Chelsea pensioner gets his AE brevet!

[mmitch]

A Chelsea pensioner has got his air engineers brevet!
One of a kind Chelsea Pensioner at last receives aircrew brevet (http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/one-of-a-kind-chelsea-pensioner-at-last-receives-aircrew-brevet-22072014)
mmitch.

[High Average]

Your thread title is wrong. If he received an AE brevet then he would be an Air Electronics Operator (WSOp in new money). The title should read E brevet. Nevertheless, what an amazing chap he is.

[CoffmanStarter]

Brilliant news :D:D:D:D

[Roadster280]

'Tis indeed an E brevet:

http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/HISTORY-Brevet-170383-490659.jpg

Well done the hierarchy, if it was indeed they that organised this.

[Wensleydale]

He's the youngest Flight Eng I've seen for a while!

[Ivan Rogov]

Pprune needs a 'like' button. BZ

Does that makes him the last Eng to be presented with his brevet? :D

[TheChitterneFlyer]

Does that makes him the last Eng to be presented with his brevet? :D

I'd say you were right on the money Ivan. Newcomers would get the WSOp brevet and, should there ever be an E vacancy, he/she would be cross-trained into the branch.

Sad really... because a NAV will be aboard 'Rivet Joint' (Air Seeker?) as the third flight deck crewmember.

[smujsmith]

It's damn nice to see recognition where it's due. My father in law, were he still with us, would be very pleased. A mere rigger, he served on 75 at Mepal from around 43 to endex. But to the end he was so proud of his association with those Kiwi's. Smashing thread, thanks.

Smudge:ok:

[GreenKnight121]

Well done the hierarchy, if it was indeed they that organised this.

Well...
Sergeant Carrie, born in Dundee in 1915, has the unique distinction of being the only Chelsea Pensioner eligible to have a Bomber Command Clasp (instituted last year) because as well as his army service he served in the Royal Air Force in World War II as a flight engineer on Lancaster bombers. Indeed it was only when he received his Clasp in April this year by General Sir Redmond Watt, the Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea that staff realised Sergeant Carrie was ‘improperly dressed’ without his flight engineer brevet, which he was eligible to wear on his uniform along with his medals. However on Friday that was put right by Air Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier who took time away from his job as the Deputy Chief of Defence for Military Capability to present Sergeant Carrie with his missing brevet. And another wounded Afghanistan Veteran!!!
Astonishingly Mr Carrie’s RAF service came after he had already served in the Army, which he had joined in 1934 aged 19. He was posted to the Khyber Pass on the North West Frontier (the western frontier of present day Pakistan) where before WWII he saw active service and was wounded. He later saw active service in France at the beginning of WWII before being badly wounded and evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. His injuries prevented him from continuing his service with the Army but undeterred he joined the RAF’s Bomber Command in 1943 and served until demobbed in 1946.

[MPN11]

I do like these medal/brevet peculiarities, especially when the wearer has such an 'interesting' tale to tell.

Nice one, Sgt Carrie :ok:

[Old-Duffer]

I'd like to take a closer look at his medal set. He's got a 39/45 Star, an Aircrew Europe Star and a War Medal. The one at the front is pre-war for his Army service on the NW Frontier.


Does anybody know which sqns he was on and precisely when? I'm a bit surprised that he doesn't have a Defence Medal. As a flight engineer, he probably trained at St Athan.


Old Duffer

[goudie]

especially when the wearer has such an 'interesting' tale to tell.
And I bet he has a few to tell

Congratulations Sergeant Carrie

[The Old Fat One]

He's the youngest Flight Eng I've seen for a while!

Best looking too

[bugged on the right]

Well done Sgt Carrie, better late than never. I always said having an FE was like having Davros sitting behind you.

[SOSL]

What a man!


I had it easy; my career was cold war. I didn't even fly aeroplanes.


Joined up late sixties, retired in the early naughties. Only inconvenience was sleeping in the smelly COC and the occasional whiff of mace during GDT.


So no medals except the jubilee freebies.


There are many like me and we have enormous respect for the guys and gals who caused (and are still causing) our Royal Air Force to be held in such high appreciation across the globe.


I salute you Sgt Carrie.