It would seem that he was nipping to and fro twixt Nottingham and a top secret location in North Wales? Not only that, we have recently discovered evidence that postwar, he had his own office at the infamous Aldermaston site!!
Little wonder he would not admit to any of it?
Recently, during a visit to an outpatient clinic at hospital I was, quite rightly, lectured by a Doctor on the ultimate effects of smoking, including a rather graphic description of Pneumonia! I recounted that on the very last occasion that I saw my granddad, he was suffering from that illness and barely had the strength to stubbornly hold a Rothman's Superkings ciggie in one hand, and a triple measure, neat Scotch in the other.
As my examination had ended and I was about to leave the consulting room, the Doctor added his final repost;
"So you know what I'm talking about then".
"Yes", I sadly admitted, then turned back at the doorway and smiling, replied;
"Mind you, he was 101 years old!"
"Touche!"
We always reckoned that the reason he lived to such a ripe old age was that he must have been perfectly pickled, but now we suspect that he was thoroughly irradiated too!
Pete.
My Grandad Johnny Insole had spent his entire adult life smoking like a chimney and drinking like a fish.
From time to time I would ask him what he did during the war, but he wouldn't say. Every question would be answered by him tapping the side of his nose with a finger and saying; "Never you mind 'ol son, I signed the Official Secrets Act y'know..."
My father recalled him coming home on a couple of occasions with tins of Player's luxury filter cigarettes, at a time when obtaining any tobacco was difficult! As granddad was a chemical engineer, dad assumed that he'd been involved with the manufacture of the filters.
We have recently discovered that the old boy was working on the "Tube Alloys" Project, and that it was cellulose acetate (cigarette filter fibre) that was used to separate the critical uranium isotopes! It would seem that he was nipping to and fro twixt Nottingham and a top secret location in North Wales? Not only that, we have recently discovered evidence that postwar, he had his own office at the infamous Aldermaston site!!
Little wonder he would not admit to any of it?
Recently, during a visit to an outpatient clinic at hospital I was, quite rightly, lectured by a Doctor on the ultimate effects of smoking, including a rather graphic description of Pneumonia! I recounted that on the very last occasion that I saw my granddad, he was suffering from that illness and barely had the strength to stubbornly hold a Rothman's Superkings ciggie in one hand, and a triple measure, neat Scotch in the other.
As my examination had ended and I was about to leave the consulting room, the Doctor added his final repost;
"So you know what I'm talking about then".
"Yes", I sadly admitted, then turned back at the doorway and smiling, replied;
"Mind you, he was 101 years old!"
"Touche!"
We always reckoned that the reason he lived to such a ripe old age was that he must have been perfectly pickled, but now we suspect that he was thoroughly irradiated too!
Pete.
