MPN11 (#11991),
Thanks awfully! - as we used to day in those golden days "when the blood ran in our veins, and the curls lay on our brows". Can it really be almost 50 years ago? This pic is significant in so many ways:
This is the "turn-over" point when the last remnants of the old wartime aircrew (all on the front row) were coming up to retirement. They had pretty well formed 100% of the Branch after the war. Indeed, I've said that it was "only set up as a Sunset Home for all the good old has-beens and never-wossers of the wartime aircrew". Harry, in the seat of honour, was the exception.
As I understand the story as told to me: promotion to S/Ldr in GD Pilot and Nav was slow; the RAF offered selected young Flt Lts the possibility of accelerated promotion if they would switch over to ATC or FC. This (I would imagine) would mean loss of Flying Pay. Harry (Nav) was one who thought it worth while: P2 fulfilled its side of the bargain (all this is conjecture - you would have to ask Harry). Another from Shawbury CommonRoom who took the bait was Bob Warwick (RIP) ex-Hunters in Hong Kong.
When I did my JATCS School in 1959, I think 42 Cse were ex-aircrew to a man, now the "new boys" outnumber us on the 1969 pic. And our first girl appears! Sue Carter was a fine little Controller, and lasted a while, but then resigned to marry Ron Pattinson (QFI and the leader of Leeming's "Gemini Pair" [aka "Tom & Jerry"] Display Team), and went off to Valley with him. From memory, I think we lost the next three or four girls all the same way ("in a cloud of orange blossom").
There are only two pilots in the line up: Jack Blocki (ex-Polish Air Force, came over to RAF postwar, think he had the "Virtute Militari") and I.
Happy Days, Danny. s 2/5/18
Last edited by Danny42C; 2nd May 2018 at 12:53.
Reason: Wrong Place !