Pontius Nav
We probably had our own Eng O because we were established as a fully independent, mobile squadron. We were not "winged up" because for most of my time we were the only squadron on the station. We also had a complement of clerks, cooks, medical orderlies and batmen/waiters who were detached formally to the Admin Wing of our host station. But they used to parade with us.
Of the two Eng Os in my time, the first was a National Serviceman with a shiny degree from a fancy university. He knew nothing about practical engineering and management. The "old sweats" just ignored him. His replacement was an ex-WO on his first commissioned tour. He had been all through the Western Desert campaign of WW2 and knew what it was all about. Aircraft availability doubled immediately and kept on rising. He was in his forties and we all revered him. "Alf" Button went on to become a Sqn Ldr Eng O on a V station I believe.
Most of the groundcrew were national servicemen and, although they were keen and cheerful enough, their length of service did not allow them to become usefully skilled tradesmen. All they did was to fetch and carry for the few regulars who did most of the work. This needs to be remembered when the latest yobbery outrage leads to demands to "bring back national service". It may have done the conscripts some good, but it pulled down the regular service.
The only disciplinary problems in difficult conditions (people did whole unaccompanied tours in the cage) seemed to be in the local Rockape squadron, with whom we waged a continual war of attrition.