Using Rank on Retirement
A senior consultant in the medical profession is referred to as Mister or Ms.
I always wondered why this is so ? One of those peculiarly British descriptive nouns designed to confuse outsiders, like public schools or roundabouts.
I always wondered why this is so ? One of those peculiarly British descriptive nouns designed to confuse outsiders, like public schools or roundabouts.
I recall participating in a Queen's Colour Parade at RAAF Richmond in the mid 80s. The invitation to the function afterwards was addressed to: "Officers and their ladies, Non-Commissioned Officers and their wives, and Airmen and their women..."
Nobody (Rtd)
Nobody (Rtd)
On a flight from Sydney to Coolangatta, our Purser (very senior and post middle age) was confronted by an elderly couple whilst boarding.
The woman said to the Purser: "The Captain would very much like to be seated in rows one or two. With his wife!"
Leonie, the Puser, quickly retorted, "There is only one captain on this flight and he he is not moving back to rows one or two!"
"Tell the Captain, and his wife, row 23 on the right."
The woman said to the Purser: "The Captain would very much like to be seated in rows one or two. With his wife!"
Leonie, the Puser, quickly retorted, "There is only one captain on this flight and he he is not moving back to rows one or two!"
"Tell the Captain, and his wife, row 23 on the right."
Frau Doktor
Those that speak forms of German have the quaint way of showing possession by their wives using their titles.
Sitting on a remote stand I noticed a limo draw up at the aircraft steps and out popped one of the companies VIP ladies in all of her finery.
Head appeared around cockpit door “Captain you have Frau Doktor ###### the chancellor’s wife on board” so put down my coffee (China cup) and Blick newspaper, climbed out of seat and put on jacket and hat to greet the lady.
”Guten tag” and was treated to a look as though I was her husbands eastern block chauffeur which isn’t that far from the reality when I discovered that she was in cattle class.
Cheapskate who has used hubbies dubious title (business studies) to access VIP services and get a free upgrade on a shopping trip.
Obviously VIP services weren’t having any of it but put her just behind the divider so that she could see the business class so thought I would have a bit of fun. Walked down the cabin “Ahh Doktor I have kopf shmerz, can you give me something for it”.
The bemused look turned to worried as the penny sunk that this nutter was going to be in charge of the aircraft descending into her mountainous homeland.
Needless to say no VIP service to meet her the other end and we missed the mountains.
Sitting on a remote stand I noticed a limo draw up at the aircraft steps and out popped one of the companies VIP ladies in all of her finery.
Head appeared around cockpit door “Captain you have Frau Doktor ###### the chancellor’s wife on board” so put down my coffee (China cup) and Blick newspaper, climbed out of seat and put on jacket and hat to greet the lady.
”Guten tag” and was treated to a look as though I was her husbands eastern block chauffeur which isn’t that far from the reality when I discovered that she was in cattle class.
Cheapskate who has used hubbies dubious title (business studies) to access VIP services and get a free upgrade on a shopping trip.
Obviously VIP services weren’t having any of it but put her just behind the divider so that she could see the business class so thought I would have a bit of fun. Walked down the cabin “Ahh Doktor I have kopf shmerz, can you give me something for it”.
The bemused look turned to worried as the penny sunk that this nutter was going to be in charge of the aircraft descending into her mountainous homeland.
Needless to say no VIP service to meet her the other end and we missed the mountains.
Still not sure what it brings to the party on an email signature though. Then again, I dislike all the little pictures and quotes people put in their signatures too. Just your rank, unit, and contact details should be enough as it saves all the bandwidth and endless scrolling to get to the actual point of the email.
Possibly.
Still not sure what it brings to the party on an email signature though. Then again, I dislike all the little pictures and quotes people put in their signatures too. Just your rank, unit, and contact details should be enough as it saves all the bandwidth and endless scrolling to get to the actual point of the email.
Still not sure what it brings to the party on an email signature though. Then again, I dislike all the little pictures and quotes people put in their signatures too. Just your rank, unit, and contact details should be enough as it saves all the bandwidth and endless scrolling to get to the actual point of the email.
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Re 'Doctor' and 'Mister'. I understood that the distinction dated back to the 18th century with the emergence of an academically qualified Doctor-class while the real meat-cleaving surgery was left in the hands of barbers and anyone else who fancied a go. The 'Doctors' refused to acknowledge (or admit into their exalted ranks) 'the others' and therefore 'the others' remained plain 'misters'.
Particularly unhelpful for those of us without the luxury of first world internet connections while doing the Queen's business.
