Life in the RAAF (Prologue)

Today's post comes from RSG who went from reading Biggles books to joining the Australian Air Force...

When I was 12, I discovered my brother’s Biggles’ books.  That began my life-long love affair with Spitfires and all things aeronautical, including the Air Force – which, in Australia is the Royal Australian Air Force.

Shortly before my 19th birthday I convinced my father that the best thing that could possibly happen for my future would be for me to leave my position as a stenographer at the University of Queensland and join the Women’s Royal Australian Air Force.  With Dad’s blessing, I applied and was accepted into the mustering of “Clerk Medical” and off I flew, courtesy of the RAAF, from Brisbane over 1,000 miles south to Melbourne to begin Rookies’ Course No 147 with about 30 other young women at RAAF Base Williams, Point Cook, Victoria, the birthplace of the RAAF.

Rookies was interesting, to say the least!  Here we learnt all about precision drill and marching; the fine art of spit-cleaning our shoes (the aim being to be able to see one’s face in them); the necessity of keeping one’s quarters not just spotless but so incredibly sanitised that any germs within a mile of the our quarters would have run screaming for the hills in surrender; attended lectures on RAAF history and traditions; differing levels of uniform identification, e.g. 1A’s (best), 1B’s (everyday), Drabs (khakis – for Rookies and general mucking about); the other fine art of polishing brass (uniform) buttons; comparable Australian military ranks across the three services; the privilege of serving our country through the RAAF; and – how to have lots of fun when not on duty!!  Well, maybe that last one wasn’t really on our lecturing officers’ curriculum, but it was certainly on ours. And in the middle of all this was one incredibly enlightening lecture on the ‘facts of life’!! 

Being the rather strange being that I am, I loved Rookies (well maybe not the obsessive inspections) – we marched everywhere.  It was just too much fun!!  But I do remember a few of the other girls thinking I was a bit weird because I couldn’t get enough of drill and marching. 

Four weeks later we graduated and to my surprise and honour, I was the Dux of our Course.  I was then posted to Base Squadron Medical Section at Point Cook, only one of two of our course members to remain at Point Cook – the rest being scattered to RAAF bases all over Australia, depending upon their area of expertise or training requirements.

So much for Rookies….life in the RAAF now began in earnest….

18 comments

  1. What a lovely story, RSG. You obviously found your niche in life. I'm really pleased you decided to share this with us.

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  2. The level of activity tires me just reading about it! Did anyone threaten to drop out on day one?

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  3. So which one's you on the photo, RSG?

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  4. So Biggles literally changed your life RSG. Wow! I love that. :)

    I also love all the insider information stuff - fascinating. Though I have to agree with Soppy - the routine does sound pretty exhausting!

    Looking forward to the next instalment.

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  5. I'm going to have to ask RSG to come by and answer everyone's questions...

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  6. Thanks for the lovely responses :)

    To answer one question today (sorry - I'm about to dash out the door and do battle with the morning car park that passes for a freeway) - which one is me in the graduation photo?

    I'm seated second from left front row.

    And - yes, it was an exhausting routine, but funnily enough most of us loved it :) Don't think I could stand the pace now, though.....

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  7. Thanks for sharing such a lovely piece with us, RSG! Can't wait for more :)

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  8. Thank you, Soppy :) Next instalment should be on its way tonight (or tomorrow.....)

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  9. I've got it RSG--thanks! I'll be putting it up in a few days as I'm trying to work out the mechanisms of our new forum...

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  10. Great RSG - I am quite envious. Why was I so unenterprising!!!!!

    Looking forward to more.

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  11. By the way - I notice in the photo that you have all crossed your legs the same way :-))))

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  12. Typically military. Everything msut be exact. Can't have anyone doing their own thing, and spoiling the military precision of the photos. When I was in the TA attached to Royal Signals I used to automatically cross my ankles the wrong way becuase I was left-handed and left-footed. Used to drive the photographer and the RSM mad.

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  13. I bet they suspected you were doing it on purpose rather than just not thinking about it too! Authority figures do always tend to think the worst of people!

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  14. You know, this is bringing back more and more memories :) Yes,, it was necessary to follow military protocol, but we still had lots of fun. I remember one day on Rookies when our drill squad was marching up and down, up and down, up and down the parade ground, the Flight Sergeant let us keep marching towards a massive great tree at one end of the ground and didn't give any order for us to halt, mark time, turn, wheel, etc - so the leaders began marking time and so did the rest of us (I mean, what else are you to do????) Result was really hilarious,. Flt Sgt Webb went balistic - yelled that she hadn't given any order for us to mark time and until such time as she did so, if there was a tree in the way, then we were to march straight up said tree!!! I thought it was hilarious and so did a couple of the others..... ummmm.... quick lesson number one - when on Rookies don't laugh at your drill instructor!!! Could wind up in all sorts of bother :) I still get the giggles to this day when I think of that little episode :)

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  15. And just to set the record straight on a minor detail, I've realised that I have a typo in the Prologue. I was on Course 146, not 147. Minor detail, but of significance to any possible reader who might have been on either of those courses and is wondering who the heck I was!!

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  16. Let's call it creative editing rather than a typo. Wouldn't it be lovely if someone came up here and posted and said, "Oh, by the way, RSG. I was in 146 as well, small world etc"?

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  17. It certainly would, Soppy. I'd be really tickled pink!!

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  18. Surely someone else other than you liked Biggles? Maybe they'll find their way here yet...

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Maira Gall