FFS - I can't believe that nonsense is still there, some 34 years after the PCL threw his teddies!
PCL was the Stn Cdr at the time who was in the same league of popularity as The Scottish Officer or Bastard Bill.... One of his endearing acts was to force the graduating student officers to act as beaters for the pheasant shooters he'd invited to the following day's graduation parade. He used to ponce about in a bright orange flying suit, so at least you could see him coming. Not whilst shooting pheasants though, I guess.
Leeming did use to ask though. On my 24th birthday, I flew up to Leeming from Cranwell with a QFI in a JP5 (XW307 for the spotters). Inbound query "Have you got any Group Captains on board?". QFI and I looked at each other in amused surprise, before he replied, quick as a flash "Hang on, we'll have a look around...... Nope, sorry, just the 2 of us, 1 Fg Off and 1 Flt Lt!".
So for the next 28 years or so, I always used to take the p*ss when calling up Leeming for a PD.."Leeming Approach, Tartan 33, 6 PoB and no Group Captains, on handover...".
Last edited by BEagle; 10th Aug 2008 at 10:29.