The Internet, for me, is just about the greatest invention - ever. Through it, I was first able to join this forum - and secondly - meet up - in a virtual way - with people like Trooper. I was very quickly into asking questions - and one of the first people to answer me, was Trooper. I knew him as that - Trooper - and only later on did I come to realise that he was Alan Caton. However, to me he was always - and will remain, fondly in my memory, as Trooper.
If ever a name was more appropriate for a man. What a Trooper he was. We frequently exchanged ideas in these pages - and he was a Gold Mine of information and advice. I asked so many questions - he re-named me his little Welsh ferret - and I loved him all the more for that.
I have made many friends on this forum - but for me - he was just the best. His humour always shone through in his conversations with me ( yes, that's what it felt like - a conversation with a friend that I seemed to have known all of my life). We were on that same wavelength.
And now he's gone.
He was simply my friend - and I will miss him greatly. My greatest commiserations to Alan's family. johnnybach.