Duncan Hamilton, Remembered

He crashed numerous cars and aeroplanes, did his best to drown an admiral, and his dog delayed a critical wartime convoy for four days by eating top secret naval documents. Yes, Duncan Hamilton was certainly a larger than life character, but was also one of Europe’s premier racing drivers of the post-war era, who subsequently penned one of the funniest motor racing autobiography to date, Touch Wood.

James Duncan Hamilton was born in Cork, Ireland. Aged two he knocked himself unconscious by crashing his pram down a flight of 38 steps. Later, while studying at Brighton College, he drove a master’s car through a wall – arguably all useful preparation for his later years as a competition driver of notable skill and bravura. His introduction to the world of motorsport was gained at Brooklands. By donning overalls and carrying a bucket of water he used to bluff his way into the pits, where he would offer assistance to the bona fide mechanics, ultimately working on the cars of such noted drivers as bandleader Billy Cotton. Brooklands also opened his eyes to aviation, and his eventful war years were spent in the Fleet Air Arm, where he was most frequently seen at the controls of Supermarine Seafires. Post-war life was inevitably boring by comparison, and it was then that the motor racing bug really bit.