Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Officers - Conditions of Service, Rates of Pay and Administrative Matters

Rates of Pay - 1919

1. Rates of pay for officers (including staff officers), except those in specialist branches: -

   Rank	Pay per day
   	£	s	d
   Cadet	0	5	0
   Cadet after one year	0	10	0
   Pilot Officer	0	18	0
   Flying Officer (or Observer Officer)	1	3	0
   Flying Officer (or Observer Officer) after two year in the substantive rank as such	1	5	0
   Flight Lieutenant	1	9	0
   Squadron Leader	1	14	0
   Squadron Leader after five year in the substantive rank as such	1	16	0
   Wing Commander (rising by 1s per day after each year in the substantive rank to a limit of £2 10s)	2	0	0
   Group Captain	2	15	0
   Group Captain after two year in the substantive rank as such	2	18	0
   Group Captain after four year in the substantive rank as such	3	1	0
   Group Captain after six year in the substantive rank as such	3	4	0
   Air Commodore	3	4	6
   Air Commodore command pay	0	5	0
   Air Vice-Marshal	5	0	0
   Air Marshal	6	0	0
   Air Chief Marshal	7	0	0

2. Rates of pay for officers appointed to the Quartermaster Branch: -

   	Rank	Pay per day
   		£	s	d
   On appointment	Flying Officer (or Observer Officer)	0	19	0
   After 4 years	Flying Officer (or Observer Officer)	1	1	0
   After 8 years	Flight Lieutenant	1	3	0
   After 12 years	Flight Lieutenant	1	5	0
   After 15 years	Squadron Leader	1	10	0
   	Wing Commander	1	15	0

    

3. Rates of pay for officers appointed to the Medical Service: -

   Years of service	Rank	Pay per day
   		£	s	d
   On joining	Flying Officer		24
   After 2 years	Flight Lieutenant		26
   On selection for permanent service after 4 years of service	Flight Lieutenant		28
   After 6 years	Flight Lieutenant		30
   On promotion (after 10 years total service)	Squadron Leader		34
   After 2 years in the substantive rank	Squadron Leader		36
   After 4 years in the substantive rank	Squadron Leader		38
   After 6 years in the substantive rank	Squadron Leader		42
   On promotion	Wing Commander		46
   After 2 years in the substantive rank	Wing Commander		50
   After 4 years in the substantive rank	Wing Commander		52
   After 6 years in the substantive rank	Wing Commander		54
   On promotion	Group Captain		60
   After 2 years in the substantive rank	Group Captain		64
   After 4 years in the substantive rank	Group Captain		68
   	Deputy Director Director	see (5) below
   	Quartermaster	see (2) above

    

4. Rates of pay for Chaplains: -

   	Pay per day
   	£	s	d
   On Entry	1	0	0
   After 3 years	1	3	0
   After 6 years	1	6	0
   After 9 years	1	9	0
   After 12 years	1	12	0
   After 15 years	1	15	0
   After 18 years	1	18	0
   After 21 years	2	1	0
   After 14 years	2	4	0
   After 27 years	2	7	0
   After 30 years	2	10	0

    

5. Pay of officers employed at the Air Ministry: -

   Posting	Rate per annum
   	£	s	d
   Directors	2000			Consolidated rates inclusive of all allowances except travelling
   Deputy Directors: -
   1st Class	1500
   2nd Class	1200
   Other officers: -
   Down to and including the rank of Squadron Leader				Full pay and allowances plus £100 per annum
   Below the rank of Squadron Leader				Full pay and allowances plus £75 per annum
   Posted for duty as attached officers				Full pay and allowances for their rank plus 10s per day up to 3 months; thereafter they will come on to the ordinary Air Ministry scale.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 1003/1919 dated 15 September 1919.

Central Posting of RAF Officers

From the 1 February 1920 a new system was introduced in which the posting of officers was to carried out by the Air Ministry and not the Air Officers Commanding at home, except as a temporary measure.  In such case the movement was to be reported to the Air Ministry immediately for confirmation or otherwise.

The same condition applied to Overseas Commands but in this case the movement would only be reported by weekly return.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 38/1920 dated 15 January 1920.

Selection of Officers for Administrative duties

With the abolition of the Administrative Branch authority was given to unit commanding officers to appoint a suitable flying officers on the general list for administrative duties.  However, offices employed on such duties was expected to maintain proficiency in other duties.  It was also stated that officers should be encouraged to study administration and that such qualifications and employment would be taken into consideration for promotion.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 431/1920 dated 13 May 1920.

Stores Officers

The Quartermaster Branch was replaced by a new Store Branch: -

Promotion with the branch was made on selection within an approved establishment of number for each rank and not solely by length of service (as had been the case previously).

An officer could be promoted to Group Captain having proved himself exceptionally fitted for service in the higher appointments of command and administration, he was passed to the General List and was transferred to the conditions pertaining to that rank from the date of promotion.

The scales and rates of half-pay were: -

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 537/1920 dated 17 June 1920.

Chaplains - Emoluments and Conditions of Service

1. This Order announced that the Chaplains would be granted the following relative ranks: -

   as Air Commodore	Chaplain-in-Chief
   as Group Captain	Chaplain with 20 years service, or when appointed as Staff Chaplain
   as Wing Commander	Chaplain with 15 years service
   as Squadron Leader	Chaplain with less than 15 years service

    

2. The relative rank was granted for purposes of precedence, discipline and administration, and did not confer any command nor any advantages as regards emoluments, effective or non-effective, or retirement.

3. The rate of pay for Chaplains remained the same at those shown Air Ministry Weekly Order 1003/1919 dated 15 September 1919 (see above)

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 816/1920 dated 23 September 1920.

Medical Officers - Emoluments and Conditions of Service

This Order announced revised conditions of service for members of the RAF Medical Service (except Quartermasters): -

1. Short Service Commissions

   1. Short Service Commissions (SSC) in the rank of flying officer were to be offered to civilian doctors under the age of 28 years, although in exceptional circumstances and as a temporary measure, commission would be granted in higher ranks and over the age of 28

   2. Such commissions were for a period of two years' service on the active list (which could be extended with Air Council approval to four years) and four years' on the reserve.

2. Seconded Officers

   1. Medical Officers of the Royal Navy, the Army or other Government or Colonial Service could be seconded for service with the RAF Medical Service for a period of three years, which could be extended with the consent of the officer, the Air Council and the Service to which he belonged.

   2. Such officers were gazetted the rank in the RAF corresponding to the substantive rank, they held in their parent Service.

3. Permanent Commissions

   1. Permanent Commissions could be granted by selection from officers holding SSCs or seconded officers.  If there were no vacancies in the RAF Medical Service, such officer could be transferred to Permanent Commissions in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), with their RAF service counting towards increments and retired pay in the RAMC.

   2. During the first six years of permanent service officer below the rank of Wing Commander would be granted leave, at the discretion of the Air Council, for a period of not exceeding nine months for the purpose of attending the senior officers' course at the Royal Army Medical College or for postgraduate study in general medicine and surgery, tropical and preventative medicine and such special subjects as the eye, ear, nose and throat.  During such leave officers remained on full pay and allowances, but no other fees and expenses from public funds.

4. Promotion

   1. Flying officers were promoted to flight lieutenant after two years service.

   2. Officers selected for permanent commissions would normally be promoted to squadron leader after 10 years' service irrespective of establishment, but could receive accelerated promotion in the case of officers showing exceptional scientific or professional ability at any time after 8 years' service.

   3. Promotion to the rank of wing commander would be made by selection at any time after 16 years' total service.

   4. Promotion to the rank of group captain would be made by selection at any time after 22 years' total service.

   5. Service other than commissioned service as a medical officer in the RN, Army or RAF would count towards promotion.

Rates of pay for officers appointed to the Medical Service: -

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 965/1920 dated 8 November 1920.

Medical Quartermasters

From 1 August 1919 officers appointed as quartermasters in the Medical Branch received promotion, pay, allowances, half-pay and retired pay under the same conditions as quartermasters in the RAMC, except outfit allowance.

The scales of pay for medical quartermasters was: -

Promotion, except to wing commander, was governed by length of service as follows: -

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 966/1920 dated 11 November 1920.

Training of Technical Officers

1. Officers granted permanent commissions in the RAF were required to first qualify as a pilot, and to serve for a certain period as a pilot in a flying unit in the flying branch  At the end of that period the officer could then specialise in any of the technical ar force subjects as shown below: -

   1. Air Navigation

   2. Air Armament

   3. Aeronautical Engineering

   4. Electrical and Wireless work

   5. Photography

2. The first few years of an officer's service was to be devoted primarily to training as an efficient service pilot and during those years he would not be permitted to attend any special school of instruction to study any of the above subjects, but he would be given the opportunity to study the subject in which he ultimately wished to specialise.  However, during this period he would be permitted to attend any of the short courses directly connected with flying such as air pilotage, wireless and photography.  More senior officers, up to the rank of squadron leader, could also attend refresher courses.

3. After completing four years' service or if rendered unfit for flying duties, officers could be selected to undergo a long course of instruction in any of the subjects shown in (1)

4. Officers could also apply to attend university courses in order to reacquaint themselves with the fundamental sciences of mathematics, mechanics and/or physics.

5. Details of Long Courses: -

   1. Air Navigation

      The School of Air Navigation was located at Calshot and the course was approximately 10 months in duration, split into two terms, with a break in between.  Officers were taught how to navigate aircraft by dead reckoning, by astronomical observation and by direction finding wireless.  Large flying boats were used and navigation out of sight of land was conducted over the English Channel.  Officer were selected on the basis of passing an examination consisting of a general knowledge paper and elementary papers in mathematics, air pilotage, magnetism and electricity.  Those officers unable to pass this entrance examination could apply to undertake a course in mathematics and kindred subjects at university.

       

   2. Air Armament

      This course was run at the Marine and Armament Experimental Station, Isle of Grain but was due to move to Eastchurch.  It was designed to give RAF officers the practical knowledge of RAF armament and included the care, maintenance and design of all RAF armament equipment as well as actual aerial gunnery and bomb-dropping practice.  The course was approximately 10 months in duration divided into two terms.

       

   3. Aeronautical Engineering

      vehicles used in the RAF.  The training of air engineer officers was divided into: -

      1. Theoretical

      2. Practical

      The theoretical instruction was mostly provided by means of university course 'A' at Cambridge University.  On completion of this part of the course, officers were given a practical course of instruction in RAF engineering subjects.  This practical element was split between the Central Flying School, Upavon and the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough.  This course consisted of two terms of five months with a break in between and on termination of the course, those officers who showed exceptional talent at both Cambridge and on the practical element could be selected to undertake a further post-graduate course at London University to study experimental work and aeronautical research.

       

   4. Electrical and Wireless

      The rules for these subjects was similar to those for Aeronautical Engineering, shown above, except that the practical element was conducted at the Electrical and Wireless School, Flowerdown.  However, officers showing sufficient theoretical knowledge were not required to undertake the university courses and could move straight on to the practical element at Flowerdown.

       

   5. Photography

      This course was conducted at the School of Photography at Farnborough where they learnt the practical dexterity in the use of the camera from the air as well as sufficient knowledge of optics and kindred subjects to enable them to diagnose photographic faults intelligently and to meet by improvisation the exigencies of active service conditions.  The course was approximately eight months in duration divided into two terms with a break between.  The first term lasting between 2and a half to three months and was devoted entirely to air work and constituted the short course referred to in paragraph 2.  At the end of the short course, those officers wishing to specialise could then be selected, if sufficient progress had been shown, to complete the full course.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 389/1921 dated 26 May 1921.

Obsolete Classifications of Officers - Revision of Symbols in the Air Force List

This order identified the classifications and sub-classifications which had been declared obsolete, having been replaced by the General Duties Branch and a limited number of specialist branches.

Officers of the General Duties Branch (GD), subject to age and physical fitness to be normally employed on flying duties.  They could be posted for technical and other duties according to their qualifications but were required to maintain the flying efficiency by practice, whenever, possible.  GD officers would normally be employed on non-flying duties for no more than two years at a time.

Those branches declared obsolete and the abbreviations used to denote them in the Air Force List were: -

The following abbreviations would be inserted in the Air Force List against those officers who had passed certain courses: -

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 833/1921 dated 20 October 1921.

AMWO 37/1923 was amended as follows

Short Service Commissions - Period of Service

The introduction of these had been announced in AMWO 781/1919 and that they would be awarded for a period of service on the active list of three years.  This order announced that for applications made after 17 November 1920 the period of service would be extended to four years.

Gazettements were made as follows: -

1. From the inception of the Short Service Commission scheme, all appointments notified in the 'London Gazette' up to and including 25 January 1921 were for a period of three years, unless otherwise stated.

2. All appointments notified notified after 25 January 1921 were for a period of four years, unless otherwise stated.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 76/1922 dated 6 January 1922.

Full Pay of Officers - Revised Rates

1. The rates of pay for Officers were revised from 1 July 1924 as the result of a 5½% fall in the cost of living, the rates for General Duties Officers being

   Rank	Pay per day
   	Standard Rate			Rate from 1 Jul 1924
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   Pilot Officer	0	18	0	0	18	0
   Flying Officer (or Observer Officer)	1	3	0	1	1	8
   Flying Officer (or Observer Officer) after two year in the substantive rank as such	1	5	0	1	3	8
   Flight Lieutenant	1	9	0	1	7	4
   Squadron Leader	1	14	0	1	12	2
   Squadron Leader after five year in the substantive rank as such	1	16	0	1	14	0
   Wing Commander	2	0	0	1	17	10
   Wing Commander after 1 year in substantive rank	2	1	0	1	18	8
   Wing Commander after 2 years in substantive rank	2	2	0	1	19	8
   Wing Commander after 3 years in substantive rank	2	3	0	1	0	8
   Wing Commander after 4 years in substantive rank	2	4	0	1	1	6
   Wing Commander after 5 years in substantive rank	2	5	0	1	2	6
   Wing Commander after 6 years in substantive rank	2	6	0	1	3	6
   Wing Commander after 7 years in substantive rank	2	7	0	1	4	4
   Wing Commander after 8 years in substantive rank	2	8	0	1	5	4
   Wing Commander after 9 years in substantive rank	2	9	0	1	6	4
   Wing Commander after 10 years in substantive rank	2	10	0	1	7	4
   Group Captain	2	15	0	2	12	0
   Group Captain after 2 years in the substantive rank as such	2	18	0	2	14	10
   Group Captain after 4 years in the substantive rank as such	3	1	0	2	17	8
   Group Captain after 6 years in the substantive rank as such	3	4	0	3	0	6
   Air Commodore	3	4	6	3	1	0
   Air Vice-Marshal	5	0	0	4	14	6
   Air Marshal	6	0	0	5	13	4
   Air Chief Marshal	7	0	0	6	12	4

2. The revised rates for the Stores Branch were: -

   Rank	Pay per day
   	Standard Rate			Rate from 1 Jul 1924
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   Pilot Officer	0	15	0	0	14	2
   Flying Officer	0	19	0	0	18	0
   Flying Officer after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	1	0	0	19	10
   Flight Lieutenant	1	3	0	1	1	8
   Flight Lieutenant after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	5	0	1	3	8
   Squadron Leader	1	10	0	1	8	4
   Wing Commander	1	15	0	1	13	0

    

3. The revised rates for the Medical Branch were: -

   Years of service	Rank	Pay per day
   		Standard Rate			Rate from 1 Jul 1924
   		£	s	d	£	s	d
   Flying Officer		1	4	0	1	2	8
   Flight Lieutenant		1	6	0	1	4	6
   Flight Lieutenant after 4 years of service in the substantive rank		1	8	0	1	6	6
   Flight Lieutenant after 6 years of service in the substantive rank		1	10	0	1	8	4
   Squadron Leader		1	14	0	1	12	2
   Squadron Leader after 2 years of service in the substantive rank		1	16	0	1	14	0
   Squadron Leader after 4 years of service in the substantive rank		1	18	0	1	15	10
   Squadron Leader after 6 years of service in the substantive rank		2	2	0	1	19	8
   Wing Commander		2	6	0	2	3	6
   Wing Commander after 2 years of service in the substantive rank		2	10	0	2	7	4
   Wing Commander after 4 years of service in the substantive rank		2	12	0	2	9	2
   Wing Commander after 6 years of service in the substantive rank		2	14	0	2	11	0
   Group Captain		3	0	0	2	16	8
   Group Captain after 2 years of service in the substantive rank		3	4	0	3	0	6
   Group Captain after 4 years of service in the substantive rank		3	8	0	3	4	4

4. The revised rates for medical quartermasters were: -

5. The revised rates for Chaplain were: -

   	Pay per day
   	Standard Rate			Rate from 1 Jul 1924
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   On Entry	1	0	0	0	18	10
   After 3 years	1	3	0	1	1	8
   After 6 years	1	6	0	1	4	6
   After 9 years	1	9	0	1	7	4
   After 12 years	1	12	0	1	10	2
   After 15 years	1	15	0	1	13	0
   After 18 years	1	18	0	1	15	10
   After 21 years	2	1	0	1	18	8
   After 14 years	2	4	0	2	1	6
   After 27 years	2	7	0	2	4	4
   After 30 years	2	10	0	2	7	4

    

6. The revised rates for officers employed at the Air Ministry were: -

   Posting	Pay per day
   	Standard Rate			Rate from 1 Jul 1924
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   Directors	2,000			1,890	0	0	Consolidated rates inclusive of all allowances except travelling
   Deputy Directors: -
   1st Class	1,500			1,417	0	0
   2nd Class	1,200			1,134	0	0

    

7. The revised rates for officers posted to the Air Ministry for staff duties were: -

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 451/1924 dated 26 June 1924.

Officers Half Pay

1. The rates of half-pay for Officers were revised from 1 July 1924 as the result of a 5½% fall in the cost of living, the rates for General Duties and Medical Branches were:

2. The rates for the Stores and Accountant branch were: -

   Rank	Period	Scale A						Scale B
   		Standard Rate			Rate from 1 Jul 1924
   		£	s	d	£	s	d	£
   Pilot Officer	First year	200	5	0	189	0	0	100
   	afterwards	118	12	6	112	0	0	100
   Flying Officer	First year	250	0	0	236	0	0	100
   	afterwards	146	0	0	138	0	0	100
   Flight Lieutenant	First six months	280	0	0	264	0	0	150
   	Afterwards	182	10	0	172	10	0	150
   Squadron Leader	First six months	350	10	0	331	10	0	200
   	Afterwards	270	0	0	255	0	0	200
   Wing Commander	First six months	500	0	0	475	0	0	275
   	Afterwards	275	0	0	275	0	0	275

3. The rates for Chaplains were: -

   Service as Chaplain	Period	Scale A						Scale B
   		Standard Rate			Rate from 1 Jul 1924
   		£	s	d	£	s	d	£
   1 - 3 years	First year	237	5	0	224	0	0	100
   	afterwards	118	12	6	112	0	0	100
   4 - 9 years	First year	292	0	0	276	0	0	100
   	afterwards	146	0	0	138	0	0	100
   10 - 15 years	First six months	365	0	0	345	0	0	150
   	Second six months	310	0	0	293	0	0	150
   	Afterwards	182	10	0	172	10	0	150
   16 - 21 years	First six months	547	10	0	517	10	0	200
   	Second six months	310	0	0	293	0	0	200
   	Afterwards	270	0	0	255	0	0	200
   Over 21 years	First six months	730	0	0	690	0	0	275
   	Second six months	501	17	6	474	10	0	275
   	Afterwards	275	0	0	275	0	0	275

4. The rates for Legal Officers were: -

   Rank	Standard Rate per day			Rate per day from 1 Jul 1924
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   Flight Lieutenant	0	11	9	0	11	1
   or, after 15 years commissioned service	0	13	0	0	12	3
   Squadron Leader	0	15	9	0	14	11
   or, after 15 years service as such	0	18	6	0	17	6
   Wing Commander	1	3	9	1	2	5

5. The rates for Medical Quartermasters and Directors of Music were: -

   Rank	Standard Rate per day			Rate per day from 1 Jul 1924
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   With less than 4 years commissioned service	0	9	6	0	9	0
   After  4 years commissioned service	0	10	6	0	9	11
   After  8 years commissioned service	0	11	6	0	10	10
   After 12 years commissioned service	0	12	6	0	11	10
   After 15 years commissioned service	0	15	0	0	14	2
   Wing Commander	0	17	6	0	16	6

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 467/1924 dated 18 June 1924.

