* a collection of stories and memories, in no particular order, from the life and times of John Clarke, who served as a policeman in the Australian Police Force, a great practical joker, he also had a great affinity with people and wildlife, was a champion swimmer, snooker player, loved golf, still loves fishing and is also an artist. I hope you enjoy his recollections - cheers, karin (his daughter)
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Sid Fitzalan was a woolbuyer and had his own plane, a cessna 172 and he had it parked out at Lance Berryman's property, 40 miles out of town (Tottenham) and one day he asked me to drive him out there as he wanted to inspect a wool clip on another properly. We drove him out in the Police Car and took off in the plane and inspected the wool clip. On the way back, we were caught in a huge dust storm with a rain storm. It was raining mud on the plane and we couldn't see.
Anyhow, eventually we found our way back and landed, nearly turning over in the black mud. Then Sid was taxiing the plane tothe hangar and missed and hit the wing against the hangar door and smashed the wing. Then driving home, we were going 'round a bend but the Police Car went straight into a tree. We pranged a plane and a police car in one afternoon - not a bad effort!
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Before we left Tottenham, Sid helped me buy a 1964 Holden Station Wagon. We started off with some bags of wheat, swapped them for a broken down ute in a paddock, traded it on a little Toyota utility and traded that in on the wagon! Talk about wheeling and dealing - Sid was an expert!
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