Research scientist, Dr John Davies, told Kyrle Probus Club how he watched with horror when Ugandan monster Idi Amin cynically selected 12 members of his team and had them shot.

In his inaugural talk to the club, John, the only white member of that team, said he then decided the temperature in Uganda had become ‘too hot’ and it was time to leave.

“He had picked them out because something had gone wrong and they were all dead later. This was happening all the time.”

John’s problems were still not over because he had to negotiate a series of road blocks manned by drunken soldiers, as he made his swift exit.

“I was saved because I could greet them in their own language and the locals protected you,” said John.

Earlier, before Idi Amin murdered his bloody path to become dictator, John had played him at rugby.

“It was when he was a Sergeant-Major in the Army, and you certainly knew when you had been tackled!”, said John.

“He was a good Muslim at that time and he only drank Coca-Cola. But that changed later on. He got round the rules.”

During his colourful career as an entomologist, John also worked in Saudi Arabia, where overseas aid was given for his project to control armies of locusts swarming across fertile oases amidst the vast desert hinterla nd.

The assignments took John to India, Egypt and Indonesia, developing and breeding crops to become resistant to pests which devastated food, crucial for survival in their home environment.

A Welshman, celebrating St David’s Day at the meeting on Thursday, March 1st, John was born near Tenby and still recollects French soldiers wearing helmets returning to Tenby harbour after the Dunkirk evacuation in 1942.

Kyrle Probus Club is a men only club which meets on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Conservative Club in Ross, when talks are given either by members or invited guests.

For further information contact Secretary Jeff Morris on 01989-563698 or you can email [email protected]