Finding work for the military wives
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Admittedly, this was back in the day when it was known that it was the wife who got you promoted....it was her career to smooth the path of yours. I stayed as a Flt Lt!
I had never known this before in almost twenty years of service and said I thought it inappropriate to comment on my wife because hadn't joined the RAF. If he wanted to pass further comment, I should be allowed to fetch her in, to listen in person. He took a deep breath, shuffled his papers and passed no further comment in that respect. But from his set jaw I knew I wouldn't be getting promoted.
Another reason I knew it was time to go civvy.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Back in the day, the whole Sqn was called in for a late notice 3 line whip at 1600 on the Friday before a mess function. The Boss was in a bad mood - Mrs OC Sqn had "volunteered" the Sqn wives to decorate the tables with flowers, and only a handfull had turned up that afternoon. The Boss demanded to know why we had not sent our wives along to assist his other half.
Avoid imitations
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My wings parade coincided with a station royal visit. The wives, as was the custom, were "volunteered" to help decorate the Officers' Mess.
The royal personage presented us with our wings, was whisked away to be shepherded around the shinier parts of the station, then off to lunch, in the nicely decorated Mess. However, we were told the day before the Grad that there was no room at the inn for mere graduating students at such an important occasion (it was meant to be our graduation lunch, FFS). We had to find a local pub to get our families a plate of ham sandwiches and a shandy instead. My parents and other guests were not impressed, to say the least.
To rub salt in the wound a bit further, we later found a charge for the formal lunch on our mess bills.
The royal personage presented us with our wings, was whisked away to be shepherded around the shinier parts of the station, then off to lunch, in the nicely decorated Mess. However, we were told the day before the Grad that there was no room at the inn for mere graduating students at such an important occasion (it was meant to be our graduation lunch, FFS). We had to find a local pub to get our families a plate of ham sandwiches and a shandy instead. My parents and other guests were not impressed, to say the least.
To rub salt in the wound a bit further, we later found a charge for the formal lunch on our mess bills.
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To rub salt in the wound a bit further, we later found a charge for the
formal lunch on our mess bills
Charging for services that you had not received was nothing new for the Mess in the good old days - I remember being billed for a guest night that I had not attended. Apparantly, the list came round when I was deployed, and my name entered on the list by the squadron in case I wanted to go. Unfortunately, the squadron forgot to tell me and I went on leave instead. Next month, the charge of about £40 for the function appeared on my mess bill - this was rather high to pay for some damage that had been caused at the function. I rang the mess and told them that I was not there and could they remove the charge - they refused. Several formal letters followed with a few threats etc and a "final offer" not to charge me for the damage! I finally told them that I would see them in the small claims court with their proof that I had ordered the service that they were charging me for - otherwise they were committing fraud.
They backed down.
Last edited by Wensleydale; 6th Apr 2013 at 08:37.
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Wensleydale,
So the Mess pre-paid for your food, wine and staffing because they were told you were coming by your squadron.
Was it really their fault? If not, who should have paid for the above? I would suggest your own squadron, not them.
So the Mess pre-paid for your food, wine and staffing because they were told you were coming by your squadron.
Was it really their fault? If not, who should have paid for the above? I would suggest your own squadron, not them.
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So the Mess pre-paid for your food, wine and staffing because they were told you
were coming by your squadron.
Was it really their fault? If not, who
should have paid for the above? I would suggest your own squadron, not them.
were coming by your squadron.
Was it really their fault? If not, who
should have paid for the above? I would suggest your own squadron, not them.
Mention of the over 25 rule reminded me that when I was planning to marry, I not only had to write a formal leIter to my station commander requesting permission to get married as I was under 25, I also had to write to Mrs TTN's (as she was to become) matron as she was a QARANC sister at the time and ask her permission as well. Of course her service was terminated the day she got married - no married QA sisters in those days.
Mind you until we started a family she always worked, as those were the days when a nurse/midwife could turn up at the local hospital, ask if there were any jobs going, and be asked if she could start Monday. Somewhat different now.
Mind you until we started a family she always worked, as those were the days when a nurse/midwife could turn up at the local hospital, ask if there were any jobs going, and be asked if she could start Monday. Somewhat different now.
Avoid imitations
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I'm surprized that there was not the bill for a practise lunch as well!
