Well said, Mortmeister! The RAF was on show today and did itself great credit. I filled with pride to see the way they bore Her Majesty onto and off her final flight. Well done QCS (the Colour already referred to as the 'King's Colour' on Sky, shurely not?), and well done 99 Sqn.

You noticed that too? Have they lowered the recruiting age? We must always remind ourselves that they are the real RAF, not those who choose to speak on their behalf and make a right Horlicks of it.

What he said!

Very very good.

That was a painful watch.

I have just forced myself to watch that shambles. Trenchard, Dowding, Harris and a dozen dozen straight talking warriors must be rotating in their graves.

To be very clear, and I do want to assure you that we are carrying on carrying on, I cannot give a straight answer even if you asked me what I had for breakfast. Oh! And I forgot that I should wear my headdress. Can I go now please?

Kay Burley was doing her job. The more CAS talked about clarity the more he came across as clear as mud. QCS performed splendidly.

CAS on the telly.
 

That was bad. Really bad. He looked like a man with something to hide. He also looked like a man who thought the whole issue had blown over and been forgotten about. Maybe he thought a female presenter wouldn’t care about positive discrimination towards women.

Whatever was going through his mind he looked like someone had put a uniform on the janitor and sent him to the palace.

Who remembers this…


BV

I thought the young lads in Scotland, both Army and RAF, did magnificently. Negotiating a C-17 ramp is not easy, but hoofing it a mile up the steep, roughly cobbled Royal Mile is potentially ankle-breaking. I thought the King was going to drop at one point, but he was brilliant. So too his siblings, especially the Princess Royal. Now there's a real leader. I'm not sure the TV commentators grasped how physically, as well as emotionally, demanding that walk was. I did smile at the marker adroitly side-stepping the horse ****.

Agree with the comments about CAS. Ill-prepared. Set up almost. But I have a tinge of sympathy. He's inherited a Service in disarray at the top, held together by those below. That doesn't happen just with one man's tenure.

It seems to be endemic .... a VSO briefing starts with "I'll try to be honest with you........" Several, who had no wish to be lied to, got up and left.

The RAF did an excellent job yesterday, they should be immensely proud of themselves.

No beards on display by QCS, which was good!

Just watched that interview. I have no time at all for Kay Burley but Wigston's on air performance was shocking. How is that supposed to inspire his subordinates?

The difference between Kay and CAS was that one was agile, adaptable and capable…..

I contrast his shifty, wet and unconvincing performance with senior army interviewed over the years.

What sometimes used to happen [and still should] is that the interviewee sat and watched the interview next day, identified cringeworthy aspects and learned from them. I have little hope in this case.

I have just watched CAS/Burley and mentally wept. What an utterly awful performance by CAS. Unprepared and not even vaguely competent at answering/dodging the questions.

AirmanNotAviator
 

I served from 1965 to 1996. I have not seen a poorer interview by any CAS. The Secretary of State for Defence needs to make a change asap.

The interview with Kay Burley will perhaps feature in future media training - what a shockingly poor performance.

Dervish:
True. But this latest shambolic example of VSOs decisions (or those under them, and carrying out their policy) did happen on his watch, and is recent - can't be blamed on his predecessors. And his job is to correct the past errors. Instead each new top boss shows what happens when the best politician is promoted over those capable of getting the job done.

On the other hand, +1 to the compliments to those carrying out their duty at Edinburgh and Northolt yesterday. As usual, the ones at the sharp end get the job done, and are a credit to the RAF and their Commander in Chief.

HELP - where can I get to see the interview?

Old Duffer

Best avoided, embarrassing to anyone who cares for the Royal Air Force.

Available here: https://news.sky.com/video/share-12696289

Job for him in politics?