I met Dickie once – well, I was a bike messenger in London, riding home on a Friday night and a Rolls Royce with RA 111 drove past and I thought ‘Is that Dickie in the passenger seat?’ Wearing a bow tie? (On his way to a Royal Variety Performance, I found out later…)
Being London traffic, it was soon stopped on the Strand and I rode up and thought ‘It IS Dickie!’, so I got out my messenger clipboard and tapped on the window. He wound it down and I said ‘Excuse me, but could I get your autograph please?’
‘Of course, dear boy!’ he exclaimed and happily signed my grubby bit of paper. And then, being London traffic, I left them behind as I rode off.
Based on that one experience, I’d say he was a lovely, lovely, humble and cheerful man who appeared to have lived well.
RIP sir!