The practice of commissioning civilians into ranks substantially higher than Pilot Officer or Flying Officer was not, as I am sure you know, unusual.
Early cases of military rapid advancement were common in the Great War, with specialists such as engineers and chemists in great demand.
When the RAF began the practise I do not know, but meteorologists [my profession] were essential, and the most able and senior could not be put into uniform many grades below their "equivalent military rank". A well known example is Group Captain Stagg, of D Day forecast fame.
During the cold war, civilian forecasters in British Forces Germany were given Dormant Commissions [RAFVR] which needed only signing to be actioned in Transition to War. Thus at various times there was a Flt Lts uniform [and a pistol!], a Sqn Ldrs uniform, and a Group Captain's uniform held in store for me. Fortunately for all of us, I never got to pretending to be an officer.
This is a long-winded approach to wondering if some of those Special Duties officers might have been Met. men or some equally shady bunch!
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