NigG (your #53),
...I didn't follow your point about 'war substantive' rank...
The following has been lifted from "RAF Commands Forums":
...The main feature of the period of World War Two as regards the administration of the armed forces (British in this case, although generally a universal response) was that for these purposes it was designated as an "emergency" (not to be confused with the later pronouncement that the unpleasantness in Malaya between 1949 and 1960 was deemed to be an emergency, and therefore by definition NOT a war!) Thus the entire establishment of the RAF and all appointments to commisisons and promotions approved during period of the emergency were by nature considered to be of a "temporary" nature. This also, of course, applied equally to all non-commisisoned ranks.
Generally speaking all wartime substantive ranks were designated as "war substantive", or "w.s." for short, I think this is explained in the RAF Lists, and cannot be compared with (normal peacetime) substantive ranks. As has been already mentioned, it took a lot of administrative sweat to work out all the appropriate ranks and seniorities of all remaining wartime individuals still serving in the postwar RAF, based on the approved peacetime establishment and annual running costs. It would be true to say that quite a high proportion of WW2 appointments to fill posts in schools and particularly to leadership posts on operational squadrons were held by lower-ranking officers holding acting rank specific to the appointment, and many of these might have had to drop at least one rank, perhaps two or even three.
Whenever the RAF is operating under "peacetime" conditions of service it is probably correct to say that there were "normal" substative ranks (vast majority of individuals), as well as small proportion of acting ranks (to compensate those individuals of lower rank appointed to posts normally filled by an officer of NCO of the higher rank), and sometimes, in particular situations and for various reasons, there could be temporary ranks. Honorary (unpaid) commissions with rank were held by certain individuals who undertook certain functions and were held in higher esteem, or freely offered their services on a voluntary basis considered of some value to the Crown.
And could somebody please enlighten me as to the fundamental difference (if there is one, apart from the name) between an RAF temporary (wartime) commision and an emergency commission, or was it simply that it replaced the "temorary" with "emergency" at some point? All replies welcome.
David D...
In practice (as far as I was concerned) it meant that all promotions in wartime were "war substantive", in the sense that when the war ended, so did they. My Commission (and my previous airman service) were in the RAFVR; the position seemed to be that when the war ended, so did the RAFVR and my Commission.
The RAFVR was not reconstituted until 1947 (?), I was commissioned in it a Flying Officer in 1948, and in 1949 was commissioned (as Fg Off) into the RAF on Short Service (8 years active + 4 reserve), and in 1954 transferred into to a Limted Career Permanent Commission (don't ask).
Clear so far ?
The Point is: your Dad would have been a war substantive Flight Lieutenant, Acting Squadron Leader. Supposing the war had ended at that point. His post (and acting rank) would be "gone with the wind", his Flight Lieutenant (w.s.) - in theory - could go, too.
But his award should reflect the rank he held when he earned it, a DSO,
AFAIK, is appropriate to a Major or equivalent.
The Wg Cdr Gibbs story is told as an illustration how a Fg Off (A/Wg Cdr) could properly be awarded the DSO (the fact that Smith mixed up two Gibbs is a red herring, and I should not have introduced it).
Danny.