You'd have to go a long way to have a more ridiculous title than "His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, CBE, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular"
Although a certain Brize Station Commander came close, as I recall......
Although a certain Brize Station Commander came close, as I recall......
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One taskette I used to have at work was preparing artwork for business cards - one guy had so many qualifications they wouldn't fit in the space available - quite an argument getting him to agree to ditch those that weren't absolutely relevant to his job. Other didn't want theirs included which was fine.
We had a number of ex Army and RAF people working with us, two Lieutenant Colonels and a Squadron Leader amongst them - rank only appeared on the employment history section of their CVs as it was germane to the work they were doing as part of our security and CTM service; threat analysis and so on. All really nice guys, miss working with them.
Treadigraph BA (Bugger All)
We had a number of ex Army and RAF people working with us, two Lieutenant Colonels and a Squadron Leader amongst them - rank only appeared on the employment history section of their CVs as it was germane to the work they were doing as part of our security and CTM service; threat analysis and so on. All really nice guys, miss working with them.
Treadigraph BA (Bugger All)
Gnome de PPRuNe
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BEagle, wasn't Idi Amin King of Scotland as well?
He claimed to be!
Mind you, I have more claim as I am a direct descendant of King James IV of Scotland, it seems!
A wee dram tomorrow on Burns Night, I think!
Mind you, I have more claim as I am a direct descendant of King James IV of Scotland, it seems!
A wee dram tomorrow on Burns Night, I think!
Last edited by BEagle; 24th Jan 2021 at 11:19.
When I was the manager and Tug Master of the Black Mountains Gliding Club at Talgarth we had a steady stream of GSA, Navy and Army gliding expeditions, and also VSOs visiting our resident Air Commodore. No one ever used their rank, ever. It just wasn't done. The only thing the CFI and I cared about was "could they fly?" as Talgarth could be tricky, but always fun. They were invariably accomplished sailplane pilots, and relished the challenges. However, the bloke driving the radio at Shobdon liked to be called 'Commander' and could be 'difficult'. If I flew over in the Pawnee to tow home one of our gliders that hadn't quite managed to get back he never made it as easy as it should've been.
Last edited by DaveUnwin; 24th Jan 2021 at 11:37. Reason: Dodgy grammar!
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Rather like the SH pilot that used his degree in Geography to justify and insist on his placement of the gun pit on the edges of our campsite, even though we all knew it was in the wrong place and he was told to move it to where everyone thought it should have gone in the first place.
you could almost hear the gasps when he said this is where it needs to go and I should know, I’ve got a degree in geography.....
you could almost hear the gasps when he said this is where it needs to go and I should know, I’ve got a degree in geography.....
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An acquantainces dad who has the rank, titles and the odd visit to the palace that could have been been added to his name never did.
During retirement in a Hampshire small town in the 90's he was known as "Dave" down the pub. A long bank holiday weekend when down there in his garden a daughter in law questioned about why he would not use his rank etc. It appears she wanted to boast of dad in law was xxxxx etc.
He thought about it for a second and said, 1st weekend I moved here I went to the pub, landlord asked my name and I said "David ............", I got asked David or Dave. I said "Dave" and that is what I have been known as ever since. They care whether I turn up to the pub for a quiz night and whether I help at the village fete.................. what I did before they know some of but I am still "Dave".
He had old money, quite a bit as well, but never gave the impression he had loads of it because he didn't believe in showing it. It was a virtue they instilled in the kids as well.
He would never condemn people using titles / rank but viewed it personally as I am "Dave / David or Mr", I don't need anything else because the people I am really important to already have titles for me "Husband / Dad / Uncle / Grandpa or Dave".
During retirement in a Hampshire small town in the 90's he was known as "Dave" down the pub. A long bank holiday weekend when down there in his garden a daughter in law questioned about why he would not use his rank etc. It appears she wanted to boast of dad in law was xxxxx etc.
He thought about it for a second and said, 1st weekend I moved here I went to the pub, landlord asked my name and I said "David ............", I got asked David or Dave. I said "Dave" and that is what I have been known as ever since. They care whether I turn up to the pub for a quiz night and whether I help at the village fete.................. what I did before they know some of but I am still "Dave".
He had old money, quite a bit as well, but never gave the impression he had loads of it because he didn't believe in showing it. It was a virtue they instilled in the kids as well.
He would never condemn people using titles / rank but viewed it personally as I am "Dave / David or Mr", I don't need anything else because the people I am really important to already have titles for me "Husband / Dad / Uncle / Grandpa or Dave".