I recognise SSD's quote as my own. Here's my thoughts on the matter - based on a thousand hours on the Chippy, a majority of them spent instructing RAF Pilots.
As mentioned in the quote, from about 1985, the RAF never set brakes for landing in my experience. I know it was in the manuals, but at the max cross wind limit of 15 knots, it is more likely to make you groundloop than not. The reason being is that as you slow down having applied brake on one side, the fin/rudder becomes less effective and the brake will take over very quickly. If the release isn't anticipated in time, the aircraft will have already started swinging and releasing the brake to control yaw by centring the rudder will not establish directional control by rudder alone, as the aircraft is directionally unstable on the ground and you have now released the brake as well as taken away some of the aerodynamic control. The continued natural response is to steer with your feet and the subsequent inevitable large inputs will likely lead to a groundloop.
Although "wheeling" on is a useful technique for many taildraggers in a x-wind, it dosen't work well in the Chippy as the C of G is already quite close to the mainwheels and having the tail up just moves it closer and makes it less directionally stable - and also introduces the possibility of nosing over if the brakes are used too enthusiasticly.
The Chippy is easily landed in a 15 knot cross wind will full rudder alone and tail down. The technique I was taught, used and then also taught others is to land on three points, using rudder as necessary. As the aircraft slows down and aerodynamic directional contol is lost, very small brake application of just a small squeeze with what will be full rudder at that stage will keep you straight.
As for having brake applied for the whole flight, brakes were never left on in flight in the RAF. The first item in the after take off checks was "Brakes - Off", "Brakes - Off" was also an item in the HASELL checks and the last item of the pre landing checks was "Brakes - as required". (We never applied them). The reason being is that in aeros or a spin recovery, it was thought that the resistance felt as the brake master cylinder was pressurised could lead the pilot to think he/she had reached full rudder application. Although in reality, an adrenaline fed boot will easily overcome the pressure.
As for the test pilot comments - lots of aircraft have stuff in the manuals based on the TP's limited experience of the type which is subsequently overidden by later experience gained while operating the type on the front line. Many of the aircraft I flew in the military had information which was largely ignored as the experience levels increased. The manuals took a long time to amend. Sixty years and still waiting in the Chippy's case!