Yes position reports but also w/t fixes weather reports and talk to base.
Military aircraft were expected to fly anywhere whilst civil aircraft flew established routes with nav aids.Also whilst civil trafic might be allowed to go one way military might not be so welcome and be forced to go on long diversions we fell out with most middle eastern countries at one time or another in fifties, Franco wasn't too friendly and the greeks were a bit of a problem. Although by this time the use of w/t was declining, r/t was nothing like the equipement used nowdays. You only had 20 preset vhf channels in two boxes. 121.5 in each box, 2 fir channels, home approach and local, R.A.F. & R.N. common, command common, now you have got 11 left to talk to everyone else. Now Hastings did not operate very high so the vhf range was limited and were slow so you need w/t to stay in touch with civilisation.