In Len Deighton's excellent and well-researched book Bomber there is mention of resentment among long-serving NCOs who had worked their way up through the ranks seeing the Sergeants' Mess suddenly filled with 19 year old boys with brand new stripes on their arms.
. Tanker are you confusing Deightons Bomber,(which is a work of fiction) with Max Hastings Bomber Command,which is not. As I believe the story you are referring to comes from the latter sir.