RAF ?? uniform ... please ID for me !

[Lydart]

These were my late father in laws.

Can someone please 'read' them and tell me what you can about them ?

[Lydart]

There is also a khaki jacket ........

[Pejic]

Flight Lieutenant, not a flyer, sometime in the desert (probably North Africa) no medal ribbons - a bit odd for someone serving in WWII.  The hat looks little used.

[Lydart]

He was working for the USAF in WW2 as a met officer; then was posted in Aden in the 1960's, we think attached to the RAF .... he didn't fly !!

[Lydart]

So is this uniform consistent with someone working as a top met officer in WW2 and later in Aden with the British forces ?    And if he was a civilian, why give him the uniform ??

[sheldonesque]

His cap badge has the King's Crown, so predates the 60s.

As an officer in the RAF his name should be in the London Gazette. Usually starting with when he was commissioned and with which branch.

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search

[sheldonesque]

I forgot to mention that here are two chaps whose expertise is the Met service of the RAF over on rafcommands. Would be worth asking them, if you supply a name (Lyffe and Resmoroh:

http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/index.php

[scrimnet]

The top pic is a WW2 (well pre1947) tunic...It has x4 brass buttons...These changed to x3 and a plain one apres this date...

The bottom one looks more like a 60s one to me...More of a poly/cotton mix to the cloth.

The titfer has the wider brim of the wartime issue/purchase

It was (is sometimes even today!) unknown for old kit to be worn at later dates...Most "old and bold" in the army wear a 1958ptn belt...I wear a 1944ptn, just to be awkward!

[Lydart]

Thank you Scrimnet !    I was hoping you'd appear !


So I think we can say the cap and blue jacket are what he was issued with in WW2 when he was stationed in Bermuda and working for the Americans (we think); the khaki jacket probably then dates to his posting in Aden.

One last question .... why was a civilian met office, working with the RAF, given a uniform ?   Was that usual for civilians ?