I suspect that PN and Mike Read, like myself, also had civvy hats to wear when off duty. These were required to be worn so that you could raise them when greeting ladies when out in town, and of course to acknowledge the salutes of airmen who happened to recognise you (they were in uniform, with hats, of course!). Also essential when "calling" on Mrs station commander soon after your posting in to a new station. I suspect all this is about as familiar to younger PPruners as life in the army of the Raj, but I quite liked it. Nowadays regrettably my hat serves only to keep the Cornish sun (or more often rain) off my rapidly expanding bald patch
