Pocket Sized WW2 A Guide for Airmen On Joining The RAF AM Pamphlet

Code: 12597

For sale is a WW2 British RAF pocket sized pamphlet titled “A Guide for Airmen On Joining The RAF AM Pamphlet 130.” Guaranteed original or money back. 

This small booklet states the following:

THE REASON FOR THIS BOOKLET

1. It is written with the object of HELPING YOU.

Study the booklet carefully. Keep it for ready reference.

Treat the advice given in it as though it was advice from a friend.

It will “put you wise” on many things you must know in your new Service. It will save you making blunders, and save you getting into trouble unwittingly.

2. You are now an airman in His Majesty’s Royal Air Force.

With every reason you should be tremendously proud of the uniform you are wearing.

Be a credit to the uniform by being a credit to yourself wherever you are and whatever you do – OFF DUTY as well as ON DUTY.

Do all your work in good heart and good spirit; determined to make the best of the job.

The dull jobs are just as important as those more thrilling. Carry them out to the best of your ability.

[italics] Always do your best. [/italics]

Take proper pride in yourself and in your Unit.

Help to make that Unit the [italics] best [/italics] in the Service.

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3. One of the first things you must do when you are posted to any station is to make yourself acquainted with the Standing Orders and Regulations which govern the station.

A man will find himself in trouble if he [italics] does not trouble [/italics] to find out what he must do and must not do.

Consequently he makes a bad start with Officers and N.C.O’s.

That could have been avoided if he had troubled to find out.

Bear in mind that ignorance of a Standing Order is no excuse for not complying with it.

Orders are issued for a specific purpose. They affect your well-being, and the smooth, efficient running of the station.

Years of practical experience – and the mistakes of your predecessors – have made these Standing Orders necessary.

Get to know at the start the names of your Officers and N.C.O’s.

Last word of general advice: – If you feel, at any time, that you have a [italics] genuine grievance, [/italics] apply for an interview with your Commanding Officer and the grievance will be investigated and put right if it is a genuine one.

(The notes which follow are in alphabetical order for easy reference.)

AIR RAIDS.

As soon as airmen arrive on the station they must acquaint themselves with all the

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plans and arrangements which have been made for their protection in the event of enemy action.

Failure to know what is expected of you in an emergency may mean that you will become a casualty, thus endangering the lives of those who have come to your aid.

If you are in a local town during an attack you will be expected to assist the local Civil Defence Services to cope with incendiaries, casualties, rescue work, etc., so always carry your respirator and steel helmet.

BARRACK HUTS.

When you arrive at a Unit you will be allotted a Bed Space in a Barrack Room, SO YOU MUST: –

1. Keep your bed, kit and bed space clean and tidy.

2. Make yourself acquainted with the name of the N.C.O. i/c of your hut.

3. Find out what your duties are in keeping the hut clean.

4. Read the notices on the Notice Board in your barrack hut.

5. You must keep fit. It is your duty to yourself and your country – get in touch with the Physical Fitness Officer or N.C.O. i/c Sport.

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6. Make sure you know where your Air Raid Shelter is. You will find the shelter number on the Notice Board.

7. Make sure that the black-out is properly drawn.

8. make sure that all orders regarding ventilation are observed. Remember that with several men sleeping in a hut with all the windows closed, the atmosphere gets foul. It is in the so-called “healthy fug” that colds are spread from one man to another and infectious diseases develop.

9. You must obtain permission before you instal [sic] a wireless set and you must have a licence for the set. You must not connect an electric iron or electric fire with the lighting system.

Some Don’ts “:

(a) Don’t play cards for money. Gambling is forbidden.

(b) Don’t bring food or intoxicating liquor into the barrack hut.

(c) Don’t light the stove before 1600 hours unless permission IS FIRST GIVEN by the Medical Authorities.

(d) Don’t make down your bed before 1200 hours unless you are ordered to do so, or told to go to bed because you are ill.

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(e) Don’t remove an electric light bulb from its holder. If a light burns out, report it to the N.C.O. i/c of the hut.

BILLETS.

If you are accommodated in billets, be considerate to your landlady and she will be considerate to you.

Treat the billet as you would your home:

1. Leave lavatories and bathrooms clean.

2. Keep your room clean and tidy.

3. At meal times, be as punctual as your duties will allow, and give notice if you have to be absent for any particular meal or meals.

4. Don’t enter into argument with your landlady, but if you have any reasonable complaint, make it to your N.C.O.

BATH HOUSES.

The bath houses are to be kept in a clean condition, and don’t just waist-wash. YOU MUST HAVE A BATH [italics] at least once each week, [/italics] and must sign the bath-book if one is kept by the N.C.O. i/c Hut.

BOUNDS.

Make yourself acquainted with the names of places which have been put out of bounds. You must not go beyond the bounds, as laid

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down, unless you are in possession of Form 295 (Leave form).

