Large and small packs had to be blancoed, 'squared off' with pieces of stiff cardboard
placed inside, and precisely positioned on top of our lockers. Our webbing belts,
gaiters, and rifle slings were blancoed each night as they were wont to get shiny
during daily use. Sometimes a drop of water would remove the shine, but you could
only risk getting away with that once. All badges and brassware were polished, as
was all footwear. On the morning of inspection we usually rose very early,
performed our personal ablutions, and quickly turned our attention to our kit
layout. Non-issue personal items were first placed under the mattress. A blanket was
spread smoothly and tucked in evenly all round. Other bedding was precisely folded
and stacked sheet-blanket-sheet and wrapped round with the third blanket, ends
underneath, and the pillow smoothed out and placed on top at the head of the bed.
The remaining area of the bed was used for displaying one's kit and accoutrements
to a precise pattern. The contents of lockers had to be immaculately displayed
therein. Only after this was done did we go to breakfast, although if things went
wrong breakfast would usually have to be missed. We then dashed back to our
barrack rooms, checked everything over, and readied ourselves for parade.

Kit inspection would follow. "Stand by your beds. Room Atten - shun". To get to our bed spaces we could not help but scuff the floor with our boots, for the pads
would already be hidden away. This, super-careful as we were, effectively meant
that, regardless of pads, the floor had to be repolished next bull night. The inspection
would commence. If the
CO was present he would lead his entourage: Sqn.Ldr.
Garner
i/c Training Wing, our Flight Commander, the Station Adjutant, the Station
Warrant Officer, and the course
SNCO - in that order. Any dirty mug was smashed
on the floor, any improperly laid out kit and the bed would be tipped up on its side.
Black marks were awarded for such misdemeanours. Serious breaches would
involve a charge sheet being made out (
Form 252) and the culprit being put on a
'Fizzer'. Culprits were usually awarded 2 days
CB.
4

Our personal appearance was of the utmost importance at all times. Uniforms had to be pressed into sharp creases. This was done by taking it in turns to use the
barrack room iron and ironing board. Haircuts had to be frequent and we used the
barber down in the town who, fortunately for us, was usually very quiet on
Saturday afternoons.
5

There is always one chap who tries to rock the boat. That character in our
barrack room was one John Roberts from Blackpool. If we weren't careful (and he
caught all of us at some time or other) he would, after a barrack inspection, remove
all the keys from our locker doors and put them in his mess tin. The swearing and
clamour this created can only be imagined. After he had played us up for a while he
would calmly, provided we remained quiet, remove one key at a time, and give it to
the rightful owner, until all the keys were returned. He never made a mistake. How
he managed to do it remained a mystery, for he would never explain.

The Chief Drill Instructor was Flight Sergeant Brown and one of his juniors was Corporal Grey who had an evil attitude to any Cadets. Flt.Sgt. Brown, although a
thoroughly strict disciplinarian, in fairness, gave us many hints and a good deal of
advice as to how to overcome various problems. As an instance, he told us that the
best way to get tea stains out of a mug was to pick up a weed with soil on its roots
and rub it round inside, using the soil as a scouring powder, before rinsing it out. He
also showed us how to prevent fainting on parade, and much else. Cpl. Grey was
always referred to as "That bastard". As an example, he would turn up in a barrack
room precisely at Reveille and, if he found anyone failing to put their feet on the
floor after three minutes he would charge them, under Section 40 of the Air Force
____________________________________
4
CB = Confined to Barracks, sometimes referred to as 'Jankers', which involved parading at the Guardroom at
inconvenient hours in full kit for inspection by the Orderly Officer.
5 As recently as 2003 the same barber's shop was still in business.
11