Originally Posted by
Danny42C
Somewhere, on PPRuNe, I read a reference to an article by Wg Cdr Stanford-Tuck, to the effect that many of the Battle of Britain pilots were not the extrovert Rugby Club hearties of public imagination, but often quieter, introverted types. Google cannot find it for me: can anyone here please trace it for me ?
More in hope than any expectaion,
Danny.
Hi Danny, That could be an interesting quote. I did think that I had a reasonable idea of life in the pre/early war RAF. I have read of the fairly regimented life of a late 1930's Regular Junior Officer. Formal dinning every night, formal system for any late night returns, 48hr passes etc. Things were more restrictive for more junior ranks. I get the impression that before WWII, the life was reminiscent of Public school. Mess life seems to have been more like the lock-in period of my Officer training, with more beer (but probably less Strippers!). Beyond that, I do have the strong impression that the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (before the War) was something of a well-off chap's rugger-club type of thing for the aircrew. I know that all changed somewhat with the progress of the War but, until then, a Service commission usually relied on a private income.
Cheers
OAP