Commissioned from the ranks.
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Commissioned from the ranks.
<<Across the military, a third of Army officers, a quarter of RAF officers and a fifth of Royal Navy officers have been commissioned having not joined at that level.>>
A little higher than I thought it may have been. Unsure, so I stand by to be corrected, but it probably saves a little money too I guess.
http://www.forces.net/news/hard-work-paying-lower-ranks-army#.WMj4lUoWfY8.twitter
A little higher than I thought it may have been. Unsure, so I stand by to be corrected, but it probably saves a little money too I guess.
http://www.forces.net/news/hard-work-paying-lower-ranks-army#.WMj4lUoWfY8.twitter
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Being one of those who (in Naval parlance) was commissioned ("through the hawsehole) from the ranks of the R.A.F. I would suggest that all entrants should serve in the ranks of their Service for a minumum of six months before being considered for commissioning.
ISTR that some regulation of that nature was applied to Army candidates in WWII - but stand to be corrected.
Should know, but did our direct-entry cadets at Cranwell or Henlow take the Oath of Attestation ?
Danny42C.
ISTR that some regulation of that nature was applied to Army candidates in WWII - but stand to be corrected.
Should know, but did our direct-entry cadets at Cranwell or Henlow take the Oath of Attestation ?
Danny42C.
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I was an airman for months [at OCTU], and was bloody good at polishing the barrack room floor with the dreaded 'bumper, cleaning dust and polishing the ablutions. I also marched around a lot, and occasionally had to run.
What do you want? Blood?
What do you want? Blood?
I did both. I was a national service squaddie in the Rhodesian Army and an Royal Air Force Officer Cadet. South Cerney was a breeze; they didn't even check to see if the eyelets on my boots were polished.
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Eyelets, FED? What about the soles of the boots, and the studs?
Sloppy.
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I did 15 years Airman's service before, to quote Israel Hands from Treasure Island, "I want their pickles and wines, and that." So I took the plunge and served for a further 12 years as a Commissioned Officer.
Initially it was difficult making the transition. I kept saluting JO's and calling WO's Sir.
But eventually............I considered myself an OK Squadron Joe. Not great, but not bad either. I could see both sides of everything.
It was only at my release interview with my AOC (which came completely out of the blue, Staish OK, AOC wow). He had obviously researched my pen portrait. "My Airman's service had made me" he said "but I had made my Commissioned service" and "That I would be missed".
The letter he wrote to me, on behalf of the Air Force Board, some time later, I still treasure.
Obviously, it would not suit everybody. However, I certainly would recommend service in the Ranks, however short or long, before attaining 'the pickles and wine'.
Initially it was difficult making the transition. I kept saluting JO's and calling WO's Sir.
But eventually............I considered myself an OK Squadron Joe. Not great, but not bad either. I could see both sides of everything.
It was only at my release interview with my AOC (which came completely out of the blue, Staish OK, AOC wow). He had obviously researched my pen portrait. "My Airman's service had made me" he said "but I had made my Commissioned service" and "That I would be missed".
The letter he wrote to me, on behalf of the Air Force Board, some time later, I still treasure.
Obviously, it would not suit everybody. However, I certainly would recommend service in the Ranks, however short or long, before attaining 'the pickles and wine'.
Also worked well in the humble Met. Office. ALL of the echelon that actually made things work in the outfield [the bit that served the RAF] at Principal level [EMR Wg Cdr or Gp Capt depending on the appointment] were ex lowest of the low unestablished observers/ plotters. Thus, we could do every job that we supervised, wool was not pulled over our eyes, but we knew when to turn a blind eye.
In the interim, these PSOs had gathered relevant A levels, many had external degrees, and all had attended umpteen course, not just in-house but such as RN Lts course at Greenwich, Civil Service College, GIT and the like.
The one public service that I think gets it wrong is the Police, with its unswerving insistence on the total nuts and bolts exams for sergeant, with apparently no alternative track to inspector and beyond.
In the interim, these PSOs had gathered relevant A levels, many had external degrees, and all had attended umpteen course, not just in-house but such as RN Lts course at Greenwich, Civil Service College, GIT and the like.
The one public service that I think gets it wrong is the Police, with its unswerving insistence on the total nuts and bolts exams for sergeant, with apparently no alternative track to inspector and beyond.
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I thought the Police had a Fast-Track system? But that may have been years ago, and probably needed a Degree in <something>
under-water basket weaving was favourite, was it not?
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It's not a new concept; AVM Sir Frederick Sykes who was the second CAS originally joined the Army as a trooper in 1899 before being granted a field commission in 1900. He was given a regular commission later that year. He also embraced jointery before it became popular, as the aviation commander during the Dardanelles campaign the RN refused to take orders from a member of a junior service so he was made a Colonel Commandant in the Royal Marines. He subsequently adopted his Army rank before taking the rank of AVM when the RAF was formed. He was seen as a rival to Trenchard and had things turned out slightly differently we would see a lot more 'Sykes lines/blocks/houses' as opposed to Trenchard.
Police and fast Track don't get me started, latest idea is direct entry Inspectors and Superintendents from a management background but with no Police experience, a recipe for disaster in my view. The old accelerated promotion scheme died out some years ago but at least that saw them actually working in the ranks Constable, Sergeant to Inspector to learn the sharp end.
Dartmouth/Sandhurst/Cranwell teaches select individuals to be an Officer. Those Commissioned from the ranks have learnt how to be an Officer (my words).
Field Marshall Sir William Robertson has the distinction of being the only Private Soldier to have risen to the very top, becoming CIGS between the wars, he rose to Troop Sergeant Major before Commissioning and included a spell in jail for allowing a prisoner to escape. The only rank he didn't hold was WO1.
Field Marshall Sir William Robertson has the distinction of being the only Private Soldier to have risen to the very top, becoming CIGS between the wars, he rose to Troop Sergeant Major before Commissioning and included a spell in jail for allowing a prisoner to escape. The only rank he didn't hold was WO1.
Not commissioned from the ranks but, some time before joining the RAF, I was a TA REME craftsman; trade: gunfitter, 25 pounders.
The only thing I remember was the procedure for removing a misfire which had jammed in the rifling. Personally I'd just have suggested to the gunners that they insert another charge (full three bags), use a very long lanyard, and blow it out. That, however was not the prescribed procedure
The only thing I remember was the procedure for removing a misfire which had jammed in the rifling. Personally I'd just have suggested to the gunners that they insert another charge (full three bags), use a very long lanyard, and blow it out. That, however was not the prescribed procedure
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Can't find a picture but it was a long screw jack which fitted to the muzzle.
It had a cup which rested on the curved ogive of the shell behind the fuze.
The screw was then used to jack the shell back to the breech.
Never actually carried out the procedure
It had a cup which rested on the curved ogive of the shell behind the fuze.
The screw was then used to jack the shell back to the breech.
Never actually carried out the procedure
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"Behind the fuse" is good 
Thanks for that enlightening diversion. I've cleared a few barrel jams in handguns, and often wondered what happened with the 'big stuff'.
Thanks for that enlightening diversion. I've cleared a few barrel jams in handguns, and often wondered what happened with the 'big stuff'.
Of the 21 who were commissioned on my OCTU course at Feltwell in December 1964, 11 had come through the ranks. I think we started around 28, but several direct entrants got chopped along the way.
We were all destined for ground branches, the figures would have been a lot different at ITS at South Cerney where I should think around 80 - 90 % would be direct entrants, all aircrew hopefuls.
We were all destined for ground branches, the figures would have been a lot different at ITS at South Cerney where I should think around 80 - 90 % would be direct entrants, all aircrew hopefuls.