As others have noted, these many reminiscences of those first hectic and turbulent weeks of joining the Services though differing in detail have more in common than not. In my case long forgotten details have re-emerged thanks to the prompting received here.
I had forgotten that we did indeed have batmen allocated from the word go at Cranwell (or more specifically they came one to the hut to which we were allocated). None though ever carried my baggage, Beagle. Obviously things had changed somewhat, though I am glad that the CWO and his team of DI's turned out so well. They could in truth only change for the better.
I went back to a 25th anniversary Entry reunion and was astounded that the three years of our tenure was now shrunk to three months! The changes that you describe though must have been all the more striking, given that you experienced both the before and the after. I'm surprised that Crowing was still around as having experienced it ourselves, the word came down that there was to be no more of it, and certainly we as a Senior Entry only carried out the formal side (ie taking defaulters parades etc) of such duties. Someone obviously decided to give it one more try it seems.
Special thanks to our nautical brethren. Your mystic ways have always been a mystery wrapped in an enigma to we crabs. I particularly like the way that the steering thingy that you describe is variously ascribed to Lord Kitchener, or Admiral Kitchen, or a Kitchen who was not an Admiral. Excellent stuff! The more humdrum the device the more obscure its origins, rule #1 in the Boys Bumper Book of Spiffing Yarns. More please!
Danny, your steady yet precise progress seems to have been temporarily impaired by this sudden bottleneck of Ronald Shiner style Reminisces of a Recruit tales. Hopefully the traffic jam will ease as quickly as it formed in the way of such things, and we can enjoy yet more of your story. It is after all that of someone who did indeed Gain an RAF Pilots Brevet in WWII!
Edited to add that the above comment was merely a personal and selfish desire to hear more from Danny. It is in no way meant to be critical of those whose many interesting stories have filled out our understanding of the process of Joining HM Forces. If this thread isn't preserved for posterity as a unique historical document because of its many contributors and their varied tales then history will be the worse for it.
So an unreserved thanks to one and all for their 'dits' (as MPN11 has it) and keep them coming. I just felt that Danny might be waiting his turn somewhat, and I suspect that all here agree that it is always his turn and is rather for us to wait ours.
Clumsily put and I hope not out of order. Apologies to one and all if so.