Quote:
Originally Posted by grumpy
Amazing. Inhabited Officers' Messes as follows
Leeming, Topcliffe, Acklington, Church Fenton, Linton, Gutersloh, Bruggen, Rheindahlen, Brize Norton ......missed a few ..........
Never saw one. Batwomen with a massive mug of tea and wrenching the curtains, stewards in the Mess ..........
April 1st perhaps?
Good try.
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From Hansard - Volume 387: debated on Wednesday 10 March 1943
Prior to 1936 an officer was allowed the services of a batman or batmen according to his rank, if he was living in an official residence or official quarters. At many of the Royal Air Force stations built since then, official residences have not been provided for the Commanding Officer and because of this and of the difficulty in many areas of obtaining domestic help, Commanding Officers of Stations or of Groups have been allowed
the services of batmen at their private houses if the circumstances were held to justify it.
In 1941 in pursuance of the general policy of substituting women for men wherever possible,
the employment of W.A.A.F.'s as batwomen was authorised subject to certain provisos of which the main were that definite hours of duty would be laid down and that the working conditions satisfied the responsible W.A.A.F. officer.
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