Danny
Seems you're right about the Hill Station of Mount Abu. To quote from Wiki: 'Later it was leased by the British government from the then Maharaja of Sirohi for use as the headquarters of the resident to Rajputana (another name for Rajasthan)'. So it was a pukka British Hill Station, but the location was leased.
You make the point, very succinctly, about the wartime British being different from those of today. Having endured tough times during WW1 and its aftermath, they were bound to be. But I'm heartened to note that you think the quality of personnel in the modern RAF is every bit as fine as it was during the war... albeit 'different' in some respects. Arthur left the RAF in '71, similar to you. He thought that some aspects of the modern RAF is different from that of his time. I think there was a greater observance of hierarchy in his day; during the war, marriage was actively discouraged; it was a male preserve until 1939, after which women were given auxiliary roles to that of the men; it may also have been bit more 'laddish' (work hard/play hard), and discipline of the 'bull****' variety was more prominent. On top of that, you could find yourself serving in a great many more overseas territories.
On the other hand, I guess the modern RAF is far more technologically advanced, and is more professional and efficient as a result. (I think we discussed this before.) Also, women now play a full part in the Service. Arthur had rather traditional views on the latter: seeing women as being good in certain roles, such as clerical work. Times change... and sometimes for the better.