Danny,
My apologies for getting your name wrong. I have given myself a slap on the wrist and put it down to a senior moment which occur all too often these days.Incidentally I liked your interpretation of Taphappy. All will be revealed.
Petet,
I don't recall the bed inspection happening on a daily basis but when it did happen it followed the procedure which happened in all the services,well perhaps not the Navy.
The mattress was in three pieces commonly known as biscuits and each morning they had to be stacked at the head of the bed with the blankets folded and wrapped round the biscuits to form a square. As U/T aircrew we were pampered and issued with sheets which were I think stuffed between the blankets and sheets.
The kit inspection involved laying out all your official pieces of kit in a specified order on the bed tough on you if there were any articles missing.
I don't recall any of these pieces of bull being carried out much if at all after ITW>
Chugalug2
Your comments on AF Law are interesting and sometimes such laws gave rise to humorous situations.
Later on in my RAF service, I was playing snooker one evening in the Sergeants Mess with my friend Dick when at about 2330 the doors were flung open and a very irate Warrant Officer who sounded as though he had been propping up the bar all night entered and in no uncertain terms ordered us to stop playing forthwith,put out the lights and close the door. Dick being of a bit of a bolshie told the WO "to put the bloody lights out himself".At this the WO charged Dick with disobeying an order from and swearing at a senior officer. He then cited me as a witness.
The next morning we were in front of the CO with the usual " caps off, left right, left right. Anyhow the WO on the charge sheet had accused Dick of telling him to put the f------ lights out himself. Following a discussion on which swear word had been used and such words being bandied to and fro across the desk I put my tuppence worth in and pointed out that the WO had not specified who was to put the lights out and I in fact had done so.Between the doubt as to which swear word had been used and the lack of clarity in the order the result was case dismissed and I could see the CO having a quiet chuckle to himself. Exit one very unhappy WO.
This guy was a long service man who had probably spent years in getting to the Sergeants Mess and took a dim view of these young aircrew types cluttering up the mess.
How much time was wasted on such trivialities???
However I digress so had better get back on my road to a flying brevet.
Having completed ACRC where we were paid the princely sum of 3 bob per day my three room mates and I were posted.one to Pilot Grading School,two to Air Gunner ITW and me along with many other prospective Navigators and Bomb Aimers to ITW at Bridgenorth in Shropshire
Our journey there was by train and took about 10 hours changing at various points on route. On arrival at Bridgenorth Rail Station we were met by the usual friendly!!! sergeant and then had to march uphill with full kit to the camp. As I recall it wa a fair hike and I get tired just thinking about it so will continue this anon.