On 21/03/2020 10:51, R D S wrote:

I'm having my first experience of a close coupled cistern/pan, must have
escaped them until now.

There's a foam 'doughnut' between the two, I presume i'm fastening the
cistern and pan together until that is squashed and the ceramic parts
are in contact?

just watch there are foam doughnuts and there are foam doughnuts trial
and error as to what type works for you.....