Although I have Lurked around these forums for some time, I have never previously posted as, having no connection with the Aviation Industry other than as an interested bystander and paying customer, I have felt it better to allow my elders (not many) and betters (nearly everybody) to do the talking.
However, I may be able to add something to the early history of P/O Prune. I have a book entitled 'Pick of Punch', which is a collection of articles from 'Punch' Magazine, in this case for the year 1942, which includes a story by Anthony Armstrong entitled 'Flies and the RAF'. The story describes a meeting of the Fly Inverted-Landing Commitee in the Mess at RAF Prangmere, among those present being P/O Prune, F/O Talespin, P/O Nosedyve, various others and a considerable amount of alcohol. The discussion centres around the age-old mystery of how flies land on the ceiling, and, inevitably ends in disaster.
It is quire funny, in a 1942 sort of way, and I would be happy to scan and mail it to anyone who is interested.
I did have more wartime editions of 'PoP', and I'm sure the venerable Prune appeared in other stories, but they seem to have gone the way of all Flesh, and I can't check!
stb