Gaining An R.A.F Pilots Brevet In WW II
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It's K Apparently SAAF (at least the Liberator Squadrons) did not use Squadron Codes as per RAF, so 31 Squadron underlined their a/c codes and 34 didn't
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
It's K Apparently SAAF (at least the Liberator Squadrons) did not use Squadron Codes as per RAF, so 31 Squadron underlined their a/c codes and 34 didn't
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
harrym, you are without doubt our writer in residence! The confusing yet historic days that you recount suddenly spring into the present, so vivid is your description of them. So thank you for donning the mantle, a necessary accessory when standing by the crewroom mantlepiece (which of course should always have upon it a freshly charged glass of your favourite tipple to assist you in your oratory). More please, together with the detailed dotting of i's with which you excel!
As to attachments, do you mean a picture? If so, then they are done using the symbol at the top of the posting box that I always mistake for a stamped envelope, but is supposed to represent a mountain range with the sun above. That will enable you to post a link to the picture's 'address' which means you need to put the picture into that address beforehand. This FAQ list covers attachments and pics:-
http://www.pprune.org/faq.php?faq=vb...b3_attachments
Catch-22 says that attachments are not allowed on PPRuNe, so a pic (or image) it has to be. Photobucket is one of the sites you can use as your image 'address':-
http://photobucket.com/
You register with them for free, and in return you have an online 'album' into which you can post digital (ie scanned) pics. I found it a bit daunting at first, but persistence pays off and suddenly there is your image within your post on thread! Hope that helps. Others with more tech savvy will no doubt be along soon to clarify and correct any confusion I have engendered. Sorry! ;-)
As to attachments, do you mean a picture? If so, then they are done using the symbol at the top of the posting box that I always mistake for a stamped envelope, but is supposed to represent a mountain range with the sun above. That will enable you to post a link to the picture's 'address' which means you need to put the picture into that address beforehand. This FAQ list covers attachments and pics:-
http://www.pprune.org/faq.php?faq=vb...b3_attachments
Catch-22 says that attachments are not allowed on PPRuNe, so a pic (or image) it has to be. Photobucket is one of the sites you can use as your image 'address':-
http://photobucket.com/
You register with them for free, and in return you have an online 'album' into which you can post digital (ie scanned) pics. I found it a bit daunting at first, but persistence pays off and suddenly there is your image within your post on thread! Hope that helps. Others with more tech savvy will no doubt be along soon to clarify and correct any confusion I have engendered. Sorry! ;-)
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SE Asia,'45-'46
Many thanks smujsmith & chugalug, the item I wish to 'attach' is actually a scanned document so will have a go in my next post - or possibly the one after, which will probably take me up to demob in late '46.
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The only Photobucket trick is to ensure you use the bottom link when copying and pasting ... the one that says "IMG".
Click on that, and it should say 'Copied" ... then revert to your PPRuNe post and "Paste"
Click on that, and it should say 'Copied" ... then revert to your PPRuNe post and "Paste"
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Union Jack,
Never fear - Danny is still here !
(Laptop in dock TFN, but cadged laptop time from daughter - bless her!)
harrym,
Let me add my congratulations on a further instalment of your saga ! It is one of the strange paradoxes of war that you seem to be having a much harder time of it after hostilities ended than we had had when the squadrons were actually fighting it !
But I suppose that was inevitable, for it was obvious that whereas we could all stand down and relax, you had to start on the enormous task of recovering our prisoners and moving vast numbers of men and amounts of materials into position to await sea transport back to uk.
One last thought: your Daks would all have been Lend-Lease supplied. How did the RAF get round that ? (I was grudgungly allowed to carry on using my VVs until March'46 before scrapping them, but surely the US would want its Daks back ASAP).
Danny.
Never fear - Danny is still here !
(Laptop in dock TFN, but cadged laptop time from daughter - bless her!)
harrym,
Let me add my congratulations on a further instalment of your saga ! It is one of the strange paradoxes of war that you seem to be having a much harder time of it after hostilities ended than we had had when the squadrons were actually fighting it !
But I suppose that was inevitable, for it was obvious that whereas we could all stand down and relax, you had to start on the enormous task of recovering our prisoners and moving vast numbers of men and amounts of materials into position to await sea transport back to uk.
One last thought: your Daks would all have been Lend-Lease supplied. How did the RAF get round that ? (I was grudgungly allowed to carry on using my VVs until March'46 before scrapping them, but surely the US would want its Daks back ASAP).
Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 26th Nov 2014 at 19:10. Reason: Typo.
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I was told by a resident 'expert' at the Cosford Air Museum, after querying the line drawn under an ident letter on one of their exhibits, that Coastal Command aircraft were so plentiful on some squadrons that they did, indeed, run out of letters and used the underline to denote 'barred'-letters when used on W/T. ('Barred'-letters, as in Japanese morse code, known as Kata-Kana, and transcribed with the line above the letter.)
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SE Asia 45/46
Yes Danny I fancy the so-called RAF 'strikes' in our theatre around the end of '45 were partly related to a noticeable deterioration in living conditions, hope to say a bit more in a subsequent post.
As for return of lend-lease Daks, somehow UK seemed to manage to hang onto them for a few more years post-war: I remember seeing many stored at Silloth in August '47, and know for sure some were still at Abingdon in '48 while I believe quite a few soldiered on in the Far East into the early fifties.
Occasional odd specimens popped up much later; I recall one lost in a fatal accident at Dishforth in the late fifties, and was able to enjoy a bit of circuit-bashing in others on two later occasions - at Aden in 1960, and Brize as late as '82!
Many thanks to you and others for hints re image insertion into posts, which will be put to good use.
As for return of lend-lease Daks, somehow UK seemed to manage to hang onto them for a few more years post-war: I remember seeing many stored at Silloth in August '47, and know for sure some were still at Abingdon in '48 while I believe quite a few soldiered on in the Far East into the early fifties.
Occasional odd specimens popped up much later; I recall one lost in a fatal accident at Dishforth in the late fifties, and was able to enjoy a bit of circuit-bashing in others on two later occasions - at Aden in 1960, and Brize as late as '82!
Many thanks to you and others for hints re image insertion into posts, which will be put to good use.
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valMORNA,
On a totally unrelated topic: somebody once told me that Special Constable Police Inspectors had a "bar" below their pips to distinguish them from the "regulars" (don't know if it's true).
They were known as "Bar-starred Inspectors".
D.
On a totally unrelated topic: somebody once told me that Special Constable Police Inspectors had a "bar" below their pips to distinguish them from the "regulars" (don't know if it's true).
They were known as "Bar-starred Inspectors".
D.
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Home, sweet Home.
harrym,
The "strikes" were mainly in the Western side: I don't think living conditions were much worse than before. It was rather a case of boredom among large numbers of troops being cooped up in Transit camps, with little or nothing to do, and all itching to get home for "demob"; the situation was not helped by rumours (however ill- founded) that all the shipping was being used on the Atlantic route to repatriate US troops first.
D.
The "strikes" were mainly in the Western side: I don't think living conditions were much worse than before. It was rather a case of boredom among large numbers of troops being cooped up in Transit camps, with little or nothing to do, and all itching to get home for "demob"; the situation was not helped by rumours (however ill- founded) that all the shipping was being used on the Atlantic route to repatriate US troops first.
D.
Join Date: Mar 2010
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PZU ... Thanks for that. An interesting variation on the normal system I had mentioned, which ValMORNA confirmed recently.
The world of aircraft markings is a 'fascinating topic' and new oddments occasionally surface.
The world of aircraft markings is a 'fascinating topic' and new oddments occasionally surface.
Danny, my father was a Special in the Met., the only difference in the insignia was a 'badge' of SC surmounted by a crown that sat 'above' the usual rank badges. The ranks were the same except that the equivalent of Commander for the Met. was a Commandant for the Special.
But all this was a long time ago, when the Police were treated with respect and the Constables weren't as young as they are now!!
But all this was a long time ago, when the Police were treated with respect and the Constables weren't as young as they are now!!
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Fantom Zorbin and Smudge,
FZ, your:
"Specials in some constabularies were 'bar-starred' and it's possible the Met followed suit later" ....... My room mate at OTU was an ex-Met constable. It's quite possible that I heard the story from him.
and
"and the Constables weren't as young as they are now!!"...... It's when you can say the same of the Popes that you need to worry !
D.
FZ, your:
"Specials in some constabularies were 'bar-starred' and it's possible the Met followed suit later" ....... My room mate at OTU was an ex-Met constable. It's quite possible that I heard the story from him.
and
"and the Constables weren't as young as they are now!!"...... It's when you can say the same of the Popes that you need to worry !
D.
Danny, having included special constables to your original post of special inspectors can we now assume that you affirm that "all coppers are bar-starred" ? 
