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Old 13th Aug 2008, 09:54
  #12 (permalink)  
sisemen
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
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Many moons ago when I worked in MOD my department was headed up by an Air Cdre who was regarded as a bit of an "old woman" and a bit of a joke not to be taken too seriously.

He then suffered a very serious brain haemorrhage. The usual jokes were bandied around - "didn't know he had a brain", "couldn't have happened to a better bloke" etc etc. To my utmost and everlasting shame I admit that I joined in the banter.

He came out of hospital and, following a very brief recuperation period started to come in to work for a morning per week which gradually increased to a couple or three mornings per week. The jokes were still flying around 'cos we all thought that he was gone permanently and wouldn't mess up our department any longer. However, the jokes were somewhat muted as we began to acknowledge the courage of the bloke.

And then the ultimate head of the directorate was caught in a gents toilet in Oxford Street allegedly doing things that he shouldn't have been doing.

There was a bit of a kerfuffle in the department that day and the Air Cdre appeared in the office not at his usual time. Finally the announcement was made by the Air Cdre that Air Marshal ****** would not be coming in again and that he would be taking over until a replacement was found.

From that moment he then started to work all the hours that God sent while still recovering from a major operation that could have been the finish of him. And it went on for months.

The department didn't rate highly in the operational side of things and I guess that the rest of the RAF didn't notice any earth shattering effects - after all the department only dealt with pay, pensions and other conditions of service (so long as everything is OK then who gives a stuff about the blunties). However, it was entirely down to this one bloke that things did run as smoothly as they did given that we were in the middle of a pay review and major changes to other forms of pay.

The man inspired me and, I suspect, also inspired some of his more voluble critics.

Thankfully, the guy is still going strong (at least he was last Christmas when we exchanged cards).

In the words of the Reader's Digest - he is the most unforgettable character that I have ever met! Gordon Mitchell - take a bloody big bow because you deserve it
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