Legal Officers

Legal Officers: -

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 453/1924 dated 26 June 1924.

Distinguishing Badges for wear by officer personnel serving with the Fleet Air Arm

1. It has been decided that officers of the RAF while serving with units of the Fleet Air Arm shall wear a distinguishing badge to show their connection to that Arm.

2. The badge approved for RAF officers (which is the same for all ranks) consists of a small silver anchor and cable of silver embroidery, surround by a laurel wreath in gold embroidery.

3. The badge is to be worn on all occasions with full dress, service dress and mess dress during an officer's service with the Fleet Air Arm.  It is not to be worn on the greatcoat or raincoat.

4. The badge must conform to the sealed pattern, and the position of wear on tunics or jackets is as follows: -

   1. Full dress and service dress, home pattern - In the centre of the left sleeve immediately above the uppermost row of distinction lace so that there is an interval of ½ inch between the lowest part of the badge and the top of the distinction lace.

   2. Service dress, tropical - In the centre of the left sleeve and  ½ inch above point of cuff.

   3. Mess dress, home and tropical - In the centre of the left sleeve and  ½ inch above the cuff.

5. The equivalent badge which has been adopted by the Admiralty for wear by officers of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines attached to the RAF for service with the Fleet Air Arm, is a silver anchor and cable of silver embroidery, surround by a laurel wreath (in silver embroidery) superimposed on a wing in gold embroidery.  It will be worn on the left sleeve of garment in accordance with directions being promulgated by the Admiralty.

6. To facilitate removal when tropical service dress and mess dress jackets are required to be washed, the badge will be affixed to these uniforms in the following manner: -  The badge will be sewn to a metal plate of equal size provided with shanks, and these will be inserted in two small stitched holes in the sleeve and fastened behind with a split pin.*

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 567/1925 dated 10 September 1925.

*Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 50/1926 dated 21 January 1926.

Pay and Half Pay of Chaplains

1. The pay and half-pay for Chaplains granted permanent commissions in the RAF on or after 1 February 1926, would be at a reduced rate for the first six years of their service as shown in paragraph 2.

2. The new rates were: -

   Full Pay (Daily Rates)

   	Pay per day
   	Standard Rate			Current Rate
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   On Entry	0	17	0	0	16	0
   After 3 years	1	0	0	0	18	10

   Half Pay (Annual Rates)

    

3. Twenty per cent of the rates shown above was regarded as detachable and liable to alteration ether upwards or downwards with reference to the cost of living, based on that of July 1919.  Consequently the new Standard Rates were subjected to the same proportionate reduction as was applied to the then present standard rates on 1 July 1924 and the new rates payable from 1 February 1926 were those shown under 'Current Rate'.  Subsequent revisions were to be made at intervals of three years from 1 July 1924.

4. Chaplains already serving on 31 January 1926 would not be subject to these reduced rates and would continue on their existing rate whilst serving on their existing commissions.

5. After 31 January 1926 a Chaplain who was appointed to a permanent commission from a short service commission before having completed six years service would receive the reduced rates as shown above from the date of his permanent commission.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 70/1926 dated 30 January 1926.

Specialisation of Short Service Officers in Aeronautical Engineering

1. It was decided to award a limited number of permanent commission in the GD branch to officers holding short service commissions in that branch who were prepared to undergo specialist training in aeronautical engineering, the conditions being: -

2. Selection - Applicants had to be fully fit for flying; have completed two years' service on a short service commission and be under 25 years of age on the date of commencement of the course.

3. Examination - Eligible candidates were required to sit a competitive examination comprising papers in mathematics, physics, chemistry, mechanics and an intelligence test (the first examination was held in July 1926).  Of those who qualified in the examination a certain number were to be selected in order of merit and to be granted permanent commissions prior to be posted to the course in para 4. (For the first course commencing in September 1926 the number was 10)

4. Training - The successful candidates were posted in September to undertake the long (two years) engineering course of instruction in aeronautical engineering at Henlow.  Any trainees was found unsuited to the training they would revert back to the normal duties of the general duties branch.  At the end of the course they were expected to take and pass a passing-out examination.

5. Further training - On completion of the course at Henlow, officers were eligible for selection in the ordinary way for university course 'A' and would proceed immediately to that course.  Officers who passed through that course were then eligible for selection for course 'B'.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 100/1926 dated 18 February 1926.

Duties of the Unit Parachute Officer

1. In each unit equipped with parachutes the CO will detail one officer from among those borne on strength of the unit for flying duties as unit parachute officer.

2. The unit parachute officer will carry out the following duties: -

   1. He will act as an assistant to the CO on all questions of parachutes and will undertake all instruction in the unit on the use, care and maintenance of parachutes and the supervision of 'live drops' made for training purposes.

   2. He will supervise the care, packing and adjustment of parachutes. The provisions of this paragraph, however, do not absolve, in any respect, pilots and observers or air gunners in the unit from their responsibilities for the care and maintenance and safe custody of the parachutes with which they have been issued in accordance with the instructions issued previously.

   3. He will be responsible to the safe custody, care and maintenance of the training type parachutes and will when requested by the CO of the unit, inspect the reserve parachutes held in unit store.

   4. He will ensure that the Parachute Log Book (Form 1507) is correctly entered up in accordance with the 'Instructions for Use' detailed on the first page of the Log Book.

3. The unit parachute officer will be assisted in his duties by a NCO (carpenter rigger) and two airmen (carpenter riggers) of the existing establishment who have passed satisfactorily a course in the care and maintenance of parachutes.

4. Before an officer is qualified to undertake the duties of unit parachute officer, he must: -

   1. pass satisfactorily a course in the care and maintenance of parachutes obtaining not less than 80% of the total marks in his final examination in these duties.

   2. assist under the personal supervision of a qualified instructor in the fitting of harness for and the supervising of six 'live drops'.

It is also desirable that he should have carried out two 'live drops', one by the 'pull off' method and one jump.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 172/1926 dated 25 March 1926.

Stores Branch - Revision of emoluments etc.

1. A revised scheme of emoluments was introduced with effect from 1 July 1926 due to to the addition of the rank of group captain to the branch.

2. The revised rates of pay and half pay for the Stores Branch were: -

   1. Full pay (Daily rates)

      Rank	Pay per day
      	Standard Rate			Current Rate
      	£	s	d	£	s	d
      Pilot Officer	0	13	0	0	12	4
      Flying Officer	0	15	0	0	14	2
      Flying Officer after 4 years service in the substantive rank	0	18	0	0	17	0
      Flying Officer after 6 years service in the substantive rank	1	1	0	0	19	10
      Flight Lieutenant	1	3	0	1	1	8
      Flight Lieutenant after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	5	0	1	3	8
      Squadron Leader	1	12	0	1	10	2
      Wing Commander	1	17	0	1	15	0
      Wing Commander after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	19	0	1	16	10
      Wing Commander after 6 years service in the substantive rank	2	2	0	1	19	8
      Group Captain	2	10	0	2	7	4

   2. Half pay (Annual rates)

      Rank	Period	Scale A						Scale B
      		Standard Rate			Current Rate
      		£	s	d	£	s	d	£
      Pilot Officer	First year	175	0	0	165	10	0	100
      	afterwards	100	0	0	100	0	0	100
      Flying Officer	First year	220	0	0	208	0	0	100
      	afterwards	118	12	6	112	0	0	100
      Flight Lieutenant	First six months	280	0	0	264	10	0	150
      	Afterwards	155	2	6	150	0	0	150
      Squadron Leader	First six months	350	0	0	331	0	0	200
      	Afterwards	270	0	0	255	0	0	200
      Wing Commander	First six months	500	0	0	472	10	0	275
      	Afterwards	275	0	0	275	0	0	275
      Group Captain	First six months	600	0	0	567	0	0	350
      	Afterwards	350	0	0	350	0	0	350

3. Twenty per cent of the rates shown above was regarded as detachable and liable to alteration ether upwards or downwards with reference to the cost of living, based on that of July 1919.  Consequently the new Standard Rates were subjected to the same proportionate reduction as was applied to the then present standard rates on 1 July 1924 and the new rates payable from 1 February 1926 were those shown under 'Current Rate'.  Subsequent revisions were to be made at intervals of three years from 1 July 1924.

4. The ages of compulsory retirement for officers appointed or transferred to the stores branch on or after 1 July 1926 and for the new rank of group caption were: -

   Rank	Retirement Age
   Flight Lieutenant and below	45*
   Squadron Leader	53
   Wing Commander	57
   Group Captain	60

*Flying officers or flight lieutenants would normally retire at 45 but at the discretion of the Air Council may be allowed or required to continue to serve until he reaches the age of 48.

5. The existing scale of service retired pay for the stores branch was extended as follows: -

   Age on retirement	Yearly rate of retired pay (£)	Years of service	Addition for each extra year of service (£)*	Deduction for each deficient year of service (£)*
   56	440	22	15	15
   57	455	23	15	15
   58	470	23	15	15
   59	485	24	15	15
   60	500	24	15	15

   *Limited to five years

   An officer retiring in the rank of group captain will receive an addition of £15 a year for each completed year of service in that rank up to five years.  The maximum rates of retired pay for ranks below group captain will remain the as at present.  The maximum standard rate for group captain will be £650.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 172/1926 dated 25 March 1926.

Accountant Branch - Revision of emoluments etc.

1. A revised scheme of emoluments was introduced with effect from 1 July 1926 due to to the addition of the rank of group captain to the branch.

2. The revised rates of pay and half pay for the Accountant Branch were: -

   1. Full pay (Daily rates)

      Rank	Pay per day
      	Standard Rate			Current Rate
      	£	s	d	£	s	d
      Pilot Officer	0	15	0	0	14	2
      Flying Officer	0	19	0	0	18	0
      Flying Officer after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	1	0	0	19	10
      Flight Lieutenant	1	3	0	1	1	8
      Flight Lieutenant after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	5	0	1	3	8
      Squadron Leader	1	12	0	1	10	2
      Wing Commander	1	17	0	1	15	0
      Wing Commander after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	19	0	1	16	10
      Wing Commander after 6 years service in the substantive rank	2	2	0	1	19	8
      Group Captain	2	10	0	2	7	4

   2. Half pay (Annual rates)

      Rank	Period	Scale A						Scale B
      		Standard Rate			Current Rate
      		£	s	d	£	s	d	£
      Pilot Officer	First year	175	0	0	165	10	0	100
      	afterwards	100	0	0	100	0	0	100
      Flying Officer	First year	220	0	0	208	0	0	100
      	afterwards	118	12	6	112	0	0	100
      Flight Lieutenant	First six months	280	0	0	264	10	0	150
      	Afterwards	155	2	6	150	0	0	150
      Squadron Leader	First six months	350	0	0	331	0	0	200
      	Afterwards	270	0	0	255	0	0	200
      Wing Commander	First six months	500	0	0	472	10	0	275
      	Afterwards	275	0	0	275	0	0	275
      Group Captain	First six months	600	0	0	567	0	0	350
      	Afterwards	350	0	0	350	0	0	350

3. Twenty per cent of the rates shown above was regarded as detachable and liable to alteration ether upwards or downwards with reference to the cost of living, based on that of July 1919.  Consequently the new Standard Rates were subjected to the same proportionate reduction as was applied to the then present standard rates on 1 July 1924 and the new rates payable from 1 February 1926 were those shown under 'Current Rate'.  Subsequent revisions were to be made at intervals of three years from 1 July 1924.

4. The ages of compulsory retirement for officers appointed or transferred to the stores branch on or after 1 July 1926 and for the new rank of group caption were: -

   Rank	Retirement Age
   Flight Lieutenant and below	45*
   Squadron Leader	53
   Wing Commander	57
   Group Captain	60

*Flying officers or flight lieutenants would normally retire at 45 but at the discretion of the Air Council may be allowed or required to continue to serve until he reaches the age of 48.

5. The existing scale of service retired pay for the stores branch was extended as follows: -

   Age on retirement	Yearly rate of retired pay (£)	Years of service	Addition for each extra year of service (£)*	Deduction for each deficient year of service (£)*
   56	440	22	15	15
   57	455	23	15	15
   58	470	23	15	15
   59	485	24	15	15
   60	500	24	15	15

   *Limited to five years

   An officer retiring in the rank of group captain will receive an addition of £15 a year for each completed year of service in that rank up to five years.  The maximum rates of retired pay for ranks below group captain will remain the as at present.  The maximum standard rate for group captain will be £650.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 361/1926 dated 1 July 1926.

Medical Officers - Revision of emoluments etc.

1. A revised scheme of emoluments was introduced with effect from 1 July 1926 due to to the addition of the rank of group captain to the branch.

2. The revised rates of pay and half pay for the Accountant Branch were: -

   1. Full pay (Daily rates)

      Rank	Pay per day
      	Standard Rate			Current Rate
      	£	s	d	£	s	d
      Flying Officer	1	4	0	0	18	0
      Flight Lieutenant	1	6	0	1	1	8
      Flight Lieutenant after 2 years service in the substantive rank	1	8	0	1	3	8
      Flight Lieutenant after 4 years service in the substantive rank	1	10	0	1	3	8
      Squadron Leader	1	14	0	1	10	2
      Squadron Leader after 2 years service in the substantive rank	1	18	0	1	10	2
      Squadron Leader after 4 years service in the substantive rank	2	0	0	1	10	2
      Squadron Leader after 6 years service in the substantive rank	2	4	0	1	10	2
      Squadron Leader after 8 years service in the substantive rank	2	8	0	1	10	2
      Squadron Leader after 10 years service in the substantive rank	2	10	0	1	10	2
      Wing Commander	2	15	0	1	15	0
      Wing Commander after 2 years service in the substantive rank	2	17	0	1	16	10
      Wing Commander after 4 years service in the substantive rank	3	3	0	1	19	8
      Group Captain	3	10	0	2	7	4
      Air Commodore	4	0	0	2	7	4
      Air Vice-Marshal	5	0	0	2	7	4
      Director of Medical Services, if below the rank of AVM	£2,000*			£1,890*

      *Yearly consolidated rates inclusive of all allowances except travelling

   2. Half pay (Annual rates)

      Rank	Period	Scale A						Scale B
      		Standard Rate			Current Rate
      		£	s	d	£	s	d	£
      Flying Officer	First year	237	5	0	224	0	0	100
      	afterwards	118	12	6	112	0	0	100
      Flight Lieutenant	First six months	310	0	0	293	0	0	150
      	Second six months	273	15	0	258	10	0	150
      	Afterwards	155	2	6	150	0	0	150
      Squadron Leader	First six months	547	10	0	517	10	0	200
      	Second six months	310	5	0	293	0	0	200
      	Afterwards	270	0	0	255	0	0	200
      Wing Commander	First six months	730	0	0	690	0	0	275
      	Second six months	501	17	6	474	10	0	275
      	Afterwards	275	0	0	275	0	0	275
      Group Captain	First six months	740	0	0	700	0	0	350
      	Second six months	593	2	6	560	10	0	350
      	Or after 6 years in the substantive rank	684	7	6	646	10	0	350
      	Afterwards	350	0	0	350	0	0	350
      Air Commodore	First six months	750	0	0	709	0	0	450
      	Afterwards	450	0	0	450	0	0	450
      Air Vice-Marshal	First six months	800	0	0	756	0	0	500
      	Afterwards	500	0	0	500	0	0	500

3. Twenty per cent of the rates shown above was regarded as detachable and liable to alteration ether upwards or downwards with reference to the cost of living, based on that of July 1919.  Consequently the new Standard Rates were subjected to the same proportionate reduction as was applied to the then present standard rates on 1 July 1924 and the new rates payable from 1 February 1926 were those shown under 'Current Rate'.  Subsequent revisions were to be made at intervals of three years from 1 July 1924.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 361/1926 dated 1 July 1926. (precis)

Abolition of title 'Observer Officer'

This Order announced that the title of 'Observer Officer' held by certain officers in the general duties branch was abolished and that any officers bearing that title would in future be titled 'Flying Officer'.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 394/1926 dated 15 July 1926.

Officers Employed on Specialist Duties - Distinctive Markings in the Air Force List

An officer posted to a unit for any of the following specialist duties will be distinguished in the Unit List section the Air Force List by an appropriate symbol as follows: -

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 439/1926 dated 12 August 1926.

Specialisation of Short Service Officers of the General Duties Branch

1. It has been decided to extend to other specialist subjects the system announced in Weekly Order 100 of 1926 under which short service officers may be selected to specialise in aeronautical engineering with a view to the grant of permanent commissions.  Selection for all subjects will be made a common competitive examination  open to all officers who are nominated to compete bythe Air Council on the recommendation of air or other offices commanding.  ~Permanent commissions will be granted on theresults attained by officers in the several courses.  While short service officers will still be eligible to be selected for permanent commissions otherwise than under this scheme, it is anticipated that the majority of permanent commissions granted to short service officrs in future years will be granted under this scheme.

2. Applications - To be eligible to be nominated to compete in this examination, officer must be fit for full flying duties and must, on 1 August in the year for which they sit for the examination, be under 26 years of age* and have completed three years' service on a short service commission.  AOCs will forward, so as to reach the Air Ministry by 1 October* in each year a list of candidates for the forthcoming examination or nil return if there are no candidates from any particular command.   No officer's name will be included in the list of candidates unless he is eligible under the conditions stated above (to which no exception can be made) and is recommended in all respects suitable to hold a permanent commission and to specialise.  Against each officer's name will be shown the subjects in which he desires to Specialise in his order of preference (the subjects being limited to the courses in which vacancies have been offered for competition).  The number of vacancies offered for competition in each course will be notified annually.

3. Examination The names of officers nominated by the Air Council to sit for the examination will be notified in Weekly Orders.  An examination in accordance with the syllabus Appendix A (not included here) will be held annually in all commands on the first Tuesday and Wednesday in December, question papers being issued by the Air Ministry and returned thereto for correction.  Plain clothes may be worn by officers attending the examination.  A list of candidates in order of merit, will be published by the Air Ministry, and in the posting of officers to courses regard will be had, so far as service exigencies permit, to their positions on that list and to their preferences as to the subject of specialisation. Provided so many officers have reached a qualifying standard in the examination, postings will be made up to the numbers of vacancies announced for each course.

4. Training - Officers selected for engineering will posted to the two years' course at Henlow, on completion of which they will be eligible for selection for university course A. Officers selected for signals, armament and photography will be posted to the appropriate short courses, on the satisfactory completion of which they will proceed to the corresponding long courses.  An officer who has already qualified at a short course will be posted direct to the long course.  Officers who complete the long signals course will ho eligible for selection for university course A.  If, during the period of any course it appears that continuance of an officer's training is in an respect undesirable, he will revert to the ordinary duties of the general duties branch.

