Dasher came from Melbourne, where he was a betting ring regular at an early age and became seasoned in the hard knocks. Like the time he made a book at the Stawell Gift, the professional running race.

IN MARCH 1943, HMS Dasher, a Royal Navy aircraft carrier, was sailing in the Firth of Clyde 14 miles from Irvine. The ship was in safe waters, not one of the 528 crew was wearing a life jacket.