IN THE 1980s when Yugoslavia existed, I used to visit the Bosnian city of Sarajevo regularly. In the centre of the town there was (and might still be) a museum about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. Near this, there were impressions of two footprints in the pavement. These mark the supposed spot from which Gavrilo Princip fired the shots that killed the Archduke. You could stand in that very spot if you wished. I have no idea whether this curious memorial still exists but I was reminded of it when walking along the waterfront in Cornwall’s Falmouth.

On the 14th of June 1968, Sir Robin Knox-Johnson (born in 1939) set sail from Falmouth as a competitor in the Sunday Times Golden Globe race. In his small boat, the 32-foot Suhaili (a Bermudan ketch), he circumnavigated the World non-stop. Having won the race, he disembarked at Falmouth on the 22^nd of April 1969.

Just as Princip’s exploit was commemorated by imprints of footprints, so was Sir Robin’s. However, at Falmouth there are two sets of footprints embedded in brass plates. One set has its toes pointing towards the sea, and the other, commemorating Sir Robin’s return, has its toes pointing towards the land (away from the sea).

Whereas the impressions of Princip’s footsteps make us remember the terrible consequences of his actions, those of Sir Robin celebrate a great achievement.