Rotor in the Green - Foreword
BY BRIGADIER W. J. A. MELLOR, AM, DSC
We go through life dealing with what comes our way, pursuing goals and gathering experiences. While we would all like to think that our own particular circumstances are unique and interesting, few of us have the skill, or the courage, to set our lives out for others to examine, interpret and challenge. It is an exposure not sought by the timid.
Ray Dousset is not timid, nor is he falsely modest. He is demonstrably brave, and in the pages of this book he exposes his life of many facets in a way which will undoubtedly entertain but also confront his readers. His is a straightforward story, simply recounted, of a life enhanced by a consuming desire to fly, the realization of which has led to many episodes of joy and daring.
His experiences in the Army, both on the ground and in the air, reveal an individual of great determination and considerable commitment. The episodes of his work as a rescue pilot display quite clearly his skill as an aviator and his compassion as an individual.
This book offers another perspective, obtained at close range, of the ill-starred National Safety Council and its enigmatic head John Friedrich. It is a more intimate view than that gained from the press reports and a view from someone who, while not endorsing the methods, clearly understood and shared the vision and commitment of Friedrich. This account will undoubtedly provide some balance to a curious chapter in Australia’s aviation history.
But for all the joy and achievement, the accolades and reports, Ray Dousset has struggled to come to grips with deep depression. In these pages he describes the difficulties and doubts he and his family have faced, together and separately, to reconcile the public and private Ray Dousset. It has been a challenging task for Ray to expose and for his family to accommodate.
It is a challenging task for the reader to confront his frank descriptions and deceptions, but the reward for all is in the accomplishment. This account provides an opportunity to witness the triumph of the spirit over illness and despair.
I have had the good fortune of knowing Ray and Margaret Dousset and their children over many, many years. This autobiography paints a clear and frank picture of Ray Dousset, the man and the pilot, on a canvas that all who have any interest in flying will recognise and enjoy.
