Danny finds his Future Taking Shape.
It is time to bring up to date the progress of my bread-and-butter post-Retirement plans. You may recall that in late '70, I'd been interested in the possibility of a second "Career" (??) in HM Customs & Excise, via a possible (but unlikely) success in a National Competitive Examination to be held throughout the United Kingdom in the spring of '71.
The due date came, and I was summoned to present myself (for the written parts of the Exam), at a large Hall (name forgotten) in York. It was quite close to the route from Bootham Bar to the top of Lendal (the scene of my triumphal journey through York in my Isetta eight years before).
No difficulty in finding the place, and Thirsk-York is no problem. There were about 200 of us assembled, and my impression of my fellows was: "a Hangdog lot". I think that the examination was over two or three days, and I'm a bit hazy over the papers, but there was certainly a (relatively easy) Maths, an English which gave me no difficulty (the usual long text passages which you had to edit for errors in spelling, grammar and syntax), an essay of some sort to write, and something which I immediately recognised as what a Staff College Paper (never having been there), might be like.
I was invited to imagine that I was the Deputy Director of Education for Loamshire, tasked with organising the transport and accommodation for a large number of delegates to some Conference or other. Several ways of approaching the problem were outlined, it was required of me to choose the one which would be most efficient (and therefore economical), and then justify my choice. I have no recollection of any details now, but it filled a thoughtful three hours on a warm afternoon. I noticed that by half way through the time, quite a large number had "thrown in the towel" and walked out. I was quietly (but not over) confident - for it had been a long time since I'd been at school !
Again a few months before the results were announced.
Abou ben Adem's name did not "lead all the rest", but he came in at a creditable No. 129 in order of merit out of a field of 7700 odd. The old eye had not lost its cunning, nor the old hand its skill, it seemed. I'd always been a member of the "examination-passing Classes" (or a miserable little swot, depending on which way you looked at it). I would certainly be going forward for interview, but it was by no means "in the bag" yet. Decision time for me was still twenty months ahead, no need to burn my RAF boats for quite some time to come.
Two or three months later, my interview took place somewhere in Leeds. From later knowledge of C&E, I would guess my three examiners would be a Surveyor and two Senior Officers (Customs ranks roughly comparable to a W/Cdr and two S/Ldrs). It was clear from the outset that they were much more interested in my earlier Civil Service history than in the details of my RAF "career". Three years from '38 and two post-war as an established Clerical Officer in the old Ministry of Labour and National Service, followed by a year as a Junior Executive Officer (a rank which no longer exists) in National Insurance, and had held a Commission in War and Peace Service - I must have seemed an ideal candidate for their requirements.
"But you do appreciate, Mr.D., that if appointed, you will be on probation for four years before entering the field for promotion. And even then, as you will be aged 54, and the retiring age for Senior Officers is '62, your prospects are not all that good ?" Yes, I quite understood that (in fact, it made very little difference to us, I would reach the top of my C&E payscale in '79; together with my RAF pension, this would give us an income some 20% higher than my RAF pay in '72 (assuming equal Inflation increases).
There were some random questions, mainly fom one of the S/0s who seemed to have a background in betting duty. Which bets would a bookie try to keep "off the books" - winners or losers (from the punter's angle) ? Obviously the losers. What did I know about the operation of Purchase Tax ? (VAT was to replace it). What would I do if a disgruntled "client" thumped me ? Thump him back, of course ! (Right Answer ? - no idea). They were intrigued by my skating experiences. Was there a rink in Leeds ? (Yes, the "Silver Blades").
"Thank you, Mr D., you'll hear from us in due course". (I was quite pleased with the way my interview had gone - it was now just a matter of time).
In which to put in my last few Posts on this Thread, before I "divested myself of my tunic" for the last time.
Goodnight, chaps,
Danny42C.
All's Well that Ends Well !
Last edited by Danny42C; 7th Sep 2014 at 00:11.
Reason: Spacing