Fairways to runways at Churston Golf Club

Bemoaning the weather is a national pastime and, for some of us, the relentless rain has a direct impact on our professional and voluntary lives.

In the sphere of local sport, think of the groundstaff, the men and women responsible for making our pitches, courses and fields playable.

This winter, rain has battered the South-West, with football schedules particularly impacted, but there is a story from January 1943 that left one Torbay greenkeeper completely befuddled.

The world was at war and, as we know, Torbay played a key role in the hostilities, providing extensive training facilities for our combatants. We were also subjected to a number of catastrophic air raids.

Thankfully, this story had a happier ending and no casualties, although it did leave a lot of repair work, and some unexpected fruit, on the lush fairways of Churston Golf Club.

Flying back from Morocco, an American B-17 Bomber from the 427th Bomb Squadron of the 303rd Bombardment Group became lost over occupied France and, after finding their way across the Channel, the crew ran out of fuel, forcing a crash landing on Churston Golf Course.

Radio operator George W. Ashworth recalled the crash:  "On January 12, 1943, we arrived in England from N. Africa, out of gas after being lost over occupied France. We landed wheels up on a golf course in southern England.

“I can still see the long-legged grounds keeper, come running out with coat-tails flying and holding on to his cap to complain about his golf course being dug up. The British anti-aircraft crew nearby came running out to gather up the oranges that spewed from the nose of our new B-17."

No idea why they were carrying juicy oranges but the next time your greenkeeper moans about divots and pitchmarks, tell them how lucky they are.