After disconnecting the starter, "Webby" has braved the backwash of the airscrew and checked for oil and coolant leaks. He signals me by lifting the aileron to pass the news that all is well. Another instrument check. Air pressure - still climbing: oil pressure normal: oil and coolant temperatures - OK, but climbing. Open radiator flaps and lock on brakes.
Time to look around. Filters and riggers, armourers, electrical and radio mechanics and other groundcrew, some sitting on tool boxes or just standing around 
chatting as they wait to finalise their part of their inspection once the run-up is complete. I give the thumbs up to the tradesmen to indicate that so far there are no problems. A final instrument check. Then, a steady rattle of small arms fire heard over the sound of the Merlin suggests the ground gunners are having one of their periodic practice sessions - or could it be a strafing raid? Looking over the rim of the cockpit, I see smoke coming from the wing and, apart from a crouching LAC Webb, not a body in sight! It is then I realise that it‘s the Hurricane's guns which are firing. But how? The gun button is at "Safe".
And where are the crew who, moments before, were standing around? Was there anybody directly in front of the aircraft?
I can now see “Nobby" Clarke at the opposite wingtip, with an enquiring look on his face. I raise my hands to let him know that my finger, wherever else it may be, is not on the button. I become aware of a hissing noise coming from the gun button: I bang it with my clenched fist, but with no effect. I continue to hit, but the guns continue to fire. With the worst possible thoughts of bodies lying around, I pull back the throttle, push the mixture control to "weak" and knock off the ignition switches. The Merlin comes to a stuttering halt and, coincidentally, with a loud hiss from the gun button, the guns stop firing.
I'm still sitting in the cockpit, unable to move, when a voice asks 'What happened?". It's "Webby". I ask: "Is anybody hurt?". "I don't know" comes the answer, "I don't think so, but what happened?". Now "Willie" Wilson, the Corporal armourer, has joined us and in answer to his unasked question I point to the gun button, still at "Safe". Now it‘s the tum of the Armament Officer, Warrant Officer Smith. "You OK, "Jeff"?", he asks. I must have looked as bad as I felt. "Yes, I‘m OK. Was anybody hurt?".
Thankfully, there was no-one in the firing line and with a huge sigh of relief, I explain that the guns "just started to fire". Flight Sergeant Cornwell and Sergeants Kay and "Basil" Rathbone have arrived from the Workshops Office and are approaching the Hurricane. Warrant Officer Smith cuts short their questions, indicating that the gun button will be removed and checked.
