Lost the PLOT
LAC
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Can anyone help and elaborate on why do we (RAF) have the tradition of a Warrant Officer receiving a Bowler Hat and escorted off the Unit when they retire.
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Bowler Hats
- Thread starter Lost the PLOT
- Start date
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Just a guess but perhaps the bowler hat is classic civvy headgear and signifies the transition from military life with it's berets etc to Civvy street attire.
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Being more precise, I think, the bowler is the traditional headgear of gentlemen & managers as opposed to the flat caps of working men and a WO would be likely to be both gentleman and, if getting a new job, a manager and therefore a bowler would be expected.
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A former colleague has not long since been bowler hatted. I asked this very question and they didnt know why.
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Making them all out to be the new Captain Mainwaring, no doubt?
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Wasn't it something to do with the de-mob suits issued to servicemen after WWII - everyone was entitled to a suit, shirts, ties, socks shoes and a hat? The flat cap was for the plebs whilst the trilby/bowler was for the grown ups. I believe that was also the origin of the term 'Gone for a Burton' (i.e. you were leaving the service and going for your demob suit) as it was the firm of Montague Burton which was responsible for providing the demob suits.
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Alternative "Gone for a Burton" seemingly way back in the day there was an advert for Burton beer where some friends asked where another friend was the answer given was "Oh he's gone for a Burton" given the impression that he had nipped out for a beer (A Burton beer). Also it references WW2 when a RAF chap didn't return from a mission he had according to the phrase "Gone for a burton". No doubt other possibilities are out there.
Allflapnofly
Corporal
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Bowler Hat?.....Probably because bein' a wobbly WO is doing a bit of an 'odd job'....or a 'random task' as Austin Powers would say.....