The best ever mess? The No 2 Sgts mess at RAF Finningley for trainee NCO Aircrew. No adult supervision, hidden from the eyes of authority ( Mostly!)
Worst? New Daedalus Officers' Mess at Cranwell. Cold, sterile with no atmosphere.
RAF Digby was small and personal with the staff treating everyone as special, evening meals being asked what one would like for dinner and the chef producing it - no menu.
JARIC mess - the one where BPOM members came to happy hour to escape the VSO's and their hangers on.
Every other station's officers' mess was superb for the time I was a member, due to the people who were there;-
Kinolss, PJHQ, Laarbruch. Wyton, BPOM post-HQSTC, Aldergrove for its devil-may-care attitude.
Finally, the Muff-Inn at Al-Udeid, the best unofficial mess I've been to!
I believe there is a case to allow ex SNCOs and Officers to be allowed access to their relevant messes should they choose to. I realize that not everyone would want to, fair enough. But the opportunity should be there.
Last edited by cynicalint; 28th Aug 2022 at 22:36.