[rof120]

Some days ago, after having read the various posts of this thread, I thought I could look for pictures and details on Ken Charney. I grabbed my copy of “Le grand cirque 2000” and I quickly found the photograph showing Clostermann and Charney shaking hands on behalf of some photographers (page 249). If there is an English edition (“The Big Show 2000”?) the page numbers are probably different but the “French” numbers give you an idea where to look for them.

It seems that such an English edition exists but without the “2000”. I found it on the Internet, searching for the title and, over it, Pierre Clostermann. Without this name you’ll get quite other results. There are many pictures showing various cover pictures including one which says: “For the first time complete and unabridged”. The photograph on the cover or dust jacket is precisely the already mentioned one with Ken Charney.

When looking for this pilot in my French copy I discovered that he probably is the second man most frequently named by Clostermann in this book, second only to PC’s buddy Jacques Remlinger. Clostermann and Charney were together in the same 602 squadron, Remlinger too, who was a 602 member before PC arrived there. On page 126 (French edition) there is a photograph showing Charney, Bruce Oliver and Remlinger, all three almost naked in the summer. Teresa Maria will be delighted to discover this work of art.

PC’s memories of 602 Sqn City of Glasgow begin on page 124 with the date “24 septembre 1943”. He flew often in Ken Charney’s section and this often together with Remlinger. Charney is mentioned, in many cases several times, on pages 130, 144, 147, 153, 163, 199, 348, 249 (“The” photograph). I’m not sure Charney is to be seen in the middle of the photograph on page 253 (?) – I can remember that the caption, in the 1948 edition, mentioned the name of this pilot but I can’t remember who it was. Perhaps somebody knows more.

On page 258 a rather poor photograph (too dark) shows eight pilots of 602 Sqn at the end of July 1944, “the survivors”. In the caption PC added, “Compare with the photograph from May 1944” (I suppose it’s on page 221; there the picture shows 17 men). This part of the book ends on page 259 (an exhausted PC (fighting over Normandy) was sent back to England at the end of July 1944).

The last sentence of this page and on this part of the war is the most beautiful sentence I read – ever.