What's a Strawberry ?

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by graeme, May 31, 2020.

  1. graeme

    graeme Senior Member

    Morning.

    Flying Officer 101488 Francis Howard WILLIAMS, D.F.C. of 152 Squadron, RAFVR was killed in Northern Ireland on Thursday 7 May 1942 when his Spitfire crashed into Lough Foyle on a low pass.

    The ORB contains the following,

    "He was normally a most steady and reliable type and got his D.F.C. in January for solid form with the Squadron during which he did 21 operational sorties over enemy territory including the big shows at Alkmaar, Ijmuiden and Rotterdam between August and October last year, the subject of a ‘strawberry’ from the A.O.C., No. 2 Group."

    Can anyone tell me what a Strawberry was ??

    Regards,

    Graeme
     
  2. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    A message of praise and thanks.

    Sqn Ldr Turner flew Mosquito fighter bombers in 110 Squadron towards the end of the Burma campaign. ‘We were in close contact with the army who had chaps behind the enemy lines who could get messages through, and they would send us, following successful operations, what they called ‘strawberries’. One, for example, followed an attack by eight Mosquitos, including mine: “300 Japs killed in recent air attack. Well done RAF.” This was the sort of thing that really cemented our relationship with the army; we were very close and it was so important that whenever the army called we did our utmost to respond whatever the weather.’

    Source:
    The RAF and the Far East War 1941-1945
     
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  3. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    The opposite of receiving a "raspberry" which was at the other end of the praise-ometer (a ticking off, derisory comment, put-down)

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.
     
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  4. graeme

    graeme Senior Member

    Morning,

    Many thanks to you both for your prompt replies.

    Should have guessed, really !!

    Regards,

    Graeme
     
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  5. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

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  6. Charley Fortnum

    Charley Fortnum Dreaming of Red Eagles

    The other amusing RAF term that usually comes up is a 'rhubarb', but you're probably familiar with that.
     
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