Update for Jim, Ewan, Ake, Tattie B, Anne - in fact everyone other that deluded troll - Jim I am taking your advice and completely ignoring the troll's presence!
Today I went to the museum, but most of what they have is photographs - however these do confirm that there were a number of canoes on different occasions in those early weeks of protest. I read an article elsewhere which mentioned 13 at one point, then they gradually diminished - blasted to bits by the water cannon? However John had a spark of memory so I hope this will issue forth into an actual fact eventually! And - a lot of people call in when they are on holiday or visiting relatives so eventually some of the older ones will turn up, might get some memories surfacing?
I plan to put a post on the town's 'old photos' site, quite a few Americans are members of that. (I already messaged one but he is too young- - however maybe he knows older ones..?)
I have a friend who is a retired US submariner / pc expert so I sang him the song, told him what evidence I was seeking and we'll see what he can turn up from the various associations eg Site 1 etc. (His opinion - and I agree - is that Captain L would not have said 'goddam ' specially is it was at press conference!)
On Friday I am booked to trawl thro the local paper archives for 1961 -tho I am thinking that even if the editor was present, he would probably not have actually published that type of comment? Fingers crossed he might have kept a notebook -- but whether that is still in archives - who knows? His daughter lives near me so I can pick her brains - -
I read somewhere that there were about 200 at the/a press conference -- if that is true then surely someone heard something - if it was actually uttered?
Sadly many of the people that might know are no longer with us. -Jim, I wondered tho if Neil might come across something on his blog (that you assisted him with)?
Anne - is Marion Blythman still with us, would she have any info? (I saw on a cnd site an article by Marion, she mentioned the phrase we seek - but not sure if it was from the original 'horse's mouth or apocryphal version?)
I know a few more people to try - a bittie older that me, would have been on marches -- Ake, you should be able to think of a few of the older generation who are still with us and who might have something to offer?
And - I'll compose a letter to the editor, get folks started talking, you never know what evidence might turn up!
PS thanks to the person who started this thread, I have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting a load of the songs I used to sing! Brilliant memories of that era - ban the bomb, The War Game film being secretly shown in church halls, Aldermaston marches - and of course anti Polaris marches on the Clyde and Holy Loch! Interesting era to have lived through, participated in -- kicked off an instinct within that I should never blindly accept the pish governments, the establishment, try to land on all the rest of us - never blindly accept anything, always question, check the back story. I have so much admiration for people like Brian Quail, who is still actively stopping nuclear convoys - wow!