RAF Beards...?
Guest
Posts: n/a
Regarding #56,
(a) Harry's RAF Uniform fits like an old sack ("nice bit of stuff - when are you going to have it made up ?")
(b) When I was serving, beards were a no-no (Kings excepted !) Only exception I ever knew: in India on the RAF Ski School in Kashmir it was so cold that we were allowed to grow for the duration of the month's Course (results were varied).
(c) The ?-star chap appearing behind Harry and Megan clearly shows his disgust of the whole proceedings !
(d) I take it that the rest of the party are all RAAF (??) So have they given up that rich dark blue they used to wear ?
Just asking.
(a) Harry's RAF Uniform fits like an old sack ("nice bit of stuff - when are you going to have it made up ?")
(b) When I was serving, beards were a no-no (Kings excepted !) Only exception I ever knew: in India on the RAF Ski School in Kashmir it was so cold that we were allowed to grow for the duration of the month's Course (results were varied).
(c) The ?-star chap appearing behind Harry and Megan clearly shows his disgust of the whole proceedings !
(d) I take it that the rest of the party are all RAAF (??) So have they given up that rich dark blue they used to wear ?
Just asking.
Joined: May 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 18,633
Likes: 1,072
From: Downeast
Me thinks that sour puss in the rear is just showing his envy for the fine Bird that young man has pulled!
He also is considering there is Rank....and there is Rank and he is very much down on the Totem Pole as compared to Junior.
He also is considering there is Rank....and there is Rank and he is very much down on the Totem Pole as compared to Junior.
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,141
Likes: 331
From: Royal Berkshire
Joined: May 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 27,402
Likes: 858
From: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Give the Duke of Kent a break - poor chap suffered a stroke a few years ago and is in his 80s now.
Prince Harry is one of those people who always seems to look ill-at-ease in formal clothes or uniforms and that face fungus does him no favours.
I see the Royal Family still refuses to use the Windsor knot - even though it's required in the AP for RAF uniforms. But I guess when it's Harry's grandmother's train set, they're allowed some leeway.
I recall the Admin Order for those attending the Silver Jubilee parade at Finningley in 1977 required Officers to wear gold cuff links with their shirts. I doubt whether the same applied to Sleepy Fred - and I'm glad that I managed to escape it.
Prince Harry is one of those people who always seems to look ill-at-ease in formal clothes or uniforms and that face fungus does him no favours.
I see the Royal Family still refuses to use the Windsor knot - even though it's required in the AP for RAF uniforms. But I guess when it's Harry's grandmother's train set, they're allowed some leeway.
I recall the Admin Order for those attending the Silver Jubilee parade at Finningley in 1977 required Officers to wear gold cuff links with their shirts. I doubt whether the same applied to Sleepy Fred - and I'm glad that I managed to escape it.
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,858
Likes: 18
From: SW England
Could it be that Harry has declined to join Kent's merry band of fellows with the funny handshakes?
When I was a rockape the depot was at Catterick and although the station commander was referred to as the commandant there was no such post as Honorary Air Commandant, the appointment currently held by Prince Harry.
At the time the position of Commandant General of the RAF Regiment was normally held by a two star GD officer, the most senior regiment officer being an air commodore. In my time I remember the CG was AVM Bernard Chacksfield, who was a GD (P) and he certainly wore regiment flashes.
Last edited by Tankertrashnav; 28th October 2018 at 00:16.
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Canberra, ACT, Australia
Wings badge on Military uniforms
I understand that regardless of uniform, the wings worn are the ones belonging to the service in which they were awarded. Army for Prince Harry, RAF for Prince William and RN for Prince Andrew.
Duke of Edinburgh - RAF
Prince Charles- RAF
Prince Andrew - RN
Prince William - RAF
Prince Henry - Army
Duke of Kent - ??? (With whom and when?)
Prince Michael of Kent - ??? (With whom and when?)
How does the above quote stand in light of the following images showing...
Prince Phillip with Army and RN wings,
Prince Charles with RN and Army wings,
Prince Andrew with RAF and Army wings,
Duke of Kent with RAF and no wings, and
Prince Michael of Kent with RAF, Army and RN wings?
.
Last edited by CWO Geoff; 28th October 2018 at 07:12. Reason: 2 images did not load
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Joined: Dec 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 16,700
Likes: 54
From: Lincolnshire
TTN, as Commandant is a post not a rank I think they made Harry a Commandant as he does not have sufficient seniority to be a Commodore. When it was first introduced there were enough senior Royals.
However I see he is a Naval Commodore. Edward is a Colonel and also a Commodore at Waddington, so I am not sure.
The link is a fascinating summary of military service. I wonder why Andrew has so few medals compared with his younger brother.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_service_by_British_royalty
However I see he is a Naval Commodore. Edward is a Colonel and also a Commodore at Waddington, so I am not sure.
The link is a fascinating summary of military service. I wonder why Andrew has so few medals compared with his younger brother.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_service_by_British_royalty
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
From: Down South
I know of a former RN chap from another hobby of mine that flew the SHAR and recently just left the RN (again) after flying the T2 at Valley. He has a big bushy beard and when I asked him about it, he told me that all he did was tighten it down for air combat to stop it slipping.
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 285
Likes: 26
From: N.O.Y.B.
I am led to believe that the rules for beards (when the RAF get around to allowing them) will be that the individual has to take two weeks off to allow for the full set to grow (can't have people at work looking unkempt). If on return to duty the facial hair does not past muster - SWO's inspection? - scrape it off. And the same rules will apply to the men!
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 130
From: Here
I suspect he wears the ones he actually earned, rather than was awarded. Edward no doubt got many for his involvement with the DofE award scheme and the Commonwealth organisations
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,858
Likes: 18
From: SW England
P-N - Actually there is little disparity the two brothers' medals. To summarise, Andy now has 7 British orders and medals, including the South Atlantic Medal with rosette, and three Commonwealth awards, but he also has 3 foreign awards which would only be worn on certain occasions. Edward has four British medals and six from the Commonwealth but as far as I can discover no foreign awards so far.
Checking my figures for these I also discovered that Prince Edward is Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Waddington.
Checking my figures for these I also discovered that Prince Edward is Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Waddington.
Last edited by Tankertrashnav; 29th October 2018 at 11:32.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Joined: Dec 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 16,700
Likes: 54
From: Lincolnshire
TTN, joke, but thanks for the update, clearly Wiki is selective as lower down the page there are obviously many omissions.
Joined: Mar 2010
Aviation Qualifications: ATCO
Posts: 8,024
Likes: 315
From: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
I’m slightly surprised by the generousity of the Canadians, awarding medals and Coloncies/Colonelcies in all directions.
Last edited by MPN11; 30th October 2018 at 08:49. Reason: spilling!!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,583
Likes: 11
From: Darling - where are we?