I don't doubt that the brake being left partially on caused some of the early RAF accidents; indeed when I learnt to fly in 1961 ensuring that the handle was off was dinned into me repeatedly,
My experience in the UK, exactly, as was applying recovery control to the control stops. "Brakes Off" was number one item of the pre-aerobatic check.
My memory tells me that, in at least two of the Australian losses, the brakes were found in the "taxi" position, two/three notches on.
Tootle pip!!