Cpl Wearing Pilot Wings
Halton, early 1970's - Cpl receptionist in Dental Centre, wearing Pilot's wings & replete with WW2 gongs.
Could have been the same guy as at Sleaford Tech. Dental Centre in 68. In conversation with him it transpired that he had been a Sgt. Pilot on Mustangs who remustered into Dental Tech. post-war as the only opening offered.
As he remarked : " I still have a job where my breakfast is cooked for me every morning"
Could have been the same guy as at Sleaford Tech. Dental Centre in 68. In conversation with him it transpired that he had been a Sgt. Pilot on Mustangs who remustered into Dental Tech. post-war as the only opening offered.
As he remarked : " I still have a job where my breakfast is cooked for me every morning"
Gentleman Aviator
The old "Aircrew Cadet" badge referred to earlier was this:
The others - IV, III, II and I, equivalent to Cpl to FS, with one to three stars and three and a crown, are illustrated here. As TTN rightly says, as rare as rocking-horse poo these days. The system lasted from 1946-50 only.
The others - IV, III, II and I, equivalent to Cpl to FS, with one to three stars and three and a crown, are illustrated here. As TTN rightly says, as rare as rocking-horse poo these days. The system lasted from 1946-50 only.
Last edited by teeteringhead; 18th May 2013 at 14:48.
The Slivers were a Belgian Air Force F104 display team - I recall watching a practice display by them at Beauvechain in c.1972. Only 2 ships, very, very low & very, very loud 
One of the pilots was a Colonel, the other a Corporal.
One of the pilots was a Colonel, the other a Corporal.
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Probably the pair that did the Odihams families day in about 77, one close to the crowd line and the other above it....... Result, screaming and crying kids all around..
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Last edited by NutLoose; 20th May 2013 at 11:50.
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Not qualified to Wings standard SFAIK - The actual aircraft is at Duxford and their write up says "Luckily Taff had some limited hours on lighter prop-driven trainer aircraft - Tiger Moths, Chipmunks and Harvards - and this experience enabled him to calmly explore the aircraft's handling and make some attempts at landing"
Wings standard
View topic - An Inadvertent Flight in an English Electric Lightning
This is apparently an account in his own electrons which states "allowing me to qualify to 'wings' standard as a pilot".
Astounding anyway.
This is apparently an account in his own electrons which states "allowing me to qualify to 'wings' standard as a pilot".
Astounding anyway.
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Halton, early 1970's - Cpl receptionist in Dental Centre, wearing Pilot's wings & replete with WW2 gongs.
Could have been the same guy as at Sleaford Tech. Dental Centre in 68. In conversation with him it transpired that he had been a Sgt. Pilot on Mustangs who remustered into Dental Tech. post-war as the only opening offered.
As he remarked : " I still have a job where my breakfast is cooked for me every morning"
Said Cpl was Pop Newton and he qualified in Canada just as WWII ended.
The Dental Branch at Halton at the same time had a Cpl Alf Holdham who had the MM and BEM and wore a purple medal ribbon above his Cpl stripes. The MM and BEM were awarded while he was a WO in the Gloucestershire Regt in Korea where he was captured. The purple ribbon was for a Presidential Citation by the USA for helping their troops while in captivity. Alf never did a parade because in them days he always had more medals than the inspecting officer. His car was a Morris Minor painted sky blue with white doors, looked like a police panda car.
Could have been the same guy as at Sleaford Tech. Dental Centre in 68. In conversation with him it transpired that he had been a Sgt. Pilot on Mustangs who remustered into Dental Tech. post-war as the only opening offered.
As he remarked : " I still have a job where my breakfast is cooked for me every morning"
Said Cpl was Pop Newton and he qualified in Canada just as WWII ended.
The Dental Branch at Halton at the same time had a Cpl Alf Holdham who had the MM and BEM and wore a purple medal ribbon above his Cpl stripes. The MM and BEM were awarded while he was a WO in the Gloucestershire Regt in Korea where he was captured. The purple ribbon was for a Presidential Citation by the USA for helping their troops while in captivity. Alf never did a parade because in them days he always had more medals than the inspecting officer. His car was a Morris Minor painted sky blue with white doors, looked like a police panda car.
Last edited by DON T; 20th May 2013 at 19:07.
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I was telling my father about this thread at the weekend and he recounted the tale of a WW2 bomber pilot who, after multiple tours and two DFMs declared he'd had enough and wanted to come off ops.