CARELESS TALK.

Don’t talk about the Service to strangers or in the hearing of strangers.

Don’t be drawn into an argument on what seems to be a most innocent matter. Remember, the enemy has clever people working for him.

A very effective method of finding out what has happened at a certain place which has been raided, is for some simple-looking chap, who at first glance may look like the village idiot, to say – NOT TO YOU but someone else – “I hear that So-and-so had a terrible bashing last night. All the hangars were hit and half the ground staff killed.” You know this is not true and in your mind call him a b . . . . . . fool and start an argument. When he gets to know the extent of the damage done, YOU have supplied him with the “dope”. Quite easy, isn’t it?

GIVE THESE PEOPLE A WIDE BERTH. Guard your tongue. Never tell what you know.

CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT.

Clothing and equipment must be kept clean and in good repair.

When your boots need repairing, tie a label on them, indicating clearly No., rank, name,

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hut No. and take them to the Equipment Store. Give in your name to the N.C.O. i/c Hut if you need articles of clothing exchanged.

DAILY ROUTINE ORDERS.

Daily Routine Orders, as printed from day to day, are for your information and not merely because the Orderly Room staff want a job of work to do. They contain orders and routine for the Unit and [italics] concern [/italics] YOU [italics] personally. [/italics]

READ THEM. Your name may appear on them or there may be an order which you have to obey. REMEMBER, IGNORANCE OF ORDERS IS NO EXCUSE.

DINING HALL.

Attend punctually and assist in keeping the dining hall clean and tidy.

Don’t throw food about: you would not do so at home, besides it is a CRIMINAL WASTE of food.

Never take more than you can eat.

DRESS – WALKING OUT.

Airmen leaving camp, must always be properly dressed and must carry both respirator and steel helmet.

When in a house, always keep both respirator and helmet in an accessible place,

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so that they are immediately available. You may need both at any moment.

FIRE PRECAUTION.

Make yourself acquainted with the Fire Orders, and should you discover that some part of a building is on fire, sound the alarm by shouting “Fire!”

Keep on shouting “Fire!” “Fire!” until you are sure someone else knows of it, and while doing so get hold of the nearest fire bucket or extinguisher and attempt to put the fire out. Get somebody to telephone the exchange and give the location of the fire.

REMEMBER THAT PROMPT ACTION WILL PREVENT LOSS.

GAS.

1. Keep your respirator and No. 5 anti-gas clothing in good condition and ready for use at all times.

2. Make yourself acquainted with the Gas Warnings on your station.

3. It is your duty to avoid becoming a gas casualty by fully understanding “Personal Decontamination”.

4. Action on hearing Gas Alarm:

(a) If indoors, stay put, put on respirator, shut windows, get on with your job.

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(b) If out-of-doors, adjust respirator and cape [italics] at once, [/italics] get under cover unless your job is in the open.

(c) If you are splashed with liquid gas, apply ointment, [italics] at once, [/italics] to all exposed areas of skin, and to your skin under that area of your clothes which has been splashed.

ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT IT IS MUCH SAFER TO TAKE OFF YOUR RESPIRATOR AND CLOTHING BECAUSE YOU HAVE PUT IT ON TOO SOON, THAN TO PUT IT ON TOO LATE. YOU ARE GIVEN OINTMENT TO USE, MAKE CERTAIN YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

HITCH HIKING.

The practice of airmen assembling at main road junctions and signalling motorists, is forbidden.

There are many reasons why some motorists do not stop, or if stopped, refuse to give lifts.

Here are some of them: –

(a) The Insurance Policy does not permit carrying of passengers, and should a motorist give a lift to anyone and there is an accident, the passenger cannot claim compensation.

(b) The motorist may only be going a little way past where the airman is standing.

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(c) He may have the back of his car loaded with goods, etc.

(d) He may be in a great hurry to keep an appointment.

Don’t flash torches at passing cars after black-out time; it is dangerous and will not encourage the driver to stop.

Don’t stand waiting for a lift; walk in the direction you want to travel and if a motorist is desirous of stopping to pick you up, he will do so.

IDENTITY DISCS AND IDENTITY CARDS (FORM 1250).

These articles are of great importance to YOU and every precaution must be taken against loss.

You must always wear your identity disc.

LEAVE.

Normally you will not be granted any leave while you are under training, but exceptionally compassionate cases will receive sympathetic consideration. When you have completed your training you may be granted 7 days’ leave every three months if you can be spared from your duties.

You may, in addition to your ordinary leave, be allowed a pass up to 48 hours from time to time at the discretion of your unit or station Commander.

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Whenever you go on leave or pass, you must always have with you a Form 295, signed by your C.O. or some Officer deputed by him to sign the form.

