QUOTE: "That could have been due to the C Met O, the Command forecaster. He would hold a round-stations conference call before arriving at a Command forecast".
Sorry, totally untrue: I was a senior duty forecaster c. 1980-83 at JHQ, which did indeed have oversight of the outstation briefs but never drove a hard party line unless the man at the sharp end was inexperienced or clearly barking: a rare event. We also did routine forecasts for points east, just in case.
Soon after that, the JHQ org. was closed down and the Bruggens of this world, although line managed and inspected and butt-kicked by successive CMetOs BFG, did their own thing under the CMetO STC area forecast. Between 1989 and 1996 they did NOT confer with STC except on the rarest of occasions, and, since CMetO BFG had neither staff nor facilities to second-guess experienced and, in the main carefully selected forecasters there was little interference. The exception was Friday prayers at HQRAFG, metbriefed by talk-box from Bruggen, and attended by CMetO BFG or deputy as a matter of invariable routine. If I did not like the delivery [not the content] of the forecast, and the attention to the niceties of good manners and discipline, I was on Bruggen's doorstep pdq. With ACM Sandy Wilson as boss man, nothing less would have scraped by. I had no desire to cut short a lovely 65 month tour.
As to batmen, no, but when Mrs Metman had a cockers-p or a dinner, we sometimes asked the Mess staff via the Manager if they would like to do a private function in return for the needful. Always always excellent. RAF of course.