This morning I found myself in a very strange meeting. In order to tell you why, I'm going to have to give you a little history lesson, so get comfortable . . . there may even be a test later!

The quiet little village of Aquis-of-the-Romans was not always so quiet. During the war, there was much activity in the skies above it, and the drone of low-flying heavy bomber engines would be a regular event. The reason was that the village lies on the top of a steep escarpment overlooking an area of flat land known as Aquis Flats. This topography was ideal to use as a test bombing range � place two range-finding stations on the escarpment top, and a big chalk marker on the Flats themselves, and "Hey, Presto!", you have yourself a bombing range.

So, quite regularly, bombers of 'Bomber Command - Number 1 Group' would take off from nearby RAF Elsham Wold, fly to Aquis Flats, and drop smoke bombs as near as they could to the chalk marker. The range-finding stations would take a bearing and, using triangulation, calculate the distance by which the ordnance missed its intended target.

Let's wind the clocks forward to 2011, and one resident approaches the local Residents' Association (on which I sit) with a story of a Halifax Bomber crashing into the escarpment during the latter part of WWII, and would it be fitting to have a memorial to the bomber crew? This sort of thing is bread and butter to the Residents' Association. Assuming the majority are in favour, we find the funding, agree the design, ascertain the most appropriate location, get permission from all stakeholders, and off you go. No problems. Takes ages, but there's no rocket science involved. However, these things are rarely that simple. It turns out the Halifax bomber was nothing to do with the bombing range, but was Canadian or American � it was just a coincidence it crashed where it did. Then a chap from the local museum became interested and mentioned that there were, in fact, two Halifax bomber crashes on the Flats (neither involved in the bombing range), and did we want to commemorate both?

Then, we involved the Warden on the Flats (it's now an RSPB Reserve), mainly to establish permission for the monument. She is an extremely helpful young lady who knows the right people to talk to, and before long, many more people were e-mailing with helpful and pertinent facts that continue to muddy the waters. One such was from the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Forum, inviting me to a meeting which commenced about an hour after the time I opened the e-mail. I got there just in time. Getting up this morning, I didn�t think for a minute I�d be part of an Aviation Heritage Forum. It's funny how some days pan out.

Music the iPod played to me recently:

Uptown Uptempo Woman by Randy Edelman (just like Mrs OfClayton, and, yes, I AM a downtown downbeat guy!)

America - Razorlight

Christee Lee - Billy Joel (from the 'An Innocent Man' LP)

Scarborough Fair - Simon & Garfunkel

Get the Balance Right - Depeche Mode

Live & Let Die - Paul McCartney & Wings.