I worked with several Branch Officers and they were the 'salt of the earth'. As a junior officer they helped and guided me and steered me clear of some potentially ghastly mistakes. When I reached wg cdr and went 'out of branch' in a big way and found myself in a war, I knew I could turn to them and would get the true unvarnished picture, coupled - if necessary - with a: 'I wouldn't advise that Sir' and a knowing smile.
When the unpleasantness was over, I tried get due reward with an MBE for one of them but was unsuccessful, which I viewed as a great shame.
Old Duffer