Using Rank as Title in Post War Civvy Street

Discussion in 'Postwar' started by stephenmyall, Mar 8, 2011.

  1. Vitesse

    Vitesse Senior Member

    There were a lot of jokes in the immediate postwar press (Punch, etc.) suggesting that anyone who still insisted on being called 'Captain' or 'Major' in civvy street was someone you should never accept a cheque from ...

    Best, Alan
    A lot of them were probably used car salesmen ... ;)
     
  2. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Funny..................... it never occurred to me to call myself Corporal Goldstein (although I used to sign angry letters to the press as ex-4th Hussar)

    :)

    Ron
     
  3. John Lawson

    John Lawson Arte et Marte

    I've no time for those who are no longer serving hanging onto their rank. It's required when you're in the forces but not when out.

    Perhaps this is a personal "thing" as, when I was Orderly Corporal at Bordon a Major came into the NAAFI, we started talking and I asked him why he was in the NAAFI, as he was an officer, he said as an officer he could go where he pleased. On looking a little closer at his shoulder titles they read RETD. At this point I made mention that he was no longer in the army and should leave.

    The next day after guard dismount, I had to report, a. to the RSM, where I got another arsehole ripped into my back and then b. to the CO of SEME, who was a mate of the aforementioned Maj. I did a few more guard duties!

    As far as I am concerned you're either IN or OUT and if you're IN you're IN but if you're OUT, you're OUT. stop hanging onto something you're not; get a life, move on.
     
  4. Bradlad

    Bradlad Senior Member

    I may be wrong but I think only " Gazetted " officers can use that rank in civilian life.
    Most modern commissions are not published and are seen purely as a military rank, I myself was never " Gazetted " nor were any I knew, I keep in touch with quite a few retired very senior RAF officers who progressed after I left and none use their rank in civilian life, and being perfectly frank about it I personally would view it as pretentious.
     
  5. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    Im sure that Officers of field rank - Maj and above were allowed to retain their rank title.
    Unless Captain was the highest rank in their employment group
    Now, recent changes to 'equality measures' state that all officers may use their rank title on discharge
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    As far as I am concerned you're either IN or OUT and if you're IN you're IN but if you're OUT, you're OUT. .


    You shake it all about...You do the Okey Cokey and then you turn around, thats what its all about !

    Sorry-I couldn't resist :(

    Carry on :D
     
  7. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Well i have to say I don't think it does any harm. In an age when we're all harping on about more visibility of the forces within society and about respect for veterans, why not then use an hon. rank if it's bestowed.

    It's up to the rest of us to either be impressed or not; surely though it's entirely dependent on how/why it's being used.
     
  8. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Reme - your boy was probably thinking of Major Crime - and Corporal punishment-
    always thought that Captain for the WW1 - but Major for WW2 was lowest rank was to be acknowledged....
    Cheers
     
  9. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    The photo of Terry-Thomas of course begs the question of who was allowed to wear a bowler into the city. Another minefield.
     
  10. Peter Buck

    Peter Buck Junior Member

    Blue-jobs are entitled to use their rank in civvy street if they attained the rank of Squadron Leader or above. Those who had an honorary rank were/are deemed to be Mr!
     
  11. stephenmyall

    stephenmyall Member

    Well i have to say I don't think it does any harm. In an age when we're all harping on about more visibility of the forces within society and about respect for veterans, why not then use an hon. rank if it's bestowed.

    It's up to the rest of us to either be impressed or not; surely though it's entirely dependent on how/why it's being used.