On the back of this form are printed certain instructions which you must read carefully, and follow. This will save you trouble and possibly expense.

You must be back and [italics] report your return to the station [/italics] before the hour on which your leave or pass expires. Failure to do this will involve loss of pay and possibly the forfeiture of privileges.

Should you be held up through Air Raids either before starting on your return journey or en route, you should get your Form 295 endorsed at the nearest police station or by the Railway Transport Officer.

No extension of leave will be considered except on strong compassionate grounds and even then such an application must be sent with a “reply paid” telegram. A certificate in support of the application must be produced when you return.

N.A.A.F.I.

Institutes are provided at nearly all stations and contain a restaurant, a games room, a reading room and a writing room.

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These places are provided for your comfort and recreation, therefore: –

(a) Conduct yourself as you would in any restaurant or club. This is your club.

(b) Be considerate to the staff. They are usually out to give you the best possible service.

(c) Treat and handle all property as though it was part of your home or club.

(d) Do not remove papers or any gear which has been placed there for general use.

PATHWAYS AND SURROUNDINGS.

Always keep to the pathway; remember that when you walk on broken land, someone – a fellow airman – has dug it up and that muddy paths and boots mean muddy floors and more work for YOU to do in the huts.

SALUTING.

An airman must always salute an Officer of His Majesty’s Services, Navy, Army and Air Force, when the officer is in uniform or in any other dress, and the airman knows him to be an officer.

The practice of some airmen (when walking out of camp) is to pretend not to see an officer by looking the other way or in a shop window. This is bad discipline and reflects discredit on the R.A.F.

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When you salute an officer you are saluting the King’s Commission which that officer holds.

Make your salute smart, for your own credit, and the credit of the R.A.F.

SALVAGE.

Never waste ANYTHING, food, paper or material of any kind.

There is a use for every kind of scrap.

What you save will be collected as salvage and will be used in the national war effort.

SICK ON LEAVE.

If you are taken ill whilst on leave, you must comply with the instructions that will be found on the back of Form 295 (Leave form).

SICKNESS.

A healthy man is worth twenty sick men, and a sick man is not worth the bed space he occupies. We can help ourselves a great deal, and thus prevent being sick.

Don’t over-indulge, and be moderate in all your habits.

Should you feel ill, report sick [italics] at once [/italics].

Gargle NIGHT and MORNING.

Should you contract Venereal Disease, DON’T HESITATE; report sick [italics] immediately [/italics]. Never try to conceal a malady; it is

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certain to be apparent later. Many a fine man has been ruined because he has been ashamed or frightened to report to the Medical Officer.

THINK THESE THINGS OVER AND ACT PROMPTLY AND WISELY.

SLEEPING-OUT PASSES.

Only on exceptional compassionate grounds will trainees be granted permission to live out of camp and draw the higher rate ration allowance.

SMOKING.

Airmen are allowed to smoke in the barrack huts and N.A.A.F.I., but not in the dining-hall or technical huts.

SPORT.

Facilities exist, on most stations, for practically all games and airmen are encouraged to make use of these facilities as often as possible.

HEALTHY SPORT MAKES HEALTHY MEN. YOU MUST KEEP FIT.

TRAINING.

When you are under training, don’t be afraid to ask questions of your instructors on any points about which you are doubtful.

The instructors want to help you to do your best.

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The better you do in your passing-out tests, the more credit it is to the instructors as well as to yourself.

So don’t remain in doubt. Get your problems cleared away as they occur.

Notes at lectures, etc., should be taken as fully as possible – then learn your notes.

WORK.

Do all your work cheerfully, and as well and as thoroughly as you possibly can.

Whatever you are called upon to do, DON’T DEVELOP INTO A “GROUSER.”

There is a good reason behind everything you may have to do.

Have one object always in view: to make yourself the best airman in the Unit.

You are now at the beginning of your Service career; START RIGHT.

No doubt, you will meet difficulties and disappointments as well as dangers.

But don’t waste breath bemoaning fate; save it to tackle the job.

You will find the comradeship of the Royal Air Force a priceless possession.

Be worthy of your comrades. Be a credit to yourself and to the splendid Service of which you are a member.

And finally: –

GOOD LUCK, and a safe return as soon as may be, to your ordinary life.

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(56987) Wt. 29473/1781 200m 10/41 Hw. G.371

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Magazine

Trigger Guard

Magazine [indecipherable words]

Small [indecipherable word] of Butt Loosen Shoulder of Butt Butt

Lower [indecipherable words]

all Bullets [indecipherable word] Track

Softly [indecipherable words] 4-2

Bolt [indecipherable words]

[symbol] Striker [indecipherable words]

Extraction claw

Resistance by Full bins [indecipherable word]

Half [indecipherable words]

in line number Bridge

This is in good condition overall, this will be sent via 1st class signed for and dispatched within two working days.