camlobe,
what a Pandora's Box of memories you have opened ! The one thing we 'plebs' have in common is our initial reception by those master psychologists, the Drill Instructors. My memories on joining the RAF as a B/E u/t Air Radar Mech in 1958 (could not get into the Apps to do radio, but was offered Armament or Admin) at Cosford have flooded back. I came from Sunderland, father a shipyard labourer and I have no idea where my interest in aircraft came from.
Ah yes the confusing Babel of voices of my fellow innocents , and like camlobe I was the only one speaking 'proper'. A very steep learning curve in all respects for us all. But not one I ever regretted.