    I like this response:D
    It can be easy to poke some fun, and many of the responses have made me laugh but who knows why he chose to call himself Capt (maybe others did and it just stuck). Whether it was right or wrong do so, he was proud of his military and engineering career, he fought in 2 World Wars and survived the 1st July 16 slaughter at Schwaben Redoubt with the 36th Ulster Div. Maybe he just wanted folk to recognise he was there and did his bit. I started this thread thinking he was wrong to do so, but at the end of the day, it didn't do anyone any harm.;)
     
  12. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    Surely the basic aspect is courtesy. If you know someone has a rank, or a decoration, then he has earned my respect. My neighbour is a Rear Admiral but you'd never know it from him, but as he's involved in a lot of charitable and good causes, then I'm sure it's a door opener for him, and "Good Luck" I say...
    In the initial example, the chap worked for a gunsmith, so dealing with military types would be fairly frequent. To establish that "bond" what is wrong with him using his rank on his correspondence? he was acknowledged as an expert and having a military rank would simply be a reinforcement of that expertise. If his customers thought he was trying a "Walt" then they would speedily disabuse him of any pretensions! The fact they didn't should be good enough for you.
     
  13. Drayton

    Drayton Senior Member

    I am not an expert in this field, but my broad understanding is this:

    1. A distinction needs to be made between regular armed forces officers and wartime commissions.

    2. Under the old (19th century) rules a rergular commission was deemed to be held for life, and it was common for officers on retiring from active service to continue to use the rank with "Retd" after the name, eg, "Captain John Smith, RN (Retd)".

    3. After the First World War many holders of wartime commissions continued to use their former ranks, except that, although they were no longer on active service, there was no mention of "(Retd") because they were obviously not of retirement age. How "lawful" this was, in sense of any formal permission being given, I do not know, but the custom was frowned on by some, particularly in the case of using lower commissioned ranks, as unnecessary attention seeking. Disrepute was also caused by some men who had never held any commission "adopting" a rank purely for effect, or even fraud.

    4. The practice was beginning to die out by the late 1930s, but a new generation of wartime commissions brought a resurrection of the practice, although not to the same extent as after WW1. The practice again began to die out by the 1960s, even though, according to the letter displayed on this thread, there was lawful authority to use the rank.

    5. Awards such as VC, MC, DSO etc are held for life and may be used throughout life, but it was and is ungentlemanly to incorporate them into one's signature or use them on personal headed natepaper, but others may use them in addressing the recipients, or in referring to them on some formal occasion.
     
  14. John Lawson

    John Lawson Arte et Marte

    Tom,

    He was Major Disaster for me. However, General Comment and Private Parts all had a say in my punishment!

    Cheers, John
     
  15. Tonym

    Tonym WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Reminds me of a personal incident years ago before digital cameras when I used a postal service for the development of my roll films.

    On one occasion I was challenged as not having paid for a service when in fact I had and it eventually reached a point when I received a warning from a Debt Collection Agency threatening legal action and signed by 'The Hon.' something or other (can't remember now).

    However my response to that letter I signed my self off as F.R.C.S I never heard from them again - F.R.C.S. = Former Royal Corps of Signals.

    Tony
     
  16. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    I like that one Tonym!
     
  17. Vitesse

    Vitesse Senior Member

    There were a lot of jokes in the immediate postwar press (Punch, etc.) suggesting that anyone who still insisted on being called 'Captain' or 'Major' in civvy street was someone you should never accept a cheque from ...

    Best, Alan
    Further to my previous comment about second-hand car salesmen, I also remembered that Robert Maxwell, the original bouncing Czech, took pride in styling himself as "Captain Maxwell".
     
  18. KevinBattle

    KevinBattle Senior Member

    .... but what about Captain Mainwaring?!!!!
     
  19. John Lawson

    John Lawson Arte et Marte

    ..........."They don't like it up 'em Sir".............
     
  20. Groundhugger

    Groundhugger Senior Member

    In The Eighties I was working for a Hire Company that supplied vehicles to the Horse racing Industry , and whose management seemed to consist of ex officer types , and all wanted to use their rank titles , and requested the blue collar staff to call them 'Sir' , this wasnt gladly accepted , and as it was pointed out that one of the most senior 'ex officers' was in fact a Foreman Mechanic who was an ex Major from the REME ! the matter was quietly dropped .

    John ... L/Bdr retired
     

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