5. Grant of permanent commissions - Officers who have qualified in the first year examination at Henlow and in the passing out examination of the long signals, armament and photography courses will be granted permanent commissions with effect from 1 September of the year following that in which they were selected for training, provided they are still fit for full flying duties and their service has been in all respects satisfactory.  Officers who fail to qualify in these examinations will not, be considered for permanent commissions and will revert to the ordinary duties of the general duties branch.
    

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 630/1926 dated 25 November 1926.

Amended - Air Ministry Weekly Order 209/1929 dated 4 April 1929.

Qualification of Officers - Symbols in the Air Force List

1. Two new symbols were introduced for insertion next to the name of an officer in Air Force List possessing the following qualifications: -

   1. C - Qualified commissariat officer

   2. X - Officer qualified to take charge of magazines and explosives.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 2/1927 dated 6 January 1927.

This Order was cancelled by AMWO 177/27

Training of Technical Officers - Abolition of Marine Observing as a subject for Specialisation

1. All fleet observation work in the Fleet Air Arm is done by naval observers, and the observation work in the coastal reconnaissance flights is carried out by the first or second pilots, it has been decided to delete 'marine observing' from the list of technical subjects in which officer may specialise.

2. The symbol 'M' will no longer be shown in the Air Force List against the names of officers who have qualified in this subject, but a special note will be made in the Air Ministry records of these officers concerned, drawing attention to the fact that they have specialised in this way.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 63/1927 dated 3 February 1927.

Qualifications of Officers - Symbols in the Air Force List

1. The following symbols will be inserted in the Gradation Section of the Air Force List against the name of officers who possess the qualifications indicated: -

   A	Qualified air armament officer
   A*	Qualified air armament officer who has passed a course at the Artillery College, Woolwich
   C	Qualified commissariat officer
   E	Qualified engineering officer
   E*	Qualified engineering officer who has passed a university course in aeronautical engineering or its equivalent.
   I	Passed civil service examination for interpreter
   Met	Qualified meteorological officer
   N	Qualified air navigation officer
   Ph	Qualified photography officer
   psa	Graduate of RAF Staff College
   psc	Graduate of Military Staff College (Camberley of Quetta) of Naval Staff College (Greenwich), (Marine officers wiill have the letter (n) and/or (m) added after the letters 'psc' to indicated the staff college - naval or military - through which they have passed)
   PT	Passed a course in physical training
   qs	Completed satisfactorily a course at the Military or Naval Staff College
   S	Qualified signals officer
   S*	Qualified signals officer who has passed a university course in electrical engineering and wireless telegraphy
   X	Officer qualified to take charge of magazines and explosives

    

2. Officers who have been allotted specialist symbols may be required to re-qualify in order to retain the symbols.  Refresher course may be instituted to assist officers in abreast of developments.

3. The symbol 'I' will be removed from an officer's name if he fails to re-qualify as an interpreter within five years.

4. As 'marine observing' is not now regarded as one of technical subjects in which officers may specialise, symbol 'M' has been deleted from the above list, and a special note made in the Air Ministry records of officers who have qualified in this subject.

5. If an officer who has the symbol 'qs' subsequently graduates at the RAF Staff College, the symbol 'qs' will be replaced by the symbol 'psa'.*

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 177/1927 dated 24 March 1927

*Amended by Air Ministry Weekly Order 233/1927 dated 14 April 1927

Reorganisation of Armament Course at the Armament and Gunnery School
 

1. The armament courses at the Armament and Gunnery School, Eastchurch, have been reorganised as follows :-
   (1) The Pilots' and Obaervei's' Courses will be discontinued after 17th July, 1927.
   (ii) The Shod Arcnarneit (Continuation) Course will be extended from two months to five months duration and will be known as the Squadron Arrniunent Course for Officers and Airman Pilots. The syllabus for this course has been revised, and is designed to ensure that pupils shall have a thorough knowledge of the practical work which they will be expected to undertake in units.
   (iii) The Long Armament Course will remain a at present, but the title will be changed to A. Armament Officer? Course. The syllabus for this course has been revised.

2. The present system of courses will remain in force until 17 July 1927.  The first Squadron Armament Course will begin on 1 September, 1927.  The total intake of officers and airman pilots attending this course will be 20 at each course, i.e., 40 a year. The first A Armament Officers' Course also will begin on 1 September 1927.  The total intake for this course will be as at present i.e. 4 at each course, 8 a year.

3. As far as possible pupils selected for the A Armament Officers' Course should have completed a year in a unit after having passed the Squadron Armament Course; when this is not possible, officers will not be selected for the A Armament Officers' Course unless they have completed four years' service.

4. The programme of instructional courses contained in Weekly Order 85 of 1927 is accordingly amended as follows -
    

   Course	Day of commencement	Duration	Intake	Total No at School	Remarks
   Squadron Armament Course for officers and airmen pilots	1 September 1927	5 months	20	20
   A Armament  Officers' Course	1 September 1927	5 months	4	4
   Advanced Armament Course	-	-	1	1	RN College, Greenwich
   Air Gunners' Course	To be arranged by Officer i/c Records as and when required	6 weeks	18	18	Under consideration

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 363/1927 dated 2 June 1927

Territorial, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces

1. With reference to Air Publication 826, Article 24 and Weekly Order 473 of 1923, it has been decided that civilian members of the technical and scientific staff's of the four directorates named below are not to he permitted to enroll in the Auxiliary Air Force, the Territorial Army, the Royal Naval Reserve or any similar organisation, and officers who have already enrolled in an organisation of this kind will not he permitted to re-engage at the expiration of their present engagements.

   1. Directorate of Works and Buildings

   2. Joint Directorate of Technical Development and Scientific Research

   3. Directorate of Equipment

   4. Deputy Directorate of Aeronautical Inspection.

2. Officials affected by this order will not be granted permission to join classes A or B of the Reserve of Air Force, Officers. Those members who are already in classes A or B will, however. be allowed to complete their engagements, but they will not be permitted to re-engage in either of these classes at the expiration of their current period of service.

3. Lists showing the names and classes of such officers should be forwarded by the establishments concerned not later than 1 October, 1927, to the head of the particular directorate affected, who should also be notified of any subsequent amendments to the lists which may become necessary in consequence of discharges, new appointments to the staff, etc.

4. Officers from the active list who receive civilian technical or scientific appointments on transfer to classes A and B of the Reserve will not be permitted to re-engage in either of these classes at the expiration of their initial period of service.

5. Members of the staff in question who wish to join, or remain in, class C of the Reserve of Air Force Officers will, however, normally be granted permission to do so.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 565/1927 dated 1 September 1927

Promotion of Officers of the General Duties Branch

1. General - After the list if 1 July next, promotion to the ranks of Flight Lieutenant and Squadron Leader in the General Duties branch will made under the scheme explained below.  This scheme will not, however, apply to officers who are permanently unfit or are unqualified for duty as pilots or to officers seconded or attached from the Royal Navy or from the Army. Such officers will be promoted by selection as hitherto to fill vacancies for which they are suitable.

2. The guiding principle of this scheme is a system of antedates, by means of which seniority will be weighted as to give earlier promotion to officers who have acquired certain specialist and other service qualifications, and to officers who are recommended as exceptionally suitable.  Future promotions will be made in accordance with this principle, subject to possession of the qualifications stated below in paras 6 and 7.

3. The Air Council attach great importance to a high proportion of permanent officers specialising and to their commencing their specialist training at the proper stage in their careers, i.e., after four years service.  The revised scheme recognises this in the opportunity which it opens to these officers of gaining earlier advancement than would otherwise be the case.  Other qualifications which receive recognition under the scheme are (for promotion to Flight Lieutenant) flying instructor, (for promotion to Squadron Leader) graduate of a staff college and (for promotion to both ranks) interpreter in eastern languages.  Within the maximum antedate laid down, officers who combine specialist with ether recognised non-specialist qualifications will be allowed to count antedates in respect of each qualification, e.g., an officer qualified qualified E* who has also passed through the staff college will count antedates aggregating 36 months for promotion to Squadron Leader (see Para 10).

4. The purpose of the recommended antedate, that given on the recommendation of the AOC, is to give early promotion to exceptionally, able and promising officers. The "recommended" antedate will he given in respect of the efficiency of the, officer in the performance both of the general duties of his rank and of any special duties for which he has qualified himself.

5. Inasmuch as one of the qualifications laid down for promotion is to have passed the appropriate examination, officers will gravely jeopardise their prospects if they do not pass these examinations before the date on which they would otherwise be promoted.

6. Qua1fications for promotion to Flight Lieutenant - Before a Flying Officer can be promoted to Flight Lieutenant he must :-

   1. be within the zone of promotion (this zone will for the present comprise officers of not less than 3 years service as Flying Officer).

   2. have served for 2 years as Flying Officer in a flying unit.

   3. have passed promotion examination B.

   4. have been recommended by his AOC

7. Qua1fications for promotion to Squadron Leader - Before a Flight Lieutenant can be promoted to Squadron Leader be must: -

   1. be within the zone of promotion (this zone will for the present comprise officers of not less than 5 years service as Flight Lieutenant).

   2. have passed, or been excused, promotion examination C.

   3. have been recommended by his AOC.

8. AOCs recommendations for promotion and antedate -

   1. Recommendations for promotion (see para 6 (iv) and 7 (iii)).  - These will be in respect of an officer's general suitability for promotion and will be forwarded to the Air Ministry annually by air or other officers commanding, after consultation with COs for all officers (other than those excepted in para 1 from the operation of the scheme) who are within the zones stated in para 6 (i) and 7 (i).  These recommendations, which will consist of the bare statement 'fit for promotion' or 'not fit for promotion' inserted in para 34 of the annual confidential report, will carry no antedate and will remain in force for one year.

   2. Recommendations for antedate (see paras 4 and 10 (i) (a) and (ii) (a)).  Air or other officers commanding, will select, after consultation with COs, from the list of these in all respects qualified under paras. 6 and 7, for promotion, a very limited number of officers, whom they consider exceptionally suitable for promotion and whose seniority they consider should be antedated for the purpose.  In order to maintain a high and uniform standard, allotments will be made by the Air Ministry to each command of so many months antedate for promotion to Flight Lieutenant and of so many months antedate for promotion to Squadron Leader.  Within their total allotments, air other officers commanding will recommend such number of Flying Officers and such number of Flight Lieutenants as they deem desirable for such amounts of antedate permissible under Para 10 (i) (a) and (ii) (a)) as they think fitting.  These recommendations, which will be forward k to the Air Ministry annually by letter and also inserted in para 34 of the annual confidential report, will remain in force for one year.

   3. When a Flying Officer of Flight Lieutenant is posted to a new commend within the 12 months during which a recommendation promotion or antedate remains in force, AOC will notify the AOC of the new command of the recommendations which have been made in respect of him under paras (i) and (ii).  The new AOC will take account of these recommendations in making subsequent recommendations for promotion and antedate.
       

   Note- Notification will be made by the Air Ministry in respect of Officers transferred to another command prior to 1 April, 1929

9. Officers in special employment -  Officers who are not serving at a RAF unit (eg, officers at universities and officers employed with a dominion air force) will be considered for recommendation for promotion and for antedate under para 8 by the Air Ministry, on the basis of their records and reports.

10. Lists of Flying Officers and Flight Lieutenants eligible for promotion - Lists of Flying Officers and Flight Lieutenants eligible for promotion paras 6 and 7 will be compiled and maintained at the Air Ministry.  These lists will contain the names of all officers qualified Under Paras, 6 (i) and 7 (i).  The order of names on the lists will be re-arranged from time to time in accordance with seniority, as modified by the following scale of antedates: -

    1. Flying Officers List

       1. if specially recommended by AOC, (see Para 8 (ii))            6 or 12 months

       2. if qualified for symbol E                                                        12 months

       3. if qualified for symbol S, A, Ph or N                                       6 months

       4. if qualified as Flying Instructor, Grade A                               12 months

       5. if qualified as Flying Instructor, Grade B                                 6 months

       6. if qualified as Interpreter, Class I in Japanese, Arabic,            6 months
          Persian, Turkish or Russian

    Note -

    1. Antedates on this scale will be subject to a maximum total antedate of 24 months for any one officer.

    2. Officers will be granted antedate in respect of only one qualification under categories (b) and (e) and only one qualification under category (f).

    2. Flight Lieutenants List

       1. if specially recommended by AOC, (see Para 8 (ii))            6, 12 or 18 months

       2. if qualified for symbol E*, S* or A*                                     24, 30 or 36 months

       3. if qualified for symbol E, S, A, Ph or N                                 24 months

       4. if qualified as Interpreter, Class I in Japanese, Arabic,           12 months
          Persian, Turkish or Russian

       5. If qualified psa or qs                                                             12 months

       6. if qualified as Flying Instructor, Grade A                                12 months*

       7. if qualified as Flying Instructor, Grade B                                 6 months*

    Note -

    1. Antedates on this scale will be subject to a maximum total antedate of 48 months for any one officer.

    2. Officers qualified for antedate under category (b) who have received antedate in respect of E, S or A qualifications on promotion to Flight Lieutenant, will receive only the difference between 24 months and the previous antedate.

    3. Officers qualified for antedate under categories (c) or (d) who have received antedate in respect of one of these qualifications on promotion to Flight Lieutenant, will receive only 6 months antedate in respect of the same qualification for promotion to Squadron Leader.

    4. Antedate will be granted antedate in respect of only one qualification under categories (b) and (c) and in respect of only one qualification under category (d).

    5. Officers qualified for antedate under categories (f) and (g) who have received antedate in respect of one of these qualifications on promotion to Flight Lieutenant, will receive no antedate unless they have, since promotion to Flight Lieutenant, been reclassified from Grade B to Grade A, when antedate allowed will b e 6 months.  The claims of officers who qualified as flying instructors before the existing Central Flying School categories were introduced will be considered individually by the Air Council.*

11. Method of Promotion to Flight Lieutenant and to Squadron Leader - From the lists of Flying Officers and Flight Lieutenants compiled in para 10, officers will be promoted in turn, provided they are judged by Air Council to be suitable for promotion. Promotions will be made at convenient intervals.

12. Rejection for Promotion to Flight Lieutenant and to Squadron Leader -

    1. Flying Officers and Flight Lieutenants not qualified for promotion under paras 6 and 7 after a reasonable period of service in their rank will be subject of periodical review by the Air Council, and will be warned that failure to qualify within a stated further period will consideration of their retention in the service.  If still not qualified at the expiration of that period they will normally, if Flying Officers, be retired on grounds of suitability; if Flight Lieutenants, be placed on half pay, Scale B.

    2. Flying Officers and Flight Lieutenants not judged suitable for promotion when reaching their turn for promotion (see Para 11 above) will be relegated for consideration for promotion at a later date. If still not judged suitable after a period varying according to the circumstances of the case they will normally, if Flying Officers, be retired on grounds of unsuitability, and if Flight Lieutenants be informed that they are permanently passed over for promotion but will be retained until retired for age.

13. Promotion in other ranks.

    1. To Flying Officer - The conditions will remain unchanged.

    2. To Wing Commander and higher ranks - Promotions will continue to be made half yearly on the basis of selection as at present. It will also be considered from time to time whether any officers should be permanently passed over for promotion. When it is decided to do this in the case of any officer, he will be so informed.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 103/1928 dated 14 February 1928

*Amended - Air Ministry Weekly Order 320/1928 dated 10 May 1928

Further amended - Air Ministry Weekly Order 26/1929 dated 10 January 1929

Descriptions of Specialist Posts

1. Specialist, officers will be known by the following descriptions Engineer, Signals, Armament, Photographic, Navigation. Similar descriptions will be applied to warrant officers performing similar duties, i.e., S/M Engineer, S/M Signals, S/M Armament, S/M Photographic, the descriptions of warrant officers employed on duties not falling within those categories remaining as at present, e.g. S/M Blacksmith. Promotion to or in warrant rank will in no way be affected by this change in nomenclature.

2. Establishments are being gradually amended accordingly, annotations being made in any case in which more detailed description of the qualifications required is necessary.  The term "Technical" will therefore disappear from establishments and be replaced by "Engineer." Accordingly the use of the term 'Technical" in the narrow sense as applying to personnel employed in the maintenance of airframes and engines should cease. It may still be applied in a general sense to officers, whether specialists or short course officers, performing some technical function and to airmen of groups I, II and III.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 821/1928 dated 6 December 1928

Qualifications of Officers - Symbols in the Air Force List

1. The following symbols will be inserted in the Gradation Section of the Air Force List against the name of officers who possess the qualifications indicated: -

   (i) Specialist Symbols
   E	Qualified at specialist engineering course
   E*	Qualified at university course in engineering in addition to qualifying 'E'
   S	Qualified  at specialist signals course
   S*	Qualified at university course in electrical engineering and wireless telegraphy in addition to qualifying 'S'
   A	Qualified at specialist armament course
   A*	Qualified at advanced armament course in addition to qualifying 'A'
   Ph	Qualified at specialist photographic course
   N	Qualified at specialist navigation course
   (ii) Staff Symbols
   psa	Graduate of RAF Staff College
   psc	Graduate of Military Staff College (Camberley of Quetta) of Naval Staff College (Greenwich)
   qs	Completed satisfactorily a course at the Military or Naval Staff College (Symbol omitted if subsequently qualified psa)
   (iii) Stores Symbols
   C	Qualified at commissariat course
   X	Qualified at explosives course
   (iv) Miscellaneous Symbols
   I	Qualified by examination as interpreter
   PT	Qualified at physical training course
   Met	Qualified at university course in meteorology (It is not contemplated that further officers will be so trained)

    

2. Only officers who have completed successfully the courses and passed the examinations prescribed above will be granted these symbols, save that officers who, prior to entering the service; have obtained university degrees in the subjects in question may, at the discretion of the Air Council, be granted the E* or S* symbols after qualifying at the specialist E or S courses.

3. Officers will not be allowed to retain symbols once obtained unless the Air Council are satisfied that they are fully competent to fill a post to which an officer of the qualification in question is allowed by establishment.  If it is considered to be in the interests of the service, officers may be granted refresher courses to assist them to regain this standard or to keep abreast of modern developments.  Interpreters will be required to re-qualify every five years as a condition of retaining the symbol I.

4. Under Weekly Order 37 of 1923, a review was made of the claims to symbols of officers who had not passed through the appropriate courses, but considered that by their previous training and experience they had attained an equivalent standard. Weekly Order 684 of 1925 announced that no further claims under the order of 1923 could be considered after 31 December, 1925 but isolated cases have been submitted since that date.  In order to give a final opportunity to officers who have not previously submitted claims, the Air Council are prepared to consider claims for specialist symbols received up to 1 June 1929.  No officer should submit a claim unless he considers that he can show that without further training he is both competent to be employed in posts to which specialists of the type in question are allowed by establishment and is qualified up to the standard represented by the courses detailed in Part 1 above.  Claims should be forwarded through the usual channels and remarked on by commanding and other superior officers when these are in a position to comment usefully on the officer's statement.  No officer who has submitted a claim already is to do so again.  A final adjudication will be made in June an any claims received under this order and on certain claims already submitted but not dealt with.  After that adjudication, symbols will be granted only, under Para 2 above.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 108/1929 dated 21 February 1929

Procedure for Selection of Officers for Specialisation
 

1. The fol1occiing procedure is being brought into operation for the selection of permanent officers for specialisation.  The selection of short service officers for specialisation with a view to obtaining permanent commissions will continue to be by competitive examination under the procedure laid down in Weekly Orders 630 of 1926 and 401 of 1928.  The policy of the Air Council as regards specialisation was explained in paras 11 to 15 of Weekly Order 426 of 1928, and in para 3 of Weekly Order 103 of 1928.

