Hi all,
I have been told that the Royal Air Force has a club in Piccadilly where current and past members can stay when they are in London, a bit like a hotel or I guess an Officers Mess/Old Boys Club style thing. Is this right?
Out of interest, does the RAF have similar clubs in other places around the world for their members to stay at? If so, where?
By: JDK - 19th November 2010 at 11:07
My bold:
Club Membership is open to all persons who hold, or have held, a Commission in the Royal Air Force, Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service, The Reserves, The Auxiliaries and in Commonwealth and friendly Air Forces.
Spouses of Full Members can also enjoy Associate Membership and make full use of the Club’s facilities.
http://www.rafclub.org.uk/home/club-and-contacts/raf-club-history
So commissioned officers and spouses.
By: Dave Homewood - 19th November 2010 at 10:55
Is it for officers only? Or can other ranks also use it?
By: Paul F - 19th November 2010 at 10:26
RAF Club Piccadilly
I visit the RAF club regularly as a member of our trade association is ex-RAF and so can hire meeting rooms there. Its always difficult to remain focussed on the meeting agenda when surrounded by so many great pictures.
As JDK says all the walls are covered with original artwork covering various aspects of RAF history – just ensure you allow plenty of time to wander round to look at them – cracking painting of a Lanc over Peenemunde on one of the stairwells, and a delightful study of a yellow Tiger Moth taking off from a South African training base in the meeting room I am normally in.
And try to find the Frank Wooton Triptych “1939 – 1945″…
Every time I visit I seem to come across a painting I have not spotted before.
Paul F
P.S. Beware they operate a fairly strict dress code – all gentlemen must wear jackets when in the communal areas, and I think one is expected to wear a tie in the club restaurant…. good to see ‘standards’ are being maintained in some places 🙂
By: Dave Homewood - 19th November 2010 at 03:43
Thanks James. Much appreciated.
By: JDK - 19th November 2010 at 03:19
Yes, they do, and the wife and I were entertained to dinner there with an artist colleague and his wife by a magazine editor I work for. Very nice, very much an ‘old boys club’ with RAF accoutrements including an extensive selection of famous aviation paintings (originals, I think) Squadron crests and a stained glass window. It’s about 5 min from the recent New Zealand memorial at the end of Picadilly at Hide Park Corner.
I believe rather than having equivalent clubs overseas they operate a reciprocal arrangement with fellow air forces. But I’m not sure.
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November 19, 2010 at 2:51 am