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On the board in Mason's office


I can decode
W/CDR for Wing Comander
S/LDR for Squadron Leader
F/LT for Flight Lieutenant
F/O for Flying Officer
P/O for ?
W/O for ?
F/SGT for ?
SGT for Sergeant.
anyone can help ?

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I think W/O is wireless officer
I am pretty sure F/SGT is Flight Seargent
P/O may be pilot officer.

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P/O is Pilot Officer (the lowest commissioned rank)
W/O is Warrant Officer (the highest NCO)
F/SGT is Flight Sergeant

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I really don't get the RAF rank system in the war, particularly in the case of NCO pilots. You could have an aircraft commanded by an NCO with officers among the crew. I suppose you might even get officer gunners and an NCO pilot! I haven't seen an explanation of all this because without one it does seem a class-based throwback (in the most recent arm of service of course). I would appreciate any links that anyone has about the award of rank and wings.

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Other people would know better than me,hope they reply,but I doubt you would have officers as gunners or radio operators?,navigators?
I understand the RAF was unusual in having pilots who were not actually officers,part of Britain's total war strategy,trying to find new ideas to make up for limited resources.

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Yes, all those positions in the wartime RAF could have officers in them. It didn't matter what your trade was, if you survived you could go before a commissioning board and become an officer. Many pilots who started their tours as sergeants were commissioned by the end. Regardless of rank, the pilot was always the plane captain and final authority. One of my family began as a sergeant , and was an officer(navigator) by the time of his death in action with the Pathfinders. You would also have on wartime bases, Gunnery Leaders, Navigation Leaders, Bombing Leaders,etc , who were Officers.

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