2. Cadets, whilst under training at Cranwell, and university entrants, whilst under training at a flying training school, will be encouraged to direct their interest to one of the five specialist subjects, namely engineering, signals, armament, photography and navigation. On passing out, the AOC, Cranwell, and the CO of the flying training school will recommend for specialisation such of his cadets or university entrants as have shown by their work and examinations that they have the ability and keenness to make specialist officers.  He will also indicate the subject or subjects of specialisation towards which their bent appears to lie.  From these recommendations the Air Ministry will make a provisional selection of officers for subsequent specialisation, in accordance with the requirements in each specialist subject.  Pupils wilt be informed by the AOC or CO when such a recommendation is made in respect of them but neither the recommendation nor the provisional selection by the Air Ministry will in any way commit them or, entitle them to ultimate specialisation in the subject in question or in any subject,

3. It will be the duty of COs to remark, in para 31 of the annual confidential report on the qualifications for specialisation of each permanent Officer of less than five years' service serving under their command these remarks will have regard both to the general suitability of the officer for specialisation and to his ability and keenness in one or more of the specialist subjects as shown by his work in the unit. COs, will also give all practical encouragement, and assistance to such officers in improving their knowledge of the subject in which they aspire and seem fitted to specialise.

4. On completing two years' commissioned service, every permanent officer will receive a letter in the form of Appendix A to this order.  This they will complete and return through the usual channels, COs. adding their remarks.  From the replies, a register will be prepared at the Air Ministry of the applications of officers.  Applications for specialisation will he entertained only if received under this procedure, but an officer will be at liberty to ask for the subsequent cancellation or amendment of his application.  Such amendments of applications, however, should not be asked for without serious reason.

5. From the register so completed selection will be made annually of officers then in or about their fourth year of commissioned service.  In making selections, regard will be had first, to the requirements of the service in the several specialist subjects; secondly, to the qualifications of the officers, both generally for specialist employment in regard to the individual specialist subject proposed, as shown by the reports received under paras 2 to 4 above; and thirdly, to the expressed wishes of the officers.  It will be possible to select only a limited number of officers for specialisation, and officers, even if selected, may not be allowed the subject of their first choice.

6. When an officer is selected, he will normally be posted to the next following specialist course in his subject.  In cases where this is not possible owing to the exigencies of the service, he will be noted for inclusion in the course to be held in the following year.  Commands will be notified of the names of officers selected and the approximate dates of their posting to courses.

7. In order to assist in commencing the preparation of the register referred to in para 4 above, letters as at Appendix A are being sent to all such permanent officers as have not yet been selected for specialisation and will be of two but not more than five years' service on 1st April next.  Individual applications for specialisation may be submitted from officers of greater service, but it will be possible to select such only to the extent that suitable officers of the correct period of service (i.e., four years) are- insufficient to fill the courses.

   ---

APPENDIX A

Sir

     I am commanded by the Air Council to call your attention to AMWO 180/29 and to request you to state in the space provided below whether, you desire to be considered for specialisation and, if so in which subjects you wish your name to be noted as an applicant.  You are at liberty to put your name down for all subjects,. indicating your order of preference by numerals against the name of the subject in the space below, but you are advised to limit your, choice to two or at most three subjects in which you have special interest and knowledge.  You will understand that the fact that you apply for or are recommended for specialisation gives no guarantee that you will be selected, or selected for the subject of your first choice.

I am,

Sir

Your obedient Servant

---

I {desire/do not desire }to specialise.

    I apply to he considered for specialisation in such of the following subjects I indicate by numerals placed against them and the numerals (1, 2 -) indicate the order of my preference :-

Engineering	....
Signals	....
Armament	....
Photography	....
Navigation	....

Remarks by CO (a) as to the officer's suitability to specialise, (b) as to his suitability and special qualifications for the subject or subjects of his choice as indicated above.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 180/1929 dated 21 March  1929

Promotion of Officers of the General Duties Branch Antedates for Qualifying as Urdu and Pushtu Interpreters

1. It has been decided to add Urdu and Pushtu to the other oriental languages for which antedates are granted as laid down in Weekly Order 103 of 1928, and an officer who qualifies as an Interpreter, Class I in either of those languages will accordingly be granted the following antedates, subject to the limitations stated in that order :-

           Flying Officers list -            6 months.
           Flight Lieutenants list -      12 months

2. The necessary amendments to para 353 of KR & ACI (1928 Edition) will be made in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 259/1929 dated 25 April  1929

Categories of Flying Instructors who Graduate at the Central Flying School

1. Categories will be allotted as follows to Flying Instructors who graduate at the Central Flying School after the date of this order -
    

   New Category	Significance	Old Equivalent Category
   A1	Exceptionally good instructor who has demonstrated by practical work his suitability for the highest category;	A1
   A2	A very good instructor	A2
   B	A capable instructor	B1
   C	Has the makings of an instructor with practice.	B2
   D	Not suitable an an instructor under any circumstances.	C

    
    

2. Antedates under Weekly Order 103 of 1928, as amended by Weekly Order 320 of 1928, will be given to Flying Instructors as hitherto, namely :-

   Para 10 (i)	Flying Officers List	Months Antedate
   (d)	If qualified as wing Instructor, Grade A	12
   (e)	If qualified as Flying Instructor, Grade B	6
   Para 10 (ii)	Flight Lieutenants List Subject to proviso contained in Weekly Order 103 of 1928, Para 10, note (5)
   (f)	If qualified as wing Instructor, Grade A	12
   (g)	If qualified as Flying Instructor, Grade B	6

No antedate will be attached to the new categories C and D.  Instructors who graduated in the past as B2 will be considered as B instructors under the new order, and will retain their right to the antedate which they earned
under the old order.

3. instructors who were awarded C categories under the old order are now to be re-categorised as D.

4. Para I of the instructions on the back of Form 364 will be amended in due course.  Until such time as a new issue is made, the Central Flying School will amend the old form.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 361/1929 dated 13 June 1929

Promotion of Pilot Officers holding Short Service Commissions in the General Duties Branch.

1. It has been decided to reintroduce, as regards short service officers entered after 1st June 1930 the System of effecting promotion to the rank of Flying Officer in accordance with the marks obtained on passing out of flying training schools. The marks will include those awarded for qualities as on officer and as a pilot.  Short service officers will accordingly be eligible for promotion (subject to passing the promotion examination and being recommended) as follows : -

   Marks	On completing
   80% or more	18 months' commissioned service
   70% to 79%	19months' commissioned service
   Less than 70%	20months' commissioned service

   An officer who passes out later than other officers undergoing the same course wil1 not be eligible for promotion until he has completed 21 months commissioned service, provided that one who has completed the course, but is unable to take the final examination owing to sickness may, if recommended by his CO, be regarded for this purpose as having passed out on the correct date, his marks being assessed by the CO on the average of his work throughout the course.  An officer who has not passed the promotion examination by the date of completing 18, 19, 20 or 21 months commissioned service, as requisite; will normally be promoted with effect from the date of passing the promotion examination.

2. Para 351 of KR and ACI is being amended.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 276/1930 dated 8 May 1930

The Constitution of the Stores Branch

1. The inquiry into the officer requirements of the Stores branch foreshadowed in Para 1 of Weekly Order 426 of 1928 has now been completed, and, the conclusions reached have been approved by the Air Council and are now promulgated for the information of the service.

2. In investigating this question, it has been a cardinal point of policy to provide a nucleus of officers of high administrative capacity and wide experience capable not only of the efficient administration of the complicated material of the service in time of peace but also, of the adaptation of the peace organisation to meet the varying needs of war.  The officers composing this nucleus must, it has been held, be men who make the Stores branch their permanent career and must, whilst in junior ranks be given a wide experience of stores duties and of the work of different types of unit.  Further, they must be given a career sufficiently favourable to attract into and retain in the service men of good education and ability.

3. It was immediately apparent that these conditions would not in future be satisfied if the branch remained as at present constituted. The rate of promotion under the present establishment must in course of time become so slow as to deprive officers of the opportunity of undertaking responsibilities at the ages appropIiate to the development of' their capabilities.  To remedy this situation by the wholesale upgrading of posts would have been unjustified by the character of the posts and would have involved heavy expense.  The Air Council considered, on the contrary, that some saving should be effected in the cost of the Stores branch, and the changes described below will in due course have that effect.

4. The broad solution adapted is similar to that adopted in the General Duties branch, in that rather more than a half of the Stores posts will be not, when the scheme is fully operative, be filled by officers who make the branch their permanent career.  It differs from that adopted for the General Duties branch in that the balance of posts will be filled, not by young men, entered for short service, but by older men who have already served for a substantial period in the Royal Air Force and have gained considerable knowledge of its work.  Men with these qualifications, while not acquiring the width of experience desirable for the performance of the duties falling on the higher posts, will, the Air Council consider, fill very satisfactorily the junior pasts in the branch.

5. A large proportion of the junior posts will accordingly be allocated to men who do not make the Stores branch their permanent career.  A few posts, mostly junior, in the Air Ministry, and possibly a few in the Stores Depots also, will be filled by Civil Servants.  Apart from these the personnel in question will be provided from three sources.  In the first place a few junior staff posts will he allocated to warrant officer storekeepers.  By this means the careen open to airmen of this trade will be improved and the trade will he given opportunities similar to those already provided under Weekly Order 426 of 1928 for technical and administrative warrant officers.

6. Secondly, a large number of Flying officer and Flight Lieutenant posts in stations at home and, to a less degree, abroad will be filled by retired officers employed under civilian conditions of service.  These will be selected primarily from retired officers of any branch of the Royal Air Force, but retired officers of the Royal Navy and of the Army will, with the consent in each case of the appropriate department, also be eligible for consideration.  These civilian stores officers will hold a status similar to that held by the civilian assistants already employed in substitution for officers of the General Duties branch.

7. Thirdly, a large number of Flying Officer and Flight Lieutenant posts will he filled by a new class of officer. I t has been decided to grant each year, under conditions announced in Weekly Order 429 of 1930, a limited number of commissions in the Stores branch to warrant officers of any trade.  These officers will hold a status identical with that held by the officers of the Stores branch who are commissioned as young men from civil life, but, owing to their greater age on commissioning, they will not ordinarily be able to expect promotion beyond the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

8. In deciding to create this now class of officer, the Air Council have had regard not only to the requirements of the Stores branch but also to the interests of the service as a whole.  While opportunities already exist for aircraft apprentices to be selected for cadetships at the Royal Air Force College and for airman pilots to be commissioned direct in the General Duties branch, no opportunity has hitherto existed for the more senior airman, who has not been able early in his service career to avail himself of either of those two channels to rise to commissioned rank.  The step described above is designed to provide such an opportunity and still further to improve the career open to airmen.

9. The civilian stores officers (where necessary) and the officers commissioned in the Stores branch from warrant rank will on first appointment be given a three months course in stores.  This course will be the second half of the course given to officers appointed to Stores commissions from civil life.  By arrangement with the War Office, civilian stores officers required for commissariat duties may, where necessary, be given, in lieu of the course, a course in commissariat duties arranged by the War Office.

10. As a result of the steps described above, the number of Flying Officer and Flight Lieutenant posts remaining to be filled by officers entered direct from civil life will be much limited and the prospects of promotion of these officers will be greatly improved In order further to improve the career open to these officers, a limited number of posts the duties of which justify the step will be upgraded to Squadron Leader, Wing commander and Group captain over a period of years.

11. The approved career has been designed to give promotion at ages appropriate to the degree of experience expected in the several ranks and to allow of a reasonable proportion of officers being promoted on reaching those ages.  The course of actual promotions must depend on requirements from time to time, but the policy of the Air Council will he directed to securing that when normality is reached the approved career is, so far as possible, realised.  Their intention is that every suitable Flying Officer is promoted to Flight Lieutenant, that nearly every suitable Flight Lieutenant is promoted to Squadron Leader, that the majority of Squadron Leaders are promoted to Wing Commander and that, a substantial minority of Wing Commanders are promoted to Group Captain.  The compulsory retiring ages will remain as laid down in para 3562 of KR & ACI.

12. To provide this much-reduced nucleus of officers who make the Stores branch their permanent career a relatively small annual will suffice. This entry will as heretofore consist primarily of officers recruited between the ages of 23 and 25 by competitive examination, and interview from men who have had not less than five years business experience in civil life.  Provision is retained however for the occasional appointment of a young permanent officer of the General Duties branch or a flight cadet who has become physically unfit for flying duties.  Similarly, a short service officer of the General Duties branch who has become unfit for flying duties and is eminently suitable for a permanent commission may exceptionally be appointed.  It is further contemplated that at a later date one vacancy a year will be made available for the appointment at about age 25 of an airman of Group IV who has entered the service as an apprentice clerk and has reached at least the rank of Corporal.  This step is designed to give to apprentice clerks an opportunity of promotion to a commission analogous to that offered to aircraft apprentices of' it cadetship at the Royal Air Force College. Regulations to allow of this will be promulgated later.

13. Provision has been made for the filling of a proportion of the posts requiring specialised knowledge of explosives and commissariat duties by officers making the Stores branch  their permanent career  and it is contemplated that one such officer will be trained in each of these subjects annually. Officers so trained will spend about half their subsequent service in explosives or commissariat duty, as the case may be, and the other half in the ordinary duties of the Stores branch.  A few posts requiring training in explosives will be filled by officers commissioned from warrant rank (preference being given to men promoted to commissions from the armourer trades) and a few commissariat posts by civilian stores officers trained as indicated in para 9 above.

14. 14. The reconstruction of the Store branch on the lines explained in the preceding paragraphs will be effected with a careful regard to the interests of the present, officers of the branch and will be spread over a considerable period of years. It is not contemplated that it will be necessary to retire any such officer otherwise than in the normal course under the conditions of service applicable to him at the time of his appointment to a permanent commission in the branch.  The other types of personnel mentioned above will be introduced to fill vacancies created by the expansion of the service and by retirements, subject however to, the reservation of sufficient posts to allow of the entry of an adequate number of officers for permanent service from civilian life.
    

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 428/1930 dated 8 July 1930

Appointment of Warrant Officers, Class I to Commissioned Rank in the Stores Branch

1. Permanent commissions in the Stores branch of the Royal Air Force may be granted up to a normal maximum of 5 a year to warrant officers, class I, of all trades who are recommended by the air or other officers commanding the areas or commands in which they are serving as being in every respect likely to make efficient Stores officers.  Selection will be made by the Air Ministry from recommendations submitted annually by areas and commands, which must reach the Air Ministry not later than 1st January in each year, For the current year, however, it is proposed to select up to a maximum of 12 officers, and recommendations for these appointments should reach the Air Ministry not later than 15th September this year,  A "nil" return should be rendered if no recommendation is made.

2. Recommendations should be given by an air or other officer commanding after a personal interview with the candidate, and a high standard should be set in judging the suitability of a warrant officer for recommendation, regard should he had to his ability and personality and not, save to a minor degree, to whether his previous experience is such as to be of special value to him as a Stores officer.

3. Before warrant officer., class 1, can be appointed to a commission under this scheme, he must be certified as medically fit for appointment to the Stores branch, and, in order to ensure that candidates who are definitely medically unfit are not recommended, air or other officers commanding are requested to arrange for candidates to he given a preliminary medical examination by the station medical officer prior to recommendation.

4. Warrant officers, class 1, finally selected will be discharged from their engagements, gazetted to permanent commissions as Flying Officers on probation, and; will, take seniority from the date of their appointment to a commission.  They will be posted for a course of instruction in stores duties of approximately 3 months.   On satisfactory completion of a probationary period of 12 months, they will be confirmed in rank.

5. Officers, while holding the rank of Flying Officer, will draw pay at the maximum rate for that rank in the Stores branch.

6. Promotion to the rank of Flight Lieutenant will be by selection within an establishment approved by the Air Ministry.

7. In accordance with para 3336 of KR & ACI, an outfit allowance of £50 be issuable on appointment and a further £50 on confirmation.

8. Officers appointed under this scheme will be compulsorily, retired at the age of 50, irrespective of rank, and on retirement will be eligible for retired pay calculated at the rate of £10 for each year of reckonable service up to 15 years and £15 for each subsequent year, subject to a maximum of £300 a year.  Reckonable service will include qualifying service as a warrant officer, class I, and half such service after age 18 in lower ranks.  These rates are standard rates and are subject to periodic revision on account of variations in the cost of living, as, laid: down, in para 3563 of KR & ACI.

9. An officer who is invalided will be eligible for retired pay in respect of service on the scale laid down in Para 8, irrespective of his age.  If he is invalided on account of a disability directly attributable to the conditions of service, and provided the degree of disablement is not less than 20 per cent, he may be awarded, in addition, a disability element of £100 a year for total disablement or a proportionate amount for a less degree of disablement down to £20 a year, for 20 per cent. disablement.  This addition. is subject to reduction on account of variation in the cost of living, as provided in para 3615, clause 8, of KR & ACI.

10. An officer will not be permitted to retire voluntarily on retired pay unless he has reached the age of 40 and has also completed 20 years' service qualifying for retirement on retired pay. An officer who retires voluntarily or is retired for unsuitability or misconduct after the ago of 40 years and the completion of 20 yes' reckonable service may be awarded retired pay on the scale laid down in para 8, subject to such deduction in the case of unsuitability or misconduct as the Air Council may decide. In misconduct cases, however, the officer will have no claim to an award, which will be entirely at Air Council discretion.

11. Except as provided above, an officer will be subject to the same conditions of service and be eligible for the same emoluments, including half pay, widows' pension and allowances to other dependants as are in force for the time being for officers holding permanent commissions in the Stores branch.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 429/1930 dated 8 July 1930

Appointment of Warrant Officers, Class I to Commissioned Rank in the Stores Branch

1. With reference to AMWO 429/1930, it has been decided that warrant officers, class I, who are 40 years age or more cannot, except as indicated in para 2 below, be considered for the grant of commissions.

2. For the present, however, air or other officers commanding may include in their list of recommended candidates, warrant officers, class I, who on the 1st January on which the list is due at the Mr Ministry, are over 40 but under 42 years of age on that date, provided they are of outstanding merit.

Source - Air Ministry Order A101/1931 dated 28 May 1931

Stores Branch - Conditions of Entry of Officers of the General Duties Branch and Flight Cadets

1. 1. Vacancies in the commissioned ranks of the stores branch will  normally be filled by officers entered on permanent commissions from the sources indicated in Weekly Order 428 of 1930 (pares 7 and 12).  When in exceptional circumstances an officer of the general duties branch or a flight cadet is transferred, the following regulations will apply.

2. Eligibility - Applications from permanent or short service officers of the general duties branch who are permanently unfit for full flying duties or from the flight cadets classified similarly will be considered annually by the Air Council.  Selection will normally be restricted to officers not above the rank of flying officer.

3. Applications - Application are to reach the Air Ministry through the usual channels by 1st July in each year.  Each application is to be accompanied by the recommendation of the AOC as to the candidate's capacity for administrative work and generally as to his suitability for a permanent commission in the stores branch.

4. Age limits - Candidates (other than flight cadets) must be not less than 21 and not more than 25 years of age on 1st January next following the date by which applications area to reach the Air Ministry but a candidate an between 25 and 30 years of age on that date may be accepted if he has previous service which could count towards retirement on retired pay in accordance with the regulations (para 3560 of KR & ACI) so that it would be possible for him to complete 20 years' service by the time he attains the age of 45.

