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Aviation History
1949
1949 - 0049.PDF
JANUARY 13TH, 1949 FLIGHT 35 GROUND CREWS OF THE R.A.F. An Airman's Views on Sir Philip Joubert's Diagnosis of fr the Airman's Psychology By F. A. S. BROWN ATlHE article "Manning the R.A.F." by Atr Chief , I Marshal Sir Philip Joubert, published in Flight of -*- December 9th, was an excellent "appreciation of the situation " from a senior officer's viewpoint. But, having served in the ranks of the R.A.F. from 1941-1945, first as a flight mechanic and later as a fitter 2a, I should like to add some suggestions based on my own experience and that of others with whom 1 was acquainted. In the main, I endorse heartily Sir Philip's diagnosis of the airman's psychology, but I think that possibly he does not know all the facts. On the paradoxical subject of discipline and happiness, it is a half-truth to say that airmen were happier on the stricter sta- ""™"~"~~~~~~—— tions. But it is only a half-truth. I have known many airmen (especi- ally those serving with Flying Training Command, where discip- line was necessarily strict) who were miserable in the extreme, and who would seek posting elsewhere, volunteering for '' conversion ——————— courses," and in some cases for overseas service, in an endeavour to escape the atmosphere of repression that existed at many stations. The happiest stations of all were the satellite landing grounds to which airmen from large permanent airfields would be detached. Here the discipline would be effective, though not necessarily slack, and not blatantly apparent; the atmosphere would be cheerful, morale good and all went about their duties with enthusiasm. Where, as noted by Sir Philip, the men were unhappy due to lax discipline, it was not the lack of discipline, hi the sense of rigorous repression and harsh punishment, that they disliked. No human being relishes over-strict control. It was due to the inept administration that so often accompanied slack discipline. Due, in fact, to a by-product of lax discipline. That brings me to the greatest saurce of unhappiness in the ranks of the R.A.F. technical tradesmen. It was the excessive authority over tradesmen of all groups given to General Duties (ACH/GD) N.C.O.s. The G.D. N.C.O.s I heard described soon after my en listment as "the curse of the R.A.F." Over four years' service has confirmed the truth of this saying. That men of low-grade intelligence or often with complete lack of intellect, should be employed in sanitary squads and similar duties is reasonable, but why should such men be promoted rapidly, to be given charge of discipline and detail administration of a station? Does a mechanized unit of the Brigade of Guards embody senior N.C.O.s of the Pioneer Corps to maintain discipline within its ranks? Unqualified Administrators .: ,t That, in effect, was the practice of the R.A.F. I read recently that the trade of ACH/GD is now extinct, but will the custom continue under the guise of "Orderly"? .1 know of one G.D. who was, early in the war, L.A.C. in charge of the washing-up party at a training station in FOLLOWING publication of the Opinions ofan Air Chief Marshal and an Air Commodore on causes of difficulties in the R.A.F., we give here the experience of a ranker who served in the R.A.F. during the war. His main point is that good tradesmen will never be happy in the Service while they are, as he puts it, "at the mercy of group-five N.C.O.s". from an obvious inferiority complex and "took it out" oi the technical men, and N.C.O.s too, on every opportunity Countless instances of such treatment by ACH N.C.O.: can be given by airmen who served in the R.A.F. At some stations in Britain it was the custom for ground crews to work twelve consecutive days without a break, and then depart on a fortnightly 48-hour leave, hali going one week and the other half the next. Technical N.C.O.s at one airfield where this custom was in force allowed their men to cease work, at their own risk, an hour before passes were issued. The men had thus washed, changed and packed their small kit by 16.30 hours. The G.D. sergeant responsible for discipline decided to stop this prac- tice but, instead of giving fair warning to the tradesmen N.C.O.s, he walked into the barrack blocks on Friday as the '' erks'' were changing and placed them under arrest, thus stopping their week-end leave. (One man had arranged to ————— stay with his wife at the seaside.) All were charged and given "jankers." Legally the G.D. sergeant was in the right, but surely he should first have advised those responsible for allowing the men's absence from the hangars to go "un- noticed .'' Good tradesmen wijl never be happy in the R.A.F. while they are at the mercy of group-five N.C.O.s, whatever the designation of the latter. It is a truism that the R.A.F. is a technical service. A truism so apparent that it blinds many to the fact that even a technical service needs able administration. " Misemployment " Due doubtless to shortages of manpower, every available ranker who could be trained for technical employment, particularly in group-one trades, was forced to undergo such training. Many who volunteered for ground service in the R.A.F. had held administrative or responsible cleri- cal positions in Civvy Street and would gladly have con- tinued in such work. Their experience could have been of inestimable value to the R.A.F. Orderly Rooms, Accounts offices, etc. But no! The R.A.F. is a technical service. Therefore, whether it appealed to them or not, they had to undergo training as mechanics. Some cer- tainly became good fitters, but others, especially in the East, found their way into office jobs where they were "misemployed" as clerks but still drew their group-one pay. To be fair to the R.A.F., we must remember that the cost in man-hours of maintaining an aircraft in service- able condition was increasing before the war of 1939-45, and in fact still is increasing. They naturally decided to acquire as large a technical staff as possible. Also, the conflict with Japan was unforeseen, and plans were made on the assumption that in the anticipated European war W.A.A.F.s could undertake most admini- strative tasks. But on many stations overseas, the con- ditions prohibited the accommodation of W.A.A.F. per- sonnel, and one found group-one tradesmen in the OrderlyEngland. By 1945 he was Warrant Officer, responsible for discipline, at an Indian airfield, where an L.A.C. M.T. Room, Accounts section, Equipment stores and Flight driver, trained at his English station, also served. Needless offices. to say, everyone soon knew of the W.O.'s former dish- At home this concentration on technical training resulted washing activities, and naturally, though perhaps un- in detailed administration being left to those with the justly, despised him. He, a tyrant by nature, suffered dullest minds. The " dimwitted G.D. N.C.O. in the B 5
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