Around 1999 /2000 Jim, myself, Alistair Weir and Al Roberts all keen triathletes spent time traveling to events up and down the country, we all even went to Cyprus with the Army Triathlon Squad a couple of times, them as athletes and me a very keen add on.
Jim bought a white VW t25 Westfalia a beautiful van which he adored and he used regularly to stay overnight and events further afield. On the fateful day in question Jim had a work meeting in Aldershot so asked me to stand in for him on morning duties parade, on this day he would have gone to Aldershot in the camper, but the battery was flat so he put it on charge and asked Teri to keep an eye on it, He would use the Colonels staff car.
About 1000 hrs I had to come home for something and cycled past Jims house and his camper which had been pristine had burned to the ground and was a pile of ashes. I immediately rang Jim in Aldershot and asked if he knew what had happened to the van, he started to laugh out loud.
He recalled how Teri had called him and told him the van had caught on fire and was destroyed (it was a common problem on vans of that age when you charge the batteries in situ). The fire Brigade had been deployed. He then proceeded to tell me how Teri had lightened the mood by telling him it wasn't all bad and there was good news. When he said what is it she quite calmly said to him "the Fires Out" and he burst out laughing again. Great times with a big fella who liked a laugh and loved his family.