5. Appointment - —If they are medically fit for the duties of the branch, selected candidates will be gazetted as transferred to the stores branch on probation as pilot officer or flying officer, according to their rank and length of service at the date of transfer.  Rank above flying officer on transfer will be given only in exceptional circumstances to officers who are already above that rank.  Seniority in the stores branch will be reckoned from the date of transfer. All officers will be posted for a course of instruction in stores duties, terminating with a technical examination.  On satisfactory completion of the course and examination, they will be posted to a unit for stores duty.  If after twelve months in the stores branch the Air Council is satisfied that their service has been in all respects satisfactory, they will be gazetted to permanent commissions in the stores branch, when their previous commissions will automatically terminate with effect from the date of transfer.  If an officer is found during the probationary period to be unsuitable as a stores officer, his further employment in the service will be considered on the merits of the case.  If not retained in the service, he will, as regards retirement, invaliding, or transfer to the reserve, be dealt with under the conditions applicable to his original status, and his service as a stores officer will be allowed to count for those purposes as if it had been service in his original status.

6. Uniform and outfit allowance - On transfer to the stores branch, officers will be required to wear the uniform of their stores branch rank, but they will not on account of their transfer receive any, outfit grant.  Flight cadets will, however, be granted an outfit allowance of £50 in accordance with para 3336 (1) (b) of KR & ACI.

7. Promotion from pilot officer - Pilot officers will be promoted to the rank of flying officer with effect from the date on which they are confirmed in their commissions, except that an ex-flight cadet will not be promoted until he has attained the age of 21.

8. Other conditions - Without prejudice to the special provisions of para 5, commissions in the stores branch will be liable to termination at, any time under regulations authorised from time to time for the government of the Royal Air Force.  For further details of the conditions of service, reference should be made to KR & ACI, particularly to paras 3422 (rates of pay), 3496, 3497 3499 (half pay), 3955-63, 3566 and 3568 (retirement, retired pay and gratuities), 3607-15 and 3620 (disability retired pay).

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 524/1930 dated 21 August 1930.

Amended by AMO A68/1934 dated 8 March 1934 as follows: -

1. Transfers to the stores branch of officers of the general duties branch or flight cadets under the conditions of AMO A524/30 will in future be effected in July instead of in January, and para 3 of that order, in regard to the submission of applications, is accordingly amended as follows :-
   Delete " 1st July" and substitute "1st January".

2. Separate instructions have been issued regarding recommendations. for the transfer occurring in July 1934.

Transfer of Officers to Indian Army Service Corps

1. Owing to the mechanisation and reorganisation of the Indian Army Service Corps, a few vacancies for officers will shortly occur, and applications: for registration, with a view to selection as vacancies arise, may be forwarded through the usual channels by officers commissioned on or after 1st September, 1918, as follows: -

   1. Short service officers of the general duties branch who are ineligible for consideration under Weekly Order 850 of 1928, owing to age or, lack of the requisite service.

   2. Medium service officers (general duties bn'mch)

   3. Permanent officers of the general duties brunch who have not qualified as specialists and are classified permanently physically. unfit for full flying duties but fit for ground duties at home and abroad,,

2. Details of the conditions of service may be obtained from the India Office.  Officers commissioned between 1st September, 1918, and 31st December, 1920 must be prepared to forfeit two years' service for promotion (but not for pension or increments of pay) and to have their rank or several ranks adjusted accordingly on admission to the Indian Army.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 525/1930 dated 21 August 1930.

Extension of Service of Engineer and Signals Specialists holding Permanent Commissions

1. In Weekly Order 574 of 1928 it was proposed to extend the service of a limited number of qualified engineer and signals officers retained on temporary commissions to complete time for retired pay under, the conditions laid down in paras 3581 to 3583 and 3632 to 3634 of KR & ACI, pending the time, when the steps approved by the Air Council in Weekly Order 426 of 1928 produced a sufficient strength of specialist engineer and signals officers to meet requirements.

2. The Council now propose in suitable cases to allow officers, holding permanent commissions to extend their service on the active list from the normal retirement date up to a retiring age not exceeding 50 years of age.  The only officers who will be considered for such extensions will be such as are classified 'E*, E, S* or S In the Air Force List, or such as are filling a post to which an engineer officer is allowed by establishment.  Officers whose service is so extended will normally be employed continuously, on engineering or signals duty, as the case may be during the period of their extended service.

3. Officers of the rank of flight lieutenant whose services are extended under the provisions of this order will, from the date of such extension, be eligible for promotion to squadron leader without passing examination C.

4. As indicated in para 1 above the extension of service of specialists is but a temporary expedient whilst the production of specialists in accordance with Weekly Order 180 of 1929 falls short of the requirements of the service.  Approval for extension will therefore only be given in such numbers to allow the full requirements of the service from time to time to be met and will be withdrawn as soon as the demand for specialists is met from the scheme outlined in Weekly Order 180 of 1928.  The period of extension, whether to age 50 or for a shorter period, will be decided biy the Air Council in each case in which an extension is approved.

5. Applications for extension of service under the above conditions from officers due under their present conditions of  service to be placed on the retired list prior to 31st March 1933, should reach the Air Ministry not, later than 31st March 1931.  Thereafter, applications should be submitted annually so to reach the Air Ministry by 31st March in respect of officers whose normal retirement date falls within two years of that date.  Applications should be accompanied by remarks as to the suitability of the applicant for extension of service.  Applications from officers not eligible under para 2 above are not to be forwarded.

6. 6. For the purpose of this order, an officers "normal retirement date" (from which extensions will become operative) is that on which he reaches the compulsory retiring age of his rank or, if eligible to serve beyond that age as provided in clause 2 of para 3559, KR & ACI the day following the completion of twenty years' service towards retirement.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 596/1930 dated 25 September 1930.

Promotion to Wing Commander and Group Captain in the General Duties Branch

1. In para 9 of Weekly Order 426 of 1928 it was stated that :-

   "The course of actual promotions must necessarily depend on requirements from time to time, but the policy of the Air Council will be directed to securing that when normality is reached - the present lists are abnormal in many respects - promotions shall occur about the predetermined ages, and that the proportions of officers in each rank who can expect promotion to the next shall approximate to the predetermined percentages."

   It has been decided that the time is come when this aim can best be effected by prescribing zones of seniority as squadron leader and wing commander for eligibility for promotion to wing commander and group captain respectively.  Accordingly, officers promoted on and after lst January, 1932, will be selected from those who are of the following seniorities on the date of promotion :-

   For promotion to group captain: 3 to 7 years, inclusive, as wing commander.
   For promotion to wing commander: 3 to 8 years, inclusive, as squadron leader.

   Officers who have not entered or have passed beyond the zone of their rank will not be considered for promotion. The Air Council, however, reserve to themselves the right to promote an officer who is not within the zone of his rank if, whilst not within the zone, he renders service which they consider to be of an exceptionally distinguished character.

2. The zones of promotion will be liable to alteration from time to time and it is contemplated that at a later date the upper limits of the zone will be reduced by stops to 6 years in each case.  Before the introduction of the scheme and before the reduction of the upper limit of a zone, the cases of all officers who would be excluded from further consideration by the operation of the zone will be reviewed by the promotion board.

3. Squadron leaders and wing commanders who have passed out of the zone of their rank without being selected for promotion will understand that they will not be further considered for promotion; they will not be notified individually.  Such officers may expect to be retained in employment up to the date on which they become liable to be retired for age, provided that their service continues to be in all respects satisfactory and that they remain fit in accordance with the medical standards prescribed. This statement is made without prejudice to the Air Council's right to place on half-pay, an officer for whom no employment is immediately available or for whom no further employment can be foreseen.  For the position as affecting group captains and air officers, see paras 9, 21 and 22 of Weekly Order 426 of 1928.

4. KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Weekly Order 831/1930 dated 22 December 1930

Promotions of Officers of the Stores Branch

1. General - After the list of 1st July 1931, promotions to the ranks of flight lieutenant and squadron leader in the stores branch will be made under the scheme explained below. This scheme will not, however, apply to officers appointed to commissions in the stores branch under AMWO 429/1930, who will be promoted by selection in accordance with para 6 of that order.

2. The guiding principle of this scheme is a system of antedates, by means of which seniority will be weighted so as to give earlier promotion to officers who have acquired certain special qualifications, and to officers who are recommended as exceptionally suitable.  Future promotions will be made in accordance with this principle, subject to fulfilment of the conditions stated in paras 4 and 5 below.

3. Inasmuch as one of the conditions laid down as precedent to promotion is to have passed the appropriate promotion examination, officers will gravely jeopardise their prospects of promotion if they do not pass these examinations before the date on which they would otherwise be promoted.

4. Conditions for promotion to flight lieutenant - Before a flying officer can be promoted to flight lieutenant he must :-

   1. have attained the prescribed seniority as flying officer - at present 3 years;

   2. have passed promotion examination E;

   3. have been certified by his AOC as fit for promotion.

5. Candidates for promotion to squadron leader - Before a flight lieutenant can be promoted to squadron loader he must: -

   1. have attained the prescribed seniority as flight lieutenant - at present 3 years;

   2. have passed promotion examination F;

   3. have been certified by his AOC as fit for promotion.

6. Certificates and recommendations of air officer commanding for promotion and antedate.
   

   1. Certificate of fitness for Promotion (see paras 4 (iii) and 5 (iii)).
      These will be in respect of an officer's general suitability for promotion and will be forwarded to the Air Ministry annually (commencing 1st August, 1931), by air or other officers commanding, after consultation with commanding officers, for all officers who are of the seniorities stated in para 4 (i) and 5 (i). These certificates, which will consist of the bare statement "fit for promotion" or "not fit for promotion inserted in para 34 of Form 367, will carry no antedate and will remain in force for one year.

   2. Recommendations for antedate (see Para 8(i) (a) and (ii) (a)) Air or other officers commanding will select, after consultation with commanding officers, from the list, of those who fulfil all the conditions for promotion stated in paras 4 and 5, a very limited number of officers whom they consider exceptionally suitable for promotion and whose seniority they consider should be antedated for this purpose.  In order to maintain a high and uniform standard, allotments will be made by the Air Ministry to each command of so many months' antedate for promotion to flight lieutenant, and of so many months' antedate for promotion to squadron leader.  Within their total allotments, air or other officers commanding will recommend such number of flying officers and such number of flight lieutenants as they deem desirable for such amounts of antedate permissible under Para 8 (i) (a) and (ii) (a) as they think fitting.  These recommendations, which will be forwarded to the Air Ministry annually (commencing on 1st August, 1931) by letter, and also inserted in paras 34 of Form 367, will remain in force for one year.  The "recommended" antedate will be given in respect of the efficiency of the officer in the performances both of the ordinary duties of his rank and of any special duties for which he has qualified himself.

   3. When a flying officer or flight lieutenant is posted to a new command within the 12 months (1st August to 31st July) during which a certificate for promotion or a recommendation for antedate remains in force, the air officer commanding will, if the officer is posted before 1st April, notify the air officer commanding the new command, of the certificates or recommendations which have been given in respect of him under sub-paras (1) and (ii).  The new air officer commanding will take account of these in giving subsequent certificates and recommendations for promotion and antedate.  If the officer is posted to a new command on or after 1st April, certificate or recommendation for promotion or antedate will remain the responsibility of the air officer commanding the command which the officer leaves.

7. Offices in special employment. Officers who are not serving at a RAF unit (e.g., officers employed with a dominion air force) will be considered for certificate and recommendation for promotion and antedate by the Air Ministry on the basis of their records and reports.

8. Lists of officers eligible for promotion. Lists of flying officers and flight lieutenants eligible for promotion will be compiled and maintained at the Air Ministry.  These lists will contain the names of all officers of the seniorities stated in parse. 4 (i) and 5 (i). The order of names on the list will be rearranged from time to time in accordance with seniority, as modified by the following scale: -

   1. (i) Flying officers' List

      Qualifications	Months antedate
      (a) if specially recommended by AOC, (see Para 6 (ii))	6 or 12
      (b) if qualified for symbol X or C	6
      (c) if qualified as Interpreter, Class I or 2, in Japanese, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, Urdu, Pushtu, Turkish or Russian	6

   Notes: -

   1. Antedates on this scale will be subject to to a maximum total of 18 months for any one officer

   2. Antedate will be granted in respect of only one qualification under category (b) and of only one qualification under category (c).
      

   2. Flight Lieutenants' List

      Qualifications	Months antedate
      (a) if specially recommended by AOC (See Para 6 (II)) ..	6, 12,18 or 24
      (b) if qualified for symbol X or C	6
      (c) if qualified as Interpreter, class 1 or 2, in Japanese, Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, Urdu, Pushtu, Turkish or Russian	12
      (d) if qualified psa	12

   Notes: -

   1. Antedates on this scale will be subject to to a maximum total of 36 months for any one officer

   2. Officers qualified for antedate under category (b) who have received antedate in respect of one of these qualifications on promotion to flight lieutenant will receive no antedate under category (b) for promotion to squadron leader.

   3. Officers qualified for antedate under category (c) who have received antedate in respect of this qualification on promotion to flight lieutenant, will receive only 6 months' antedate for promotion to squadron leader.

   4. Antedate will be granted in respect of only one qualification under category (b) and of only one qualification under category (c).
      

9. Method of Promotion. From the lists of flying officers and flight lieutenants compiled as in Para 8, officers will be promoted in turn to fill vacancies in establishment, provided they are judged by the Air Council to be suitable for promotion.  Promotions will be made at convenient intervals.

10. Passing over for Promotion.

    1. Flying officers and flight lieutenants not eligible for promotion under paras 4 and 6 after a reasonable period of service in their rank will be the subject of periodical review by the Air Council and will be warned that failure to become eligible within a stated further period will involve the question of their retention in the service being considered.  If still not eligible at the expiration of that period, they will normally, if flying officers, be retired on grounds of unsuitability; if flight lieutenants, be placed on half pay, scale B.

    2. Flying officers and flight lieutenants not judged suitable for promotion when reaching their turn for promotion (see Para 9) will be removed from the lists referred to in paras 8 and relegated for consideration by the promotions board at a later date. If after a period, varying according to the circumstances of the case, the promotions board considers them suitable for promotion, they will be replaced on the lists and promoted in their turn.  If, however, the board finally, considers that they will not become suitable for promotion, they will normally, if flying officers, be retired on grounds of unsuitability, and if flight lieutenants, be informed that they are permanently passed over for promotion but will be retained until retired for age.

11. Promotion in other ranks

    1. To flying officer. The conditions will remain unchanged

    2. To wing commander and group captain.  Promotions will continue to be made half-yearly on the basis of selection as at resent.  It will also be considered from time to time whether any officers should be permanently passed over for promotion.  When it is decided to do this in the case of any officer, he will be so informed.

12. Amendment of King's Regulations and Air Council Instructions.  The necessary amendments to KR and ACI will be promulgated in due course

Source - Air Ministry Order A54/1931 dated 30 April 1931.

Necessity for Reductions in Public Expenditure.  Modifications in Emoluments, etc, of Personnel

A

Royal Air Force

1. With effect from 1st October 1931, the following modifications in emoluments, etc, of personnel will be made. It will be seen that these modifications, the necessity of which is explained in AMO A175/1931, include the withdrawal of the special concession, announced in 1925 and 1926, at the time when new rates were introduced, in regard to retention of old rates of pay and half-pay by certain officers and airmen.

2. (i) Whilst the revised rates of pay introduced for airmen in 1925 were not specifically related to the cost of living, attention is drawn to the progressive decline in the index since 1919.
   (ii) The following are the comparative figures: -

   Date	Percentage Rise over 1914
   August, 1919	115
   August, 1926	73
   August. 1931	45

   
   Despite the substantial fall during the last six years, it is not now proposed to reduce airmen's pay below the 1925 rates.
   (iii) The new arrangements to adjust the standard rates for officers more closely to the cost of living are explained below.

   I - Officers

3. The standard rates of full pay (and of additional pay laid down in para 3430 of KR & ACI.) of officers other than those mentioned in AMO A.177/1931, the standard rates of half pay. Scale A, service retired pay and service element of disability retired pay of all officers, will continue to be revised according to the cost of living. 20 per cent of each standard rate being regarded as detachable and subject to alteration upward or downward in relation to the increase or decrease of the cost of living above or below the cost in July 1919.  Revisions will in future take place every six months with effect from 1st April and 1st October in each year and will be based on the cost of' living as determined by tho average of the official index figure promulgated during the six monthly periods, September to February and March to August, respectively.  New rates of pay, etc., introduced after 1st October 1931, will be subject, from the date of introduction, to revisions already applying to existing rates and also to future revisions.  As heretofore, the Scale A rates of half-pay will not be reduced below the corresponding Scale B rates, rank for rank. Accordingly with effect from 1st October,1931, the standard rates of pay, additional pay, half -pay and retired pay, liable to revision, will be reduced. by approximately 11 per cent in lieu, of the present 8 per cent.  The effect on standard rates of full pay and additional pay is shown in the following table :--

4. The standard rates of full pay laid down in para 3421, clause 1, 3422, clause 1, and 3427, clause 1, of KR & ACI, will be applicable to all officer of the branches concerned, including those officers of the rank of flight lieutenant and below, and chaplains of less than six years' service, who have hitherto been allowed to retain rates under previous scales under the provisions of paras 3421, clause 2, 3422, clause 2, and 3427, clause 2, KR & ACI.

5. Similarly, the standard rates of half-pay, Scale A, laid down in paras 3498, clause 1, 3490 clause 1 and 3501, clause 1, of KR. & ACI, will be applicablele to all officers of the branches concerned, irrespective of the date of their permanent commissions, including those officers of the rank of flight lieutenant and below, and chaplains with less than six years' service, who have hitherto been allowed to retain rates under previous scales under the provisions of paras 3498, clause 2, 3499, clause 2, and 3501, clause 2, of KR & ACI.

Paragraphs 6 - 10 cover Airmen

B

Royal Air Force Reserve

I - Reserve of Air Force Officers

11. The provisions relating to full pay in para 3 will apply to all officers serving in the Reserve of Air Force Officers on 1st October 1931, or transferred or appointed thereto after that date.

12. The concession in para 111, clause (iii), of the Regulations for the RAF Reserve, allowing certain officers of the Reserve of Air Force Officers to draw pay at scales in force prior to 1st October 1925 will be withdrawn.

13. Retaining fees payable to officers of the Reserve of Air Officers, Classes A and AA, will be at the rate of £25 a year, and to officers of Classes B and BB and officers of Class D (iii) who were granted short service commissions in the medical branch before 1st October 1926, at the rate of £15 a year.  Retaining fees payable in respect of a year of service begun prior to 1st October 1931, will be assessed proportionately.

Paragraphs 14 - 15 cover Airmen

L--Reserve of Air Force Officers.
16. The provisions relating to full pay in Para 4 will apply to all olfleors serving in the Reserve of Air Force Officers on let. October, 1931, or transferred or appointed thereto after that date.
17. The provisions of paras. 6 and I above Will apply to those officers of the Reserve of Alt Force officers who are I'ofcrred to in Para 111, cL" u (iii), of the Regulations for the RAF Beservo.
18, Retaining fees payable to officers of the Reserve of Air Force Officers, Classes A and AA, will be at the rate of 25 a year, and to officers of Classes B and 1313 and officers of Class D (ii) who were granted short service commissions in the medical branch before 1st October, 1926, at the rate of 15 a year. Retaining foes payable In respect of a year of service begun prior to let October, 1031, will be assessed proportionately.
IL Airmen of the Royal Air Force Reserve.
W. The provisions of paras. 0 and 10 above will apply to those aimnian Of Class E of the RASF. Reserve who are reformed to in the footnote to Para- 100, clause (I), of the Regulations for the RAF Reserve,
20. The reserve pay of airmen in Class E of the Reserve will be at the rate of lId. e. day. This rate will apply to all reservists serving in the Roervo on 1st October, 1931, and to those transferred to, or enlisted in,

C

Special Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force

16. The Provisions relating to full pay in para 3 will apply to all officers serving in the Special Reserve or Auxiliary Air Force on 1st October 1931, or appointed thereto after that date.
    

