Quote:
Originally Posted by John Beaman
MisterH, unless you can document this please do not post on this site. In any event such things are not appropriate.
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Dear John
Here is the first reference to Rare as Fairies. My mistake it was the Kiwis not the Aussies:
"The lack of RAF support was bemoaned by all the campaign veterans. New Zealander soldiers would comment sarcastically that the RAF's initials stood for ‘Rare As Fairies’."
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journ...FC/core-reader
I will retrieve the other reference shortly to satisfy your curiosity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Beaman
MisterH, unless you can document this please do not post on this site. In any event such things are not appropriate.
|
And here are the references to the cruder versions of that antipodean snub from the book Larrakins in Khaki by Tim Bowden:
"This, of course, created some AIF bitterness towards the RAF, generally referred to as ‘Blue Orchids’ by the Aussie troops, who also claimed their initials stood for ‘Rare As F**k’. "
https://dokumen.pub/larrikins-in-kha...760871605.html
"Other British bodies, notably the air force and government, were not so popular, German air superiority featured in every Australian's memories of the campaign, and the lack of British air support led the RAF being called 'Blue Orchids", which were as 'rare as f-'."
From the book: Anzacs in the Middle East by Mark Johnston
https://books.google.com.au/books?id...rchids&f=false
I hope that corrects the record?
Best wishes