Originally Posted by
Chris Kebab
Yes, the "bashed hat" Beagle refers to was definately de riguer for many years :
I arrived at Cerney in ‘61 as a very young 17 year old. When we moved to (was it) 2 Mess ? this old hand (aged c 21) told me that the desks in the rooms had been designed so that one of compartments on the right hand side of the desk could be used to bash your hat. On one of the inspections one of the Flight Commanders saw my Bates hat in there being bashed and awarded me three day’s ‘restrictions’!