Source - Air Ministry Order A176/1931 dated 11 September 1931.

Amended by Air Ministry Order A193/1931 date 5 October 1931 - see below

Necessity for Reductions in Public Expenditure.  Modifications in Emoluments, etc, of Personnel

A

Royal Air Force

1. As notified to commands at home and aboard by signal A6506, dated 21st September, 1931, His Majesty's Government have decided that in those cases where the transfer of officers and airmen of the regular Air Force to the 1925 (or 1926) rates of pay would involve a reduction of more than 10 per cent on current rates, their rates of pay will be adjusted so as to limit such reduction to 10 per cent. His Majesty's Government have further decided to make a concession regarding the pension rates of soldier, sailors and airmen, who before 1st October 1931, had executed their final engagements to complete time for pension.  This date will be extended to 1st January 1932, in certain cases (see para 14).  In consequence of these decisions modifications in AMO A176/1931 are necessary, and the order is accordingly republished with the necessary amendments, as follows: -

2. With effect from 1st October 1931, the following modifications in emoluments, etc, of personnel will be made. It will be seen that these modifications, the necessity of which is explained in AMO A175/1931, include the withdrawal of the special concession, announced in 1925 and 1926, at the time when new rates were introduced, in regard to retention of old rates of pay and half-pay by certain officers and airmen.

3. (i) Whilst the revised rates of pay introduced for airmen in 1925 were not specifically related to the cost of living, attention is drawn to the progressive decline in the index since 1919.
   (ii) The following are the comparative figures: -

   Date	Percentage Rise over 1914
   August, 1919	115
   August, 1926	73
   August. 1931	45

   
   Despite the substantial fall during the last six years, it is not now proposed to reduce airmen's pay below the 1925 rates.
   (iii) The new arrangements to adjust the standard rates for officers more closely to the cost of living are explained below.

   I - Officers

4. The standard rates of full pay (and of additional pay laid down in para 3430 of KR & ACI.) of officers other than those mentioned in AMO A.177/1931, the standard rates of half pay. Scale A, service retired pay and service element of disability retired pay of all officers, will continue to be revised according to the cost of living. 20 per cent of each standard rate being regarded as detachable and subject to alteration upward or downward in relation to the increase or decrease of the cost of living above or below the cost in July 1919.  Revisions will in future take place every six months with effect from 1st April and 1st October in each year and will be based on the cost of' living as determined by tho average of the official index figure promulgated during the six monthly periods, September to February and March to August, respectively.  New rates of pay, etc., introduced after 1st October 1931, will be subject, from the date of introduction, to revisions already applying to existing rates and also to future revisions.  As heretofore, the Scale A rates of half-pay will not be reduced below the corresponding Scale B rates, rank for rank. Accordingly with effect from 1st October,1931, the standard rates of pay, additional pay, half -pay and retired pay, liable to revision, will be reduced. by approximately 11 per cent in lieu, of the present 8 per cent.  The effect on standard rates of full pay and additional pay is shown in the following table :--

4. The standard rates of full pay laid down in para 3421, clause 1, 3422, clause 1, and 3427, clause 1, of KR & ACI, will be applicable to all officer of the branches concerned, including those officers of the rank of flight lieutenant and below, and chaplains of less than six years' service, who have hitherto been allowed to retain rates under previous scales under the provisions of paras 3421, clause 2, 3422, clause 2, and 3427, clause 2, KR & ACI.

5. Similarly, the standard rates of half-pay, Scale A, laid down in paras 3498, clause 1, 3490 clause 1 and 3501, clause 1, of KR. & ACI, will be applicablele to all officers of the branches concerned, irrespective of the date of their permanent commissions, including those officers of the rank of flight lieutenant and below, and chaplains with less than six years' service, who have hitherto been allowed to retain rates under previous scales under the provisions of paras 3498, clause 2, 3499, clause 2, and 3501, clause 2, of KR & ACI.

6. In respect of officers for whom transfer to the lower rates referred to in the previous paragraph would involve a reduction of more than 10 per cent of pay the current rates from the 1st October 1931, will be as shown in column (b) of the subjoined table.  These rates are 10 per cent less than the rates current on the 30th September 1931.  Corresponding standard rats, which will be subject to future cost of living variations, are shown in column (a).

   	(a) Special Standard Rate			(b) Special current rate from 1/10/31
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   	General Duties Branch
   Flying officer (under 2 years in the rank)	1	1	6		19	2
   Flying officer (after 2 years in the rank)	1	3	4	1	6	10
   Flight lieutenant (under 2 years in the in rank)	1	7	0	1	4	0
   	Stores Branch
   Flying officer (under 3 years in the rank)		17	10		15	10
   Flying officer (4 to 6 years in the rank)		19	8		17	6

7. An officer to whom the special standard rates specified in para 6 apply will cease to be entitled to those rates in the following circumstances: -

   1. If transferred to another branch with effect from a date subsequent to 30th September 1931.

   2. If (holding a short service commission or being an officer seconded or attached to the Royal Air Force) he is granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force with effect from a date subsequent to 30th September 1931.

8. The standard rates of half-pay, Scale A, laid down in paras 3498, clause 1, and 3499, clause 1, KR & ACI, will be applicable to all officers of the branches concerned, irrespective of the date of their permanent commissions, subject to the following proviso: - The current rates of half-pay payable to those officers of the rank of flight lieutenant and below who have hitherto been allowed to retain rates under previous scales will not be reduced more than 10 per cent, below the current rates for which they would have been eligible under the old scales on 30th September,1931, except as may be entailed by future revisions in accordance with the cost of living under Para 4.

Paragraphs 9 - 15 cover Airmen

B

Royal Air Force Reserve

I - Reserve of Air Force Officers

16. The provisions relating to full pay in para 4 will apply to all officers serving in the Reserve of Air Force Officers on 1st October 1931, or transferred or appointed thereto after that date.

17.  The provisions of paras 6 and 7 above will apply to those officers of the Reserve of Air Force Officers who are referred to in para 111, clause (iii), of the Regulations for the RAF Reserve.

18. Retaining fees payable to officers of the Reserve of Air Officers, Classes A and AA, will be at the rate of £25 a year, and to officers of Classes B and BB and officers of Class D (ii) who were granted short service commissions in the medical branch before 1st October 1926, at the rate of £15 a year.  Retaining fees payable in respect of a year of service begun prior to 1st October 1931, will be assessed proportionately.

Paragraphs 19 - 20 cover Airmen

C

Special Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force

21. The Provisions relating to full pay in para 4 will apply to all officers serving in the Special Reserve or Auxiliary Air Force on 1st October 1931, or appointed thereto after that date.

Source - Air Ministry Order A193/1931 date 5 October 1931

Specialist Torpedo Officers

1. With the development of the torpedo as a weapon of the Royal Air Force it is necessary to provide for a class of officers who are specialists in this subjects, and the Air Council have decided that this class shall be formed as a sub-division of the class of engineer specialists.  They will be known as E (T) officers and will be appointed to bases at which torpedo-carrying aircraft are stationed for combined engineering and torpedo duties.

2. The number of officers trained annually will be two.  They will be selected from among officers undergoing the E course during the early part of the second year of that course.  During the remainder of that course the selected officers will receive additional instruction in mathematics, metallurgy and explosives, in the relation of these subjects to the torpedo and as soon as possible after the conclusion of the course they will be posted for a three months course in torpedo.  Their first appointment on satisfactory completion of the latter course will normally be to an E (T); thereafter they will be available for either E or E (T) posts as well as for non-specialist employment.

3. Officers qualified in engineering and torpedo will be given the symbol E (T)  under the same provisions as apply to other specialist officers (KR & ACI Para 383).  The symbol E (T) will carry the same antedates for promotion to flight lieutenant and to squadron leader as the symbol 'E' carries under KR. & ACI, Para 353.

4. KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A179/1931 dated 17 September 1931.

Officers' Half-pay on Termination of Posting

1. The Air Council have had under consideration certain cases of hardship resulting from the rule in para 3504, clauses 1 and 2, of KR & ACI, that officers shall be placed on half-pay, scale A, on termination of their current posting, if a new posting is not immediately available.  In order to obviate such cases as far as practicable, they have decided to modify the regulations as indicated in paras 2 and 3.

2. On termination of a current home posting, an officer for whom a suitable posting is not available will be posted supernumerary (pending posting) on the strength of his unit or in certain cases, of the depot, and granted leave

   1. if his last posting was at home - up to a maximum of 50 days, less any leave taken during the current leave year.

   2. if his last posting was overseas - up to the amount of accumulated leave due.

If the leave due is less than 14 days, he will be retained supernumerary for 14 days and be available for duty for any part of that period for which leave is not admissible.  On the expiry of the leave due, or of 14 days if greater, the officer will be placed on half-pay, scale A, if no posting has become available.

3. An Officer who is a student or member of the directing staff of a staff college at home, including the Imperial Defence College, and is selected for posting to a station abroad following completion of duty at the college, will be posted supernumerary (pending posting) on the strength of the collage until a passage is available.  He will be eligible for leave proportionate to the unexpired portion of the leave year.

4. Paras 336, 1365, 1370 and 3504 of KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A194/1931 dated 8 October 1931.

Flying Practice - Officers of the General Duties Branch employed on Staff or Ground Duties

1. Under KR & ACI, Para 696 every officer of the general duties branch, up to and including the rank of wing commander, who is fit for full or limited flying duties (whether for general service or for home service only) is required to keep himself in regular flying practice.

2. The amount of flying to be carried out by such officers when employed on staff or ground duties has been under review. Officers will in future be divided for this purpose into two categories (A and B) according to the units at which they are serving.  The amount of flying required and the units comprised in each category are specified in para 6 below.

3. 3. For the purpose of recording the flying hours of all officers of the general duties branch, the "flying year" will in future be regarded as beginning on 1st June and ending on 31st May, and flying times will be inserted in Para 17 of Form 387 (Annual Confidential Report) accordingly.  Any flying subsequent to 31st May 1931, which is recorded in an officer's report for 1931 should be specially brought to notice in his 1932 report.

4. It is the responsibility of air or other officers commanding that these regulations are complied with by officers under their command.  If any officer has not carried out the requisite number of hours' flying, a report will be attached to the Form 367 stating the reasons for non compliance with the regulations.

5. Para 695 of KR & ACI will be amended in due course.  Amendments to Category A will appear in Air Ministry Orders as necessary from time to time,

6. Category A (not less than 6 hours' flying a year) comprises officers employed at :-

   Air Ministry (includes special duty or courses in the London area).

   Headquarters, Coastal Area*

   Air Headquarters, 'Iraq (in respect of officers on detached duty only).
   Headquarters, Transjordan and Palestine.
   Headquarter units in carriers.
   MT Depot,
   Headquarters, Far East.
   Headquarters, Mediterranean.
   

   Category B (not less than 20 hours' flying a year) - All officers other than these in Category A.

Source - Air Ministry Order A203/1931 dated 15 October 1931.

*Deleted by AMO A72/1932 - 31 March 1932

Procedure for the selection of Officers of the Stores Branch for Commissariat and Explosives Duties

1. The following procedure is being brought into operation for the selection of stores officers for training in commissariat and explosives duties in accordance with the provisions of para 13 of AMWO 428/1930.  The procedure does not apply to officers commissioned from warrant rank; as and when such officers are required for explosives duty, special steps will be taken for their selection.

2. 2. On the completion of 18 mouths' service after commissioning in the stores branch, every officer will receive a letter inviting him to state whether he desires to volunteer for the special duties in question.  The reply to this letter will be forwarded to the Air Ministry through the usual channels and will state whether the officer desires to volunteer for commissariat or for explosives duties or for both, and, if for both, his order of preference.  The CO of the unit will append his remarks to each letter before transmitting it higher authority.

3. From the replies received a register will be prepared at the Air Ministry, and from this register selection will be made annually of officers then in the third year of service; such selections will be notified in Air Ministry Orders.  It will be possible to select only a limited number of officers; and officers, even if selected, may not be allowed the subject of their first choice.

Source - Air Ministry Order A228/1931 dated 12 November 1931.

Recommendations for Permanent Commissions and for Medium Service—Short Service Officers (General Duties Branch)

1. The Air Council have decided to modify the method of appointing short service officers of the general duties branch to permanent commissions and to medium service. The following instructions will therefore govern the recommendation of candidates under para 375 of KR & ACI for the next specialisation examination (to be held in November, 1932). After the next recommendations have been rendered in accordance with AMWO 697/30, these instructions will also govern the recommendation of candidates for permanent commissions, or medium service by direct selection.  Recommendations under AMWO 697/30 are to reach the Air Ministry by 1st April 1932, instead of by 1st, March 1932.  AOCs should note that the selection to be made in April 1932, under the existing scheme, is the last at which officers who will have attained four years' seniority on 1st January, 1933, will be eligible for consideration.  If necessary, such officers may be recommended in excess of the allotment laid down, but it should be appreciated that the number of vacancies for permanent, commissions on the occasion of the April, 1932, selection will be strictly limited.   Such officers may also be recommended for medium service on that occasion, irrespective of whether they have 18 months or more to serve.

2. The broad principle followed is to consider once annually at the Air Ministry the names of all short service officers who are then in their fourth year of service and are recommended for permanent commissions or for medium service, or for both.  There will be only one list from each command, arranged in order of merit; the decision of the Air council as between selection for a permanent commission by specialisation, selection for a permanent commission, other than by specialisation, and selection for medium service, will be governed by the principles indicated in Para 6 below. Each officer will have the one chance of selection, and his qualifications will be balanced against those of his contemporaries, so as to secure a strictly equitable consideration of the merits of all the competitors.

3. To be eligible for consideration, officers must be fit for full flying duties and must, by 1st January following the date on which recommendations are due at the Air Ministry, have completed three, but not have completed four years' service on short service commissions (including the period spent at a civil flying school).  No exception to these conditions will be made in any circumstances.  Those who are candidates for permanent commissions will, in all cases, be required to sit for the specialisation examination; those who are candidates for medium service only will not be required to do so.

4. Air or other officers commanding are to forward, so as to reach the Air Ministry by 1st September in each year, a single list showing in order of merit the officers who are recommended.  Against each name will be stated whether the officer is recommended for a permanent commission or for medium service, or both, and whether he is recommended for specialisation or for training as a flying instructor or both.  The fact that an officer is recommended under any category will be assumed to imply that be has volunteered under that category.  There will be no restriction on the number of recommendations which may be forwarded by each command, but it is emphasized that selections will be made only once a year and that recommendations must not be forwarded, except on the occasion specified above.  Recommendations are to be made on forms similar to that shown in the appendix to this order (not included here), accompanied by full reports upon the zeal and ability of officers recommended, and any other information which it is thought should be taken into account when the recommendations are considered.  In every case where an officer is recommanded for medium service, Form 617 should also be accompanied by a signed undertaking from the officer concerned to the effect that he is prepared to enter into medium service if he is accepted².  Para 5 of AMWO 696/30¹ will apply to all recommendations for permanent commissions.

5. In drawing up his list, an AOC should have regard to officers who have been posted away from his command within six months preceding the date on which recommendations are due at the Air Ministry, and will include in the list the names of such officers if considered deserving of recommendation.

6. Those who are approved as candidates for permanent commissions will be notified by Air Ministry Order that they are nominated to sit for the specialisation examination.  When the results of that examination are known in the following December, the whole list of candidates for permanent commissions and medium service will be reviewed.  The officers who pass highest in the examination will be selected for permanent commissions by specialisation, up to the number of vacancies for specialisation announced for the year in question, subject however to that number of officers having reached a qualifying standard in the examination.  The balance of the year's vacancies for permanent commissions, to short service officers will be allotted to the remaining candidates for permanent commissions, regard being had to an officer's success in the examination, and to his general and flying qualifications, and preference being given to candidates suitable for employment as flying instructor.  The year's vacancies for medium service will then be allotted to such candidates for both permanent commissions and medium service who have not been selected for the former and to candidates for medium service only, regard being had to their general and flying qualifications and preference being given to those suitable for employment as flying instructor.  An officer's chance of being selected for a permanent commission will be enhanced rather than otherwise if he is also a candidate for medium service.

7. As soon as these selections have been made, the order of merit of the specialisation examination will be published in Air Ministry Orders, together with a complete list of the year's selections for permanent commissions by specialisation, for permanent commissions other than as specialists, and for medium service.  Appointments to permanent commissions and to medium service will be effected as from the date of expiry of the active list periods of the officers' short service commissions; if, however, this period expires, in the case of an officer selected for specialisation, before the date of his passing out of the specialist course, his short service commission will be extended to the latter date and his appointment to a permanent commission will be correspondingly deferred.  Until officers are finally appointed to permanent commissions or medium service on the dates indicated above, all selections will he provisional and subject to satisfactory service and physical fitness, and, in the case of officers selected for a specialist or flying instructor's course, to successful passing out of the course.

8. The necessary amendments to para 375 of KR & ACI will be made in due course. AMWO 697/30 will be cancelled with effect from 1st April, 1932.

Source - Air Ministry Order A3/1932 dated 14 January 1931.

Amended by AMO A69/1932 - 31 March 1932 and A6/1938 dated 13 January 1938.

¹Amended to "Para 3 of AMO A13/38" by AMO A102//38 dated 24 Mar 1938.

²The sentence was added by AMO A212/38 dated 16 June 1938.

Short Service Officers - Revised Conditions of Service for New Entrants

1. The conditions governing the grant of short service commissions in the general duties branch have been revised for officers commissioned on or after 1st April 1932, and are outlined in the succeeding paragraphs.  It should be emphasised that the conditions of service of officers granted short service commissions before that date are in no way affected.

2. Period of appointment - Officers will be entered for a period of six years on the active list followed by four years in the reserve, and during their first year of service will be strictly on probation.

3. Rank, etc - They will be commissioned in the rank of acting pilot officer and after a fortnight's preliminary training at the RAF Depot, Uxbridge, will be posted to a flying training school for flying training.  Provided they have satisfactorily completed their training and are recommended as being likely to make efficient officers in all respects, they will be confirmed in their appointment after 12 months' service and graded as pilot officers.  Officers who have previous training and are posted to service squadrons after a shortened course at a flying training school will be graded as pilot officers from the date on which they join for duty at a service squadron.

4. Promotion to flying officer - Pilot officers will be eligible to take Promotion Examination A after completing 12 months' service as such, and, subject to their having passed that examination and to their service having been satisfactory in all respects, their promotion to the rank of flying officer will normally take effect from the date of completion of 18-21 months' service from date of grading as pilot officer, the actual date depending on the marks they obtain on passing out of the flying training school The promotion of pilot officers who have not passed the promotion examination by the date on which they become eligible for promotion will normally take effect from the date of passing the examination.

5. Command and precedence - Acting pilot officers will be junior to all pilot officers, but apart from this will, for the purposes of rank and command, be on exactly the same basis as other officers of the Royal Air Force.

6. Pay and allowances - The rate of pay for acting pilot officers will be 13s a day (standard), corresponding to a present current rate of 11s 6d a day.  Allowances in lieu of accommodation, etc., when payable, will be at the rates laid down for a pilot officer.

7. Gratuity - Officers transferred to the reserve after completing their full period of 6 years, will receive a gratuity of £100 a year for each year of their service on the active list after the first year, making a total of £500.

8. Medium service - The conditions of medium service of officers granted short service commissions before 1st April 2932, and subsequently appointed to medium service are in no way affected.  Appointments, to medium service from among officers granted short service commissions on or after 1st April 1932, will be for five years on the active list from the termination of the active list period of their short service engagement followed by four years in the reserve.  On transfer to the reserve on completion of their full period of medium service, they will receive gratuity additional to that in respect of the short service period at the rate £100 for each year of medium service, making a total of £1,000 in all.