Perhaps I should lie low for a few weeks!!
Smudge
Perhaps I should lie low for a few weeks!!Smudge
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SABENA Flight 571.
As this Thread has been running for 6 years, has generated 6,500+ Posts spread over 327 Pages and is still going strong, it occurred to me that some of our more recently joined contributors may not have had the time or the stamina to work through all the "back numbers".
This would be a pity, for many of them are well worth digging out, and I thought I would point the way to one of the most exciting and "cliff-hangering" of them all. This is regle's (RIP) account of the Tel Aviv hijack (42 years back this last May), when he wasa 707 Captain with SABENA.
I thought to list pages and Post numbers. From memory, I'm sure the whole story was brilliantly written out in great detail by Reg from beginning to end, but now it seeems that the most dramatic part (the end) has been taken down. No matter: here is the "steer"to what is still on Thread:
30th May 2010, p.89 #1776 Flight to Hell Aviv
1st Jun 2010, p.90 #1786 The time has come...
"And there I must leave you again until the next instalment"
3rd Jun 2010, p.90 #1790 More...
4th Jun 2010, p.90 #1796 Into the Lion's den.
5th Jun 2010, p.90 #1798 A new day dawns...
6th Jun 2010, p.91 #1801 Enough is as good as a feast.....
and:
"I am going to disappoint a lot of people but I have come to the conclusion that it is better to leave you all "cliff hanging" as it were. so there will be no more on the events of nearly forty years ago from me. It left an indelible scar upon my life and the life of my family and I pay homage to the people of all faiths who suffered . Please understand. Regle"
Reg died on 1st August 2010.
Wiki has the whole story (Sabena Flight 571), but, as I recollect, it was (originally) much more completely and better told by Reg himself on this Thread, where he carried on Posting (at the time) after #1801 until the successful end of the affair (marred only by the later death of one passenger wounded in the firefight). (And, IIRC, Reg flew the aircraft back to Brussels the next day !)
He was (rightly) fêted for his coolness and acumen throughout; he was honoured by the Belgian King; the story was told in the media around the world, exciting admiration and respect on all sides.
Why these his final Posts were taken down (presumably by him) is a mystery to me, but of course "we understand", Reg, and we must not pry or speculate now or ever. So, from one old Arnold Scheme Aviation Kay-Det to another: Cheers, Reg !
Requiescas in Pace.
Danny.
This would be a pity, for many of them are well worth digging out, and I thought I would point the way to one of the most exciting and "cliff-hangering" of them all. This is regle's (RIP) account of the Tel Aviv hijack (42 years back this last May), when he wasa 707 Captain with SABENA.
I thought to list pages and Post numbers. From memory, I'm sure the whole story was brilliantly written out in great detail by Reg from beginning to end, but now it seeems that the most dramatic part (the end) has been taken down. No matter: here is the "steer"to what is still on Thread:
30th May 2010, p.89 #1776 Flight to Hell Aviv
1st Jun 2010, p.90 #1786 The time has come...
"And there I must leave you again until the next instalment"
3rd Jun 2010, p.90 #1790 More...
4th Jun 2010, p.90 #1796 Into the Lion's den.
5th Jun 2010, p.90 #1798 A new day dawns...
6th Jun 2010, p.91 #1801 Enough is as good as a feast.....
and:
"I am going to disappoint a lot of people but I have come to the conclusion that it is better to leave you all "cliff hanging" as it were. so there will be no more on the events of nearly forty years ago from me. It left an indelible scar upon my life and the life of my family and I pay homage to the people of all faiths who suffered . Please understand. Regle"
Reg died on 1st August 2010.
Wiki has the whole story (Sabena Flight 571), but, as I recollect, it was (originally) much more completely and better told by Reg himself on this Thread, where he carried on Posting (at the time) after #1801 until the successful end of the affair (marred only by the later death of one passenger wounded in the firefight). (And, IIRC, Reg flew the aircraft back to Brussels the next day !)
He was (rightly) fêted for his coolness and acumen throughout; he was honoured by the Belgian King; the story was told in the media around the world, exciting admiration and respect on all sides.
Why these his final Posts were taken down (presumably by him) is a mystery to me, but of course "we understand", Reg, and we must not pry or speculate now or ever. So, from one old Arnold Scheme Aviation Kay-Det to another: Cheers, Reg !
Requiescas in Pace.
Danny.
Last edited by Danny42C; 30th Nov 2014 at 23:11. Reason: Spacing