Comment.
Chugalug,
It's true that the whole Demobilisation process was a bit of a shambles, but it could not have been otherwise, as we were "bounced" into it by the sudden end of the Far East War, which no one could possibly have foreseen. The general idea was that all hostilities-only men were allotted a "Demob Number", This was calculated by a very complicated system of "points" - rather like the "ladder" to gain a Council House.
You got so many for age, so many for length of sevice, so many for being married, so many for children, so many for length of overseas service, so many for.........(well, use your imagination, if you can think of anything else, then that probably went into the pot, too).
Based on this, the chap with the most points got Demob Number 1, and it went on from there. It was Civil Service clerk's dream, for it was all pen-and-paper work (thank goodness, we didn't have computers - the results might have been quite horrendous). Ideally No.1 got out first, the rest followed in orderly sequence. But we ain't in an ideal world.
All sorts of snags cropped up, No. 265 might get out three months before 242, because 242 was stuck in Bombay and we were short of shipping. The Services wanted to keep key people - at least for a while - and negotiated exemptions. Some people wanted to delay 'demob' (Service life, at which they had grumbled so long and so hard, suddenly seemed not too bad after all, and the sunshine was nice).
The opportunities for cock-ups were legion, and we got them in full measure. This resulted in all kinds of gross unfairnesses; this, coupled with things like misemployment, loss of acting ranks and status and (worse) no employment at all in vast Holding Camps, produced an explosive brew. No doubt Wiki gives a reasonably accurate view of subsequent events in an India already seething with nationalistic ferment. "Jai Hind", indeed ! Most people were trying to get out !
As for this oil drum and plank routine, I was lucky - my Commission came up "with the rations", or rather with my Sqdn. C.O.'s chagrin at having Dominion High Commissioners planting Pilot Officers on him willy-nilly. (Some folk get all the luck!). The "Sperling" must have been nice (and Hitler's "Strength through Joy" place at Winterberg was useful), but you can keep all this boy-scout caper for my money - if it was their idea. (We were nearly as bad, do you remember the "Beer and Skittles" letter and the gefuffle which followed?).
Danny,
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Petet and DFCP,
Thanks for the full account of the PACT Courses - it's all clear now. I think the Arnold Scheme and the BFTS Schools in the USA called a halt in mid-'43, but would have to hunt for my sources. Harrogate was bung-full of trained and half-trained aircrew all through the war, I think - all squeezed into the Majestic Hotel !
Danny.
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