9. Permanent commissions -  A strictly limited number of appointments to permanent commissions will, as heretofore, be available to short service officers.

10. KR & ACI and Air Ministry Pamphlet 13 are in course of amendment and should be referred to for detailed information on the scheme outlined in this order.

Source - Air Ministry Order A8/1932 dated 21 January 1932.

Junior Officers Living in Mess

1. The Air Council regard it as a necessary part of a young officer's education to live in mess as a full member, and thus acquire that knowledge of the service which comes from mixing with his fellows in mess life.  Permission under Para 1672 (2) of KR & ACI to become a non-dining member of the mess will therefore not be granted to an officer holding a permanent or a short service commission until be has completed 3 years' service or attained the age of 25.  No similar limitation will apply as regards exemption from occupation of public quarters, under Para 1802 of KR & ACI.

2. Officers already non-dining members of a mess may be exempted from the operation of this order at the discretion of their AOC.  Any other case which in the opinion of an AOC requires to be treated as an exception to this order will be referred to the Air Ministry for decision.

3. Para, 1672 (2) of KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A15/1932 dated 28 January 1932.

Revision of Officers' Pay, Half-Day and Retired Pay.

1. The average of the cost of living index figures for the 6 months ending 31st July 1932, would, under the formula prescribed in AMO A728/25 as revised by AMO A193/31, normally entail a reduction in current rates of pay, half-pay and retired pay of officers as from 1st October 1932.

2. His Majesty's Government have, however, had the whole question of the remuneration of the services of the Crown under review, and have decided that emoluments should now cease to vary automatically with changes in the index figure but shall be consolidated.  They have further decided that, subject always to the overriding consideration of the national financial position, final consolidation shall be deferred until 1st April 1934, and that in the meantime the rates shail be stabilised at the current reduction from standard rates, viz., 11 per cent. (which corresponds to an index figure of about 49), subject to the proviso in the following paragraph.

3. If, during the above period of stabilisation, the index figure remains below 35 or above 60 for six consecutive months, the resultant situation will be reviewed in the light of all relevant considerations, including the cost of living.

4. KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A213/1932 dated 4 August 1932.

Provision and Training of Officers for Intelligence Staff and Special Service Posts

1. An adequate intelligence organisation is an important factor in the general scheme of air control in those Eastern countries for whose defence the Royal Air Force is responsible, and it is necessary to maintain a constant flow of officers with a knowledge of Middle Eastern languages and experience of intelligence work in order to meet staff, requirements in tune of war.  To secure these ends, the following policy has been laid down in regard to the provision and training of officers for this type of duty.

2. Junior posts - About half the posts for flight lieutenants (air staff intelligence) of the headquarters of the 'Iraq, Palestine and Transjordan, Middle East and Aden commands will be filled by permanent officers, and the remainder by officers specially  appointed on the supplementary list or seconded from the Army for this type of work only.  In principle, all officers actually performing staff duty at headquarters will be Permanent officers, and a proportion of the officers employed on special service duty away from headquarters will also be permanent officers.

3. Training - Two permanent officers of the rank of flight lieutenant or flying officer will be selected under the procedure referred to in AMWO 519/30, and sent each year to 'Iraq to study a Middle Eastern language - Arabic or Kurdish at the discretion of the AOC - for a period of one year or until they pass the preliminary examination (KR & ACI, Para 412), whichever period is the shorter.  Arrangements for their training during this period which will be whole-time and at public expense, will be made by the AOC Iraq.

4. Subsequent employment - On conclusion of training, officers will be posted for a further two years' tour of duty as intelligence Officers in 'Iraq, Aden, Palestine, Transjordan or the Sudan.  Towards the end of the period they should be able to pass the the interpretership examination and receive the prescribed awards of £60 for 1st class interpreter or £30 for qualification as a 2nd class interpreter and gain an antedate for promotion (para 353 clauses 9 and 10 of KR & ACI). Officers who have rendered satisfactory service in intelligence duties will receive special consideration when selection for officers to undergo the Staff College Course is being made, and the opportunity, therefore,, of gaining a further antedate for promotion.

5. Higher intelligence posts - Higher intelligence posts in the rank of squadron leader and wing commander will as a rule be filled by permanent officers who have completed a tour of duty in a junior intelligence post, have qualified at the Staff College, and have again become due for service abroad.

6. The necessary amendments to KR & ACI will be promulgated in due course,
   (AMWO 520/30 cancelled)

Source - Air Ministry Order A220/1932 dated 118 August 1932.

Group Captains (General Duties Branch) - Retired Pay

1. The Air Council have had under consideration the scheme of retired pay of group captains of the general duties branch, and have concluded that as the retirement policy applicable to these officers is similar to that applicable to air officers (cf AMO A426/288, paras 21 and 22) the retired pay scheme for the rank should be similar to that for air officers.  They therefore, decided that the retired pay of group captains of the general duties branch shall depend, not as in the past upon age and service,
   but upon rank and service as is the case with the retired pay of air officers.

2. The new scale will be £615 for 20 years' service, (calculated as laid down in Para 3561, KR & ACI) increased by £15 for each additional year beyond 20 up to a maximum of £800.  The minimum period of service qualifying for group captain's retired pay will be three years in the substantive rank on full pay; officers with less service as group captain will receive retired pay as if their service in the rank of group captain had been given in the rank of wing commander, unless the Air Council otherwise
   direct.  The new scale will apply to all officers promoted to the rank of Group Captain after the date of this order; group captains already serving as such will have the option of drawing retired pay either under the old or the new scale, KR & ACI will be amended as necessary in due course.

3. The rates quoted above are "standard" rates, vide para 3563, KR & ACI, as modified by AMO A213/32.

Source - Air Ministry Order A228/1932 dated 25 August 1932.

Promotion and Retirement in the Ranks of Air Commodore and Group Captain in the General Duties Branch

1. The Air Council have had under consideration the means by which the policy laid down in paras 9, 21, and 22 of AMO A.426/28 regarding promotion and retirement in the ranks of air commodore and group captain in the general duties branch can most satisfactorily be carried into effect, and have decided that these matters should be regulated as stated below.

2. Air commodores and group captains promoted on or after 1st July 1933, will be selected from those who are of the following senioritis on the date of promotion: -

For promotion to air vice-marshal: 2 to 4 years. inclusive, as air commodore.
For promotion to air commodore: 2 to 4 years, inclusive, as group captain.

Officers who have not entered or have passed beyond the zone of their rank will not be considered for promotion.   The Air Council, however, reserve to themselves the right to promote in exceptional circumstances an officer who is not within the zone of his rank.

3. The zones of promotion will be liable to alteration upwards or downwards from time to time.  Before the introduction of the scheme, and before the reduction of the upper limit of a zone, the cases of all officers who would be excluded from further consideration by the operation of the zone will be reviewed by the promoting authority.

4. Owing to the relatively small establishments of the higher ranks the numbers of promotions available to air vice-marshal and air commodore will vary from time to time.  In order that equitable consideration may be given to the claims of all officers, the promoting authority, when selecting officers for promotion, will review the names of all officers then in the zones in the light of the foreseen vacancies for promotion in the two coming years.

5. Promotion to the rank of air commodore will be made on the recommendation of a promotion board composed of the Chief of the Air Staff, the Air Member for Personnel, and the Air Member for Supply and Research.

6. Air commodores and group captains who pass out of the zones of their ranks without being selected for promotion to higher rank will not normally be offered further employment after the date of passing out of the zone, unless specifically informed to the contrary, therefore, they will understand that the appointment they hold on that date will be the last which will be made available to them, or, if not then holding an appointment, that they will not be further employed.

7. KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A280/1932 dated 13 October 1932.

Promotion and Retirement in the Ranks of Air Commodore and Group Captain in the General Duties Branch

It should be understood that para 6 of AMO A280/32 will apply to existing air commodores and group captains who pass out the zones laid down in para 2 of the order without being promoted.

Source - Air Ministry Order A293/1932 dated 13 November 1932.

Training of Squadron Leaders as A Specialists.

1. 1. With a view to making good an anticipated shortage in senior A specialists, it has been decided to pass four squadron leaders through the A course commencing on 28th February 1933, and four through that commencing in February 1934.  These will be additional to the normal entry of flying officers into the course.

2. To be eligible for selection for this training squadron leaders must: -

   1. be qualified pilots fit for full flying duties,

   2. be of a seniority between 1 January 26 and 31 December 1930,

   3. hold no specialist symbol (E, S, A, Ph or N).

   Applications are invited from officers satisfying these conditions.  These must reach the Air Ministry, in the case of officers serving at home, by 23rd January, and, in the case of officers serving abroad, by 1st April.  They should be accompanied by the remarks of COs and of officers commanding superior formations as to the officer's knowledge of and interest in armament work and as to his suitability generally for specializing in that subject.

Source - Air Ministry Order A4/1933 dated 5 January 1933.

Commutation of Retired Pay (Officers) - Revised Table

With reference to KR & ACI, Para 3545, the following revised Commutation Table has been approved by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury with effect from 20th December 1932, subject to an addition of years of age in the case of impaired lives. The table is in substitution for that hitherto in force.

Source - Air Ministry Order A5/1933 dated 12 January 1933.

Provision of Specialist Officers

1. The Air Council have reviewed the sources of supply of specialist engineer officers and have concluded that the policy announced in paras 1 and 13 of AMO A.426/28 of filling a proportion of posts by men who have had extensive practical experience of engineering duties as airmen can with advantage be carried further.  By this means the element of long practical experience in service engineering will be strengthened and the career open to airmen will be improved.  The principal source of engineer officers will continue to be officers of the general duties branch who specialize in that subject, but a smaller number of such will be required, and this will allow of a better balance between the numbers required to specialize in engineering and the numbers required to specialise in other subjects.

2. It is contemplated that about 60 per cent, of the existing officer engineer posts will be filled by general duties branch specialists.  Of the balance of 40 per cent, a small number will be downgraded to warrant officer and filled by WOs "E"; the great majority, however, will be filled by a new class of officer promoted to the rank of flying officer from WO "E."  Officers so commissioned will not normally be pilots, and will not, therefore, be included in the general duties branch; they will form a new class to be known as "commissioned engineer officers."  They will be available for appointment equally with flight lieutenants of the general duties branch who are "E "specialists to flight lieutenant "E " posts for which their qualifications make them suitable.

3. A similar policy will be followed as regards Signals and Armament, but to a more limited degree.  Officers commissioned from WO "S" or WO "A" will be known as "commissioned signals officers" and "commissioned armament officers," respectively, and will be available equally with specialist flight lieutenants "S" or "A" for appointment to flight lieutenant "S" or "A" posts for which their qualifications make them suitable.

4. The conditions of appointment and service of commissioned engineer, signals and armament officers are announced in AMO A111/33.

Source - Air Ministry Order A110/1933 dated 13 April 1933.

Appointment of Warrant Officers to Commissioned Rank for Engineer, Signals, Photography and Armament Duties

1. Permanent commissions in the Royal Air Force up to the following normal annual maxima may be granted to warrant officers eligible under para 2 who are recommended by air or other officers commanding as being in every respect likely to make efficient specialist officers.

   • Commissioned engineer officers      7

   • Commissioned signals officers         2

   • Commissioned armament officers    1

   • Commissioned photography officers* (see para 3.)

2. Warrant officers of the following trades only will be eligible for selection

   • For commissioned engineer officer          warrant officer engineer.

   • For commissioned signals officer             warrant officer signals.

   • For commissioned armament officer        warrant officer armament.

   • For commissioned photography officer    warrant officer, photography.*

   In future, warrant officers of these trades will not be eligible for appointment to commissioned rank in the equipment branch.

3. Selection of engineer, signals and armament candidates will be made by the Air Ministry from recommendations submitted annually by areas and commands which will be forwarded by air or other officers commanding to reach the Air Ministry by 1st January in each year (1st July for the current year).  Owing to the small number of warrant officers in the trade of photographer, appointments to permanent commissions will be made occasionally only and it is therefore not proposed to announce the annual allocation of vacancies as in other branches.  Recommendations should therefore be submitted only when called for.  Each candidate will be personally interviewed by the air or other officer commanding, who will satisfy himself that the candidate is well fitted both by technical ability and personality for the grant of a permanent commission.  In making recommendations, air or other officers commanding will take into account warrant officers who have left their commands within the six months preceding the date on which the recommendations are due at the Air Ministry.

4. Before appointment to commissioned rank a warrant officer must be certified as medically fit according to the standard laid down in Para 1431, KR & ACI.  Air or other officers commanding will accordingly arrange for all candidates to receive a preliminary medical examination by the station medical officer in order to ensure that recommendations are not forwarded in the case of those definitely unfit.

5. Warrant officers finally selected will be discharged from their engagements, gazetted to permanent commissions as flying officers on probation, and will take seniority from date of appointment to a commission.  On satisfactory completion of a probationary period of 12 months, they will be confirmed in rank.

6. The following are the rates of pay issuable to these officers

   	Standard			Current
   	£	s	d	£	s	d
   Flying Officers	1	1	0		18	8
   Flight Lieutenant	1	3	0	1	0	6
   Flight Lieutenant after 4 years in substantive rank	1	5	0	1	2	4

    

7. Promotion to the rank of flight lieutenant will be by selection within an establishment approved by the Air Ministry.

8. In accordance with Para 3336, KR & ACI, an outfit allowance of £50 will be issuable on appointment and a further £50 on confirmation.

9. Officers appointed under this scheme will be compulsorily retired at the age of 50, irrespective of rank, and on retirement will be eligible for retired pay calculated at the rate of £10 for each year of reckonable service up to 15 years and £15 for each subsequent year, subject to a maximum of £300 a year.  Reckonable service will include qualifying service as a warrant officer, class 1, and half such service after age 18 in lower ranks.  These rates are standard rates and are subject to revision in accordance with the provisions of para 3563, KR & ACI, as amplified by the footnote thereto.

10. An officer who is invalided will be eligible for retired pay in respect of service on the scale laid down in para 9, irrespective of his age.  If he is invalided on account of a disability directly attributable to the conditions of service, and provided the degree of disablement is not less than 20 per cent, he may be awarded, in addition, a disability element of £100 a year for total disablement or a proportionate amount for a less degree of disablement down to £20 a year for 20 per cent disablement.  This addition is subject to reduction on account of variation in the cost of living, as provided in Para 3615, clause 8, of KR & ACI.

11. An officer will not be permitted to retire voluntarily on retired pay unless he has reached the age of 40 and has also completed 20 years' service qualifying for retirement on retired pay.  An officer who retires voluntarily or is retired for unsuitability or misconduct after the age of 40 years and the completion of 20 years' reckonable service maybe awarded retired pay on the scale laid down in para 9, subject to such deduction in the case of unsuitability or misconduct as the Air Council may decide.  In misconduct cases, however, the officer will have no claim to an award, which will be entirely at the discretion of the Air Council.

12. Except as provided above, an officer will be subject to the same conditions of service and be eligible for the same emoluments, half-pay, widows' pension and allowances to other dependants as force for the time being for officers holding permanent commissions in the equipment branch.

13. (i) Warrant officers who at the date of this order have been appointed to commissions in the equipment branch under the terms AMO A429/30 will, if they so desire, be considered for transfer to commissions under this scheme.  Air or other officers commanding will, accordingly, include such officers, if recommended for transfer, in the lists forwarded to the Air Ministry by 1st July 1933.
    (ii) Those selected for transfer will retain their present seniority and their service as equipment officer will count for all purposes as if it had been service under this scheme.

Source - Air Ministry Order A111/1933 dated 13 April 1933.

*Amended by AMO A182/36.

Appointment of Short Service Officers to the Royal Army Service Corps

1. By agreement with the Army Council, the following arrangements have been made for the selection of short service officers of the general duties branch for appointment to commissions as second lieutenants in the regular army (Royal Army Service Corps) when about to complete or after completing their period of service on the active list.  Appointments will be limited to one annually.

2. Eligibility - In order to be eligible for consideration, officers must

   1. be recommended as in all respects suitable for commissions in the Army;

   2. be under the age of 25 years on 1st February of the year following the examination mentioned in sub-Para (iv);

   3. be unmarried;

   4. pass the final term examination at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in the same manner as candidates from the Supplementary Reserve of Officers or the Territorial Army.  These examinations are held in December.  Candidates cannot be examined elsewhere than at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

3. Applications - Officers who comply with the conditions in para 2 and wish to be considered for appointment to the Royal Army Service Corps should, when they have completed not less than three years' service (four years for officers entered on or after 1st April, 1932), submit applications, through the usual channels, so as to reach the Air Ministry by 1st October.

4. Appointment of selected officers will be effected in January of each year. Officers who have not completed their period of service on the active list of the Royal Air Force will be released prematurely, provided they have completed four years' service (five years for those commissioned on or after let April, 1932).  Officers who have completed their period of service on the active list will be placed in the Reserve of Air Force Officers until the date of appointment.

5. An officer's claim to consideration for a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force or for medium service (if recommended) will not he prejudiced by his having made application for appointment to the Royal Army Service Corps under this order.

6. Officers appointed to the Royal Army Service Corps will be paid the short service gratuity for which they are eligible up to the date of appointment, or of being placed in the Reserve of Air Force Officers, whichever is the earlier.  Their air force service will not count for promotion, increase of pay, retirement, retired pay or gratuity under army regulations.

7. Officers will not be eligible, on appointment, for an outfit allowance from army funds.

8. It should be understood that officers appointed under this order are required for army duties and will terminate their connection with the air force.  They will therefore not be allowed to keep in flying practice or to undertake any air work unless so required in connection with their military duties.

9. Any further information in regard to the conditions of service in the Royal Army Service Corps may be Obtained from the Under Secretary of State, The War Office, London, SW1.

Source - Air Ministry Order A153/1933 dated 1 June 1933.

Amended by AMO A81/34 dated 29 March 1934

Posts counting as "Command" for Promotion Purposes

1. KR & ACI, Para 354 (4) (b) (ii) and (e) (ii), requires that in order to be marked "A" for promotion. purposes, squadron leaders and wing commanders must have held commands in their present ranks.

2. It has been decided that for the purpose in question the following posts shall count as "command": -
   Squadron leader appointments.

   • Command of the following squadrons :-

     • Nos 1-6 inclusive, 8, 11-20 inclusive, 21⁵, 22-33 inclusive, 34⁵, 35, 36, 38⁵, 39-41 inclusive, 43,45,47, 48⁵, 54-57 inclusive, 60, 65⁴ , 74⁵, 84, 97⁵, 100, 101 (deleted A173/35), 102⁵, 111, 142³, 201, 202, 204, 207, 208, 210³, 214⁵, 215⁵, 501, 504, 800-803 inclusive, 810-812 inclusive, 820, 821, 822, 823, 825⁴

   • Command of a flight in the following squadrons :-

     • Nos 7, 9, 10, 58, 70, 99, 216, 500, 502, 503.

   • The following appointments in flying boat squadrons :-

     • Squadron leader "Navigation" in No. 203 Squadron.

     • Squadron leader "Flying" in No. 205 Squadron;

     • Squadron leader "Flying" in No. 209 Squadron.

     • Squadron leader "Flying" in No 210 Squadron. (Deleted by AMO A169)

     • Squadron Leader "Flying" in No 230 Squadron (Added by AMO A173/35)

   • Chief Flying Instructor at a flying training school, The Central Flying School, or the RAF College.

   • The following appointments in HM carriers: -

     • Squadron leader "A" in HMS "Hermes."