Apparently he was declared to be LMF and demoted to LAC before being shipped off to some mundane posting.
Story goes that when word got around on his new station of his past deeds airmen insisted on saluting him much to the chagrin of senior bods.
Fact, fiction or somewhere in between?
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Apparently he was declared to be LMF and demoted to LAC before being shipped off to some mundane posting.
Story goes that when word got around on his new station of his past deeds airmen insisted on saluting him much to the chagrin of senior bods.
Fact, fiction or somewhere in between?
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Plenty of officers with DFMs ........... earnd before commission.
Remove nails from coffin.
Remove nails from coffin.
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I used to get saluted when I wasn't wearing any rank slides, and wasn't entitled to a salute. I of course returned the salute, nothing wrong with being polite, must've just had that look 
My Flight Sergeant at Waddo in `66 was qualified to SAC level as a Safety Equipment Worker. He had pilots wings and told the story of having qualified right at the end of WWII in Canada, he found he was surplus to requirements, so `they` put him in Air Traffic Control where they discovered, somewhat late, that (Shock horror) he was actually colourblind!
Nice chap though!
OMS
Nice chap though!
OMS
I was always told you weren't saluting the individual but the commission they held - ie you were in fact paying respect to the monarch. In that way you didn't have to resent saluting anyone, no matter what a complete arse they were.
There was always a belief that you had to salute the holder of the Victoria Cross, no matter what their rank. I never met one when I was in uniform so I never had to put it to the test, but I doubt if there's any basis to the belief.
There was always a belief that you had to salute the holder of the Victoria Cross, no matter what their rank. I never met one when I was in uniform so I never had to put it to the test, but I doubt if there's any basis to the belief.
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I believe you are correct on both counts.
Victoria Cross - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
And way to go
VC Recipients and Saluting
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There is a widespread though erroneous belief that it is statutory for "all ranks to salute a bearer of the Victoria Cross". There is no official requirement that appears in the official Warrant of the VC, nor in Queen's Regulations and Orders, but tradition dictates that this occurs and as such the Chiefs of Staff will salute a Private awarded a VC or GC.[52]
My understanding of this is that the VC takes precedence for a salute over the Queens commision.My Father used to tell me that just after the war he was stationed in India with the 13th Frontier Force Rifles, and they had a VC holder with them Ali Haider(RIP).Ali would wait around the Officers Mess and delight in seeing the Officers coming out and having to salute him, before he saluted them back!
In Johnson Beharrys account of recieving the VC, he says that upon returning to Wellington barracks he was saluted by the CSM,
VC Recipients and Saluting
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Last edited by NutLoose; 30th May 2013 at 16:36.
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I was always told you weren't saluting the individual but the commission they held
In or about 1958 when Air Marshal Sir Andrew 'Square' McKee was AOC Transport Command. He was one day taking his constitutional around RAF Uphavon. When a lowly Erk, lost in thought, managed to walk past Square, without seeing him or saluting.
Square's shout of 'Airman, come here!' woke up the daydreaming guy, who shivering and quaking as he realised what he had done. Was asked by Square why he hadn't saluted and the guy admitted that he was lost in thought and hadn't seen the AM.
Squares response was; 'I believe you lad, but NEVER, do that to a Pilot Officer!'
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I was caught out for not saluting at Swinderby by an officer on a bike who was feckin miles away. I mean, the other side of the ASP! He made a bee line for me to deliver his bollocking.
Of course, my downfall was also not saluting when he reached me. d'oh.
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Of course, my downfall was also not saluting when he reached me. d'oh.
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They've built a village on Swinditz domestic site now and bar the odd shed most of the airfield has gone.. I went back several weeks ago, the first time since 76
For what it's worth I still have the joining instructions from 76, my late Mum bless her must have realised the importance to me and saved them all, including my entry photos.
For what it's worth I still have the joining instructions from 76, my late Mum bless her must have realised the importance to me and saved them all, including my entry photos.
Last edited by NutLoose; 30th May 2013 at 20:38.
I was caught out for not saluting at Swinderby by an officer on a bike who was feckin miles away. I mean, the other side of the ASP! He made a bee line for me to deliver his bollocking.
Of course, my downfall was also not saluting when he reached me. d'oh.
Of course, my downfall was also not saluting when he reached me. d'oh.