Book signing gets off to a flier

A FORMER RAF serviceman turned author signed copies of his new book at a shop on Saturday, November 26.

Writer John C Harriss, who spent 24 years in the RAF Regiment, met customers at Susie’s Bookstore in Biggleswade.

John, 64, who lives in Stotfold chatted to shoppers and signed copies of Pull up a Sandbag and Pass me a Lamp.

Serving in the RAF Regiment in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s John travelled the world and was variously stationed in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and later in Germany and Northern Ireland.

He said: “After more than two decades in the RAF, I’ve got a few stories to tell and the book focuses on the different parts of my service.

“I was stationed in Asia during the Vietnam War and we used to stop off in Saigon on occasions so we were quite close to that war.”

John also had experience of conflicts closer to home.

He added: “I was also serving in Northern Ireland not long after Bloody Sunday and it was my job to search the houses of suspected bomb makers.

“I actually caught one red-handed on one occasion.”

The book signing particularly captured the imagination of some of the more elderly customers.

John said: “Some of the ladies who came in have husbands who completed national service and they were keen to buy a copy for their husbands as a Christmas present.”

The book is now available to buy at the store and also online at www.amazon.co.uk