Danny, the story of the Thirsk railway accident and of Leeming's part in alerting the Emergency Services of it reminds us of the many ways in which HM Forces have aided the Civil Power in many more ways than the usual use of that phrase suggests. With ever shrinking numbers I fear that the scope for such assistance must correspondingly shrink likewise.
Flash 2001, your uncle certainly kept his tailor busy, subtracting and adding stripes ad infinitum! As Danny says it seems unusual even for the ups and downs of wartime service. I bow to his interpretation of what may have happened but await your unearthing more facts. Most here will empathise with him though, once the desire to fly is there, nothing else matters much.
harrym. Well, you promised and you certainly came through with a description of a unique procedure that is now scarcely known of. I rather suspect that your Army pilot was acting out a role garnered from Hollywood, including the ditching of the cigarette prior to action. If he'd tripped or you stumbled into him the subsequent scene might not have gone with such precision or predictability. Well done you though for trying out the customer experience. Personally those who I dropped, or who I dropped to, were welcome to my service, but I had no desire to join them in their work.
As to it not being on offer these days, well no, but surely a variation of would be a great attraction at a Theme Park. Perhaps if the whole affair ran on rails...?