     • Squadron leader "Flying" in HMS "Glorious"

     • Squadron leader "Flying" in HMS "Courageous"

     • Squadron leader "A" in HMS "Furious"

     • Squadron leader "A" in HMS " Eagle."
       (Note. The squadron leader" E' posts on HMS "Glorious" and HMS "Courageous" do not count as "command")

   • Miscellaneous appointments

     1. Squadron leader "Flying" and psa in command of "A" Squadron, RAF College.

     2. Squadron leader "Navigation" in command of "B" Squadron, RAF College.

     3. Squadron leader "Flying," Training Squadron, RAF Base Calshot.

     4. Squadron leader "Flying," Training Squadron, RAF Gosport:

     5. Squadron leader "Flying," Training Squadron, School of Army Co-operation.

     6. Command of Station Flight, Duxford.

     7. Command of Station Flight, Abingdon.

     8. Command of "B " Squadron, Air Armament School.

     10. Command of Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Flight.

     11. Command of RAF Base Kai Tak

     12. Squadron leader "Flying," No 1 Coast Defence Training Flight² (Deleted by AMO A305/34).

     12. Command of Coast Defence Training Unit⁴

     13. Command of Armament Testing Section, Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment‡

     14. Command of Performance Testing Section, Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment‡

     15. Command of Signal Flight, Electrical and Wireless School‡

     16. Command of 'A' (Co-operation) Flight, School of Naval Co-operation (Added by A173/35)

     17. Command of Station Flight, Northolt⁵

     18. Squadron Leader (Flying), advanced training squadrons⁵

   Wing commander appointments

   • (vii) Command of following squadrons

     • Nos. 7, 9, 10, 58, 70, 99, 101 (Added by A173/35), 205, 209, 210 (Deleted by AMO A169) 216, 230 (Added by A173/35), 500, 502, 503.

   • Command of the following stations: -

     Abingdon	Mount Batten.
     Andover	Netheravon
     Biggin Hill	Northolt
     Bircham Newton	North Coates Fitties5
     Donibristle	North Weald
     Duxford	Pembroke Dock3
     Farnborough	Ramleh
     Hal Far	Tangmere
     Hornchurch	Upavon
     Kenley3	No 1 (Indian Wing)
     Mildenhall4	No 2 (Indian Wing).

      

   • Appointments as senior RAF officer in HM carriers.

   • Miscellaneous appointments.

     Wing commander "Navigation," Navigation School, RAF Base, Calshot (deleted A25/1936)

     Wing commander "Flying," RAF Base, Gosport

     Chief Flying Instructor, RAF Training Base, Leuchars

     Chief Instructor, Oxford University Air Squadron

     Chief Instructor, Cambridge University Air Squadron

     Command of School of Technical Training (Men)

     Command of No 1 Apprentice Wing, School of Technical Training (Apprentices)

     Command of No 2 Apprentice Wing, School of Technical Training (Apprentices)

     Command of RAF Base, Malta

     Command of No 1 Armoured Car Company (Deleted by AMO 313/1933 dated 23 November 1933)

     Command of Aircraft Park, India

     Command of No 3 (Indian) Wing

     Command of No 1 Armament Training Camp1

     Command of No 2 Armament Training Camp1

     Command of No 3 Armament Training Camp1

     Command of Aircraft Depot, India1

     Command of Aircraft Depot, Iraq1

     Command of RAF Base, Singapore3

     Command of Air Pilotage School3 (Deleted by A25/36)

     Command of Administrative Wing, Halton (Added by A173/35)

     Command of School of Air Navigation5

     Command of No 4 Wing, Halton5

      

3. If a squadron leader is posted, other than temporarily, to one of the wing commander appointments mentioned in para 2, the employment counts as "command" for the purpose of qualifying for promotion to wing commander.
   Any additions to the above list which may ho approved subsequently will be notified Air Ministry Orders.

4. KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A159/1933 dated 8 June 1933.

¹Added by AMO A177/1933 dated 29 June 1933

²Added by AMO 313/1933 dated 23 November 1933

³Added by AMO A169/1934 dated 12 July 1934

⁴Added by AMO A305/1934 dated 12 December 1934

⁵Added by AMO A25/1936 dated 6 February 1936

Zone of Promotion to Group Captain in the General Duties Branch

1. The upper limit of the zone of promotion to group captain in the general duties branch laid down in para 354 of KR & ACI will be reduced to six years' seniority as wing commander, with effect from the promotions to be made on 1st July 1934.  Wing commanders of 1927, and January 1928 seniorities will therefore be finally considered for promotion on 1st January 1934.

2. KR & ACI will be amended.

Source - Air Ministry Order A180/1933 dated 6 July 1933.

Selection for Specialisation and for Flying Instructor Courses

1. In view of the different methods by which officers, may obtain permanent commissions in the Royal Air Force, it has been found necessary to adopt differing zones during which an officer is eligible for selection for specialist and flying instructor courses.  It is apparent from the applications received from officers that this is not fully understood and, in order to make it clear to all concerned and so avoid unnecessary correspondence, the position has been summarised in Para 2 below.

2. Selection for courses is made annually as follows :

   Specialist and flying instructor courses.

   1. From permanent officers (ex-Cranwell cadets) and officers holding short service commissions, who on 1st January of the year in question have completed three but not more than four years' service.

   2. From permanent officers (University entrant scheme), who on 1st January of the year in question have completed two but not more than three years' service.

   3. From permanent officers (ex-airman pilots), who on 1st January of the year in question have completed one but not more than two years' commissioned service.

   4. From short service officers selected for permanent commissions.

   Flying instructor courses only.

   5. From short service officers selected for medium service.

3. The procedure for the selection of permanent officers for specialisation is as laid down in KR & ACI, Para 374, clauses 3 and 4, except that ex-airman pilots receive the letter referred to in clause 4 on completion of one year's service.  Selections of permanent officers for flying instructor courses are made at the same time.

4. The selection of short service officers for specialisation is made in accordance with KR & ACI, para 375, and for flying instructor courses in accordance with AMO A238/31.

5. The names of officers selected for these courses will be announced in Air Ministry Orders annually at the beginning of the year and officers so selected will be posted to specialist courses, commencing during the period from February in the year of selection to the following January.  Officers selected for flying instructor courses will attend courses commencing during the calendar year of selection.

6. No additions will be made to the published list of selections, except to fill vacancies caused by withdrawals, and these vacancies will be filled by officers selected as reserves at the time selections are made.  Commands should therefore refrain from submitting applications from officers to attend these courses other than in accordance with the procedure laid down in KR & ACI, para 374 (4), and AMO A238.31.

7. The necessary amendment to KR & ACI will be issued in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A235/1933 dated 7 September 1933.

Zone of Promotion to Wing Commander in the General Duties Branch

1. With reference to para 2 of AMWO 831/30, the upper limit of the zone of promotion to wing commander in the general duties branch laid down in para 354 of KR & ACI will be reduced to seven years seniority as squadron leader with effect from the promotions to be made on 1st January 1935. Squadron leaders of July, 1926, seniority and squadron leaders of 1927 seniorities will therefore be finally considered for promotion on 1st July, 1934.

2. KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A1/1934 dated 4 January 1934.

Promotion of Officers commissioned from Warrant Rank

1. The conditions of promotion of commissioned engineer, signals and armament officers are stated in para 7 of AMO A111/33.  In view of doubts which have arisen as to whether it was intended that these officers should have to pass promotion examination " B", it is notified for information that they will not be required to pass any examination to qualify for promotion.  A similar rule will apply as regards the promotion: under para 6 of AMWO 429/30 of officers commissioned in the stores branch from warrant rank.

2. KR & ACI will be amended in due course.

Source - Air Ministry Order A1/1934 dated 4 January 1934.

Promotion to Flight Lieutenant

1. It his been decided to introduce a system of time promotion to flight lieutenant in the general duties, stores and accountant branches of the Royal Air Force; promotion to flight lieutenant in the medical and dental branches is already on a time basis. Promotion will be subject to certification that the officer is fit for promotion and where applicable, to his having passed the appropriate promotion examination.  The system of time promotion will not apply to officers seconded or attached from the Navy or Army, to officers commissioned from warrant rank in the stores or accountant branches or to commissioned engineer officers, commissioned signals officers or commissioned armament officers.

2. The details of the new system as applicable to the several branches will be announced later. The recommendations of flying officers of the general duties and stores branches for antedate, due to be received on 1st August next will not be required and consequential amendments to Form 367 (annual confidential report) an being made in the new supplies of that form which will shortly be issued The recommendations made on 1st August last will be operative as regards promotions to flight lieutenant to be made under existing regulations on 1st February, 1st April and 1st June in the present year.

Source - Air Ministry Order A18/1934 dated 25 January 1934.

The Constitution of the Accountant Branch

1. The inquiry into the officer requirements of the accountant branch foreshadowed in para 1 of AMO A426/28 has now been completed.  The conclusions reached have been approved by the Air Council and are now promulgated for the information of the service.

2. The governing principle in the investigation has been to provide a large nucleus of officers of good administrative, capacity, able not only to operate the accounting machinery of the service in peace-time, but also to adapt and expand it under Air Ministry direction to meet the uncertain needs of war.  It was decided in 1924, after consultation with the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Society of Incorporated Accountants and Auditors, to introduce into the accountant branch young men who had recieved training and experience as accountants in civil life and this type of officer will form the nucleus referred to above.  It is necessary to design the career to permit of such entrants obtaining varied experience in all the branches of their duties and reaching posts of responsibility young enough to develop their capacity for taking such responsibility.  Equally, they must be given prospects of promotion sufficiently favourable to attract into and retain in the service men of the quality required.

3. As in the investigation into the stores branch, it was found that these conditions could not in future be fully complied with if the accountant branch remained as at present constituted.  If the present establishment persisted, the rate of promotion would be so slow that officers would not have the chance of extending their experience and improving their capabilities at ages when they should properly be undertaking new and more important duties.  Since many of the posts involve relatively limited responsibilities, this situation was incapable of remedy by the upgrading of posts in rank on a considerable scale, apart from the fact that that course would also have involved an increase in the cost of the accountant branch which the Council do not consider would be justified.  The scheme explained below, while greatly improving the career of the nucleus, will involve no increased liability upon public funds

4. The scheme follows in general outline those adopted for the general duties and stores branches and contemplates the staffing of the accountant branch to the extent of about two thirds, when the scheme is fully operative, by accountants entered, as at present, from civil life, after competitive examination, and to the extent of about one-third from the three sources indicated below.

5. In the first place a small number of junior posts on headquarters staffs will be allocated to warrant officers, accountant.  By this means the career opened to accountant clerks will be improved by the provision of opportunities similar to those already provided under AMO A426/28 for technical and administrative warrant officers and under AMWO, 428/30 for warrant officers, stores.

6. Secondly, a number of flying officer and flight lieutenant posts in stations at home will be filled by retired officers employed under civilian conditions of service.  The selection of retired officers, will follow the lines already adopted for the filling of stores branch posts allocated to this class of personnel, and they will hold a similar status.  Preference for these posts will be given to retired accountant officers.

7. Thirdly, a small number of flying officer and flight lieutenant posts will be filled by a new class of officer.  It has been decided to grant under conditions announced in AMO A20/34, a limited number of commissions in the accountant branch to warrant officers, accountant.  These officers will hold a status generally similar to that held by the officers of the accountant branch who are commissioned as young men from civil life, but, owing to their greater age on commissioning, they will not ordinarily be able to expect promotion beyond the rank of flight lieutenant.

8. In deciding to create this new class of officer the Air Council have been influenced not only by the requirements of the accountant branch but by the fact that they are providing a further avenue of promotion to commissioned rank in continuation of the policy for the provision of such opportunities, for airmen already announced in AMWO 429/30 and AMO A111/33. The career open to airmen is thus further improved.

9. As a result of the decisions described above, the number of flying officer and, flight lieutenant posts remaining to be filled by officers entered, direct from civil life will be fewer than in the past and the prospects of promotion of these officers will be greatly improved.  In order further to improve the career open to these officers, a limited number of posts, the duties of which justify the step, will be upgraded to squadron leader and to wing commander and a small number of posts will be provided in the rank of group captain.  These upgradings in rank will be gradually effected over a period of years.

10. The approved career has been designed to give promotion at ages appropriate to the degree of experience expected in the several ranks and to allow of a reasonable proportion of officers being promoted on reaching those ages.  The course of actual promotions must depend on requirements from time to time but the policy of the Air Council will be directed to securing that when normality is reached, the approved career is, so far as possible, realised.  Their intention is, that every suitable flying officer is promoted to flight lieutenant, that nearly every suitable flight lieutenant is promoted to squadron leader, that the majority of squadron leaders are promoted to wing commander and that a substantial minority of wing commanders are promoted to group captain.  As stated in AMO A18/34, it has been decided to introduce a system of promotion by time to flight lieutenant in the accountant as in other branches of the service; the details of this scheme will be announced later.

11. To provide the reduced number of officers who will make the accountant branch their permanent career, a relatively small annual entry will suffice.  This entry will as heretofore consist of officers recruited between the ages of 22 and 26 by competitive examination and interview from men who, in addition to theoretical qualifications, have had, whether as articled pupils or otherwise, a wide practical experience of accountancy.

12. The reconstruction of the accountant branch on the lines explained in the preceding paragraphs will be affected with a careful regard to the interests of the present officers of the branch and will be spread over a considerable period of years.  It is not contemplated that it will be necessary to retire any such officer otherwise than in the normal course under the conditions of service applicable to him at the time of his appointment to a permanent commission in the branch.  The other types of personnel mentioned above will be introduced to fill vacancies created by the expansion of the service and by retirements, subject, however, to the reservation of sufficient posts to allow of the entry of an adequate number of officers for permanent service from civil life.

Source - Air Ministry Order A19/1934 dated 25 January 1934.

Appointment of Warrant Officers, Accountant, to Commissioned Rank in the Accountant Branôh

1. Permanent commissions in the accountant branch of the Royal Air Force may be granted up to a maximum of one every two years to warrant officers, accountant, who are recommended by the air or other officers commanding the areas or commands in which they are serving as being in every respect likely to make efficient accountant officers.  Selection will be made by the Air Ministry from recommendations submitted biennially by areas and commands, which must reach the Air Ministry not later than 1st January every second year. The first recommendations should reach the Air Ministry not later than 1st January, 1935. A "nil '' return should be rendered if no recommendation is made.

2. The rates of pay of these officers will be the same as for other officers of the accountant branch, but the former, while holding the rank of flying officer, will draw pay at the rate for officers of over four years' service as flying officer.

3. The method of selection of these officers and their conditions of service will be otherwise the same as for warrant officers appointed to commissioned rank for engineer; signals and armament duties as laid down in paras 3-5 and 7-12 of AMO A111/33.

4. Warrant officers, accountant, will not in future be eligible for appointment to commissioned rank in the stores branch.

5. (i) Warrant officers, accountant, who have been appointed to commissions in the stores branch under the terms of AMWO 429/30 will, if they so desire, be considered for transfer to commissions under this scheme.  Air or other officers commanding will, accordingly, include such officers, if recommended for transfer, in the lists forwarded to the Air Ministry by 1st January, 1935.
   (ii) Those selected for transfer will retain their seniority, and their service as stores officer will count for all purposes as if it had been service under this scheme.

Source - Air Ministry Order A20/1934 dated 25 January 1934.

Partial restoration of Reductions made in the Emoluments of Service Personnel

With reference to Signal K788, dated 17th Apri, 1934 notifying the decision of HM Government in regard to the partial restoration of the reductions made in the emoluments of Service personnel on 1st October 1931, the following detailed information and. instructions are promulgated for information and guidance.

In all cases the revised rates take effect from 1st July 1934.

A - Royal Air Force

I. OFFICERS

2. Except as provided in paras 3 to 5, the standard rates of full (and of additional pay laid down in para 3430 of KR & ACI ), half pay Scale A, service retired pay, and service element of disability retired pay of all officers will be subject to a cost of living reduction of approximately 10 per cent in place of the present 11 per cent.  Subject to this modification the provisions of AMO A213/32, as amended by AMO A75/34, remain in force.  As heretofore, the Scale A rates of half-pay will not be reduced below the corresponding Scale B rates, rank for rank.  The effect on standard rates of full pay and additional pay is shown in Appendix I to this order.

3. The provisions of para 2 will not apply to officers who are eligible for rates of pay which at the current rates in issue on 30th September 1931, amounted to £2,000 a year or more.  Such officers will receive the current rates in force on that date, subject to a special abatement of 5 per cent in place of the special abatement of 10 per cent. added in October 1931.  The reduction in pay of the officers concerned will now be approximately 12½ per cent of standard rates instead of approximately 17 per cent.

4. In respect of officers who, under the provisions of paras 5 to 7 of AMO A193/31, were transferred to lower scales of pay, standard rates will cease to be in force.  Pay will be issuable at the following special current rates to officers of the general duties and stores branches of the Royal Air Force who on 30th September 1931, were eligible for the rates of pay laid down in pares 3421, clause 2, and 3422, clause 2, of KR & ACI.

   General Duties Branch	£	s	d
   Flying officer	1	0	2
   Flying officer after 2 years in the substantive rank	1	1	11
   Flight lieutenant	1	5	4
   Do. after 2 years in the-substantive rank	1	5	10
   Stores Branch
   Flying officer		16	8
   Flying officer. after 3 years in the substantive rank		16	9
   Flying officer after 4 years and under 6 years in the substantive rank		18	5

   An officer will not be entitled to these special current rates: -

   1. if transferred to another branch with effect from a date subsequent to 30th September 1931.

   2. if (holding a short service commission or being an officer seconded or attached to the Royal Air Force) he is granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force with effect from a date subsequent to 30th September 1931.

Paragraphs 5 - 12 refer to Airmen

B - Royal Air Force Reserve

I. RESERVE OF AIR FORCE OFFICERS

13. The provisions of para 2 of this order relating to full pay will apply to all officers serving in the Reserve of Air Force Officers, except to those referred to in para 137, sub-paras (iii) and (iv), of the Regulations for the Royal Air Force Reserve (AP 938). The provisions of Para 4 of this order will apply to these latter officers.

14. The following rates of retaining fees, namely,

Classes A and AA, £27 10s 0d
Classes B and BB, £17 10s 0d

will be payable, subject to the usual conditions, to officers who have served continuously on the active list and/or in the Reserve from 30th September 1931, whilst their service in the branch in which they were serving on 30th September 1931, is continuous.  Retaining fees payable in respect of a year of service begun prior to 1st July, 1934, will be assessed proportionately.  For other officers of the above classes the rates will continue to be £25 and £15 a year respectively.

Paragraphs 15 - 16 refer to Airmen

C - Special Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force

17. The provisions of Para 2 of this order relating to full pay will apply to all officers of the Special Reserve or Auxiliary Air Force.

D - Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service

18. The rates of pay of members, of the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service will he as shown below

    	Minimum					Increment					Maximum
    	Old rate per annum		New rate per annum			Old rate per annum		New rate per annum			Old rate per annum		New rate per annum
    	£	s	£	s	d	£	s	£	s	d	£	s	£	s	d
    Staff Nurse	62	18	63	19	0	2	9	2	9	6	67	16	68	18	0
    Sister	72	12	73	16	0	4	17*	4	18	6*	108	11	108	5	6
    Senior Sister	106	11	108	5	6	4	17*	4	18	6*	116	5	118	2	6
    Matron	125	16	127	18	0	9	16	9	18	0	194	8	197	4	0

    *Instalments are biennial.

19. The necessary detailed amendments to the regulations will be promulgated in due course.

APPENDIX I

Table of Standard Rates and Current Rates of officers' pay representing a deduction of approximately 10 per cent.