THE R.A.F.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17903, 24 September 1918, Page 6

THE R.A.F.

INTENSIVE -STOREKEEPING.

(By W. 0.)

Two or three years ago, when the daily papers contained boldly displayed advertisements asking for all classes of skilled artisans, tailors, sailmakers, storemen and others, for tho R.F.C., to one who happened to have had experience in storekoeping, together with a desire to join up, the idea of becoming an Army storeman naturally appealed. But what an awakening for the wouldbe R.F.C. storeman, when he made his debut in an up-to-date R.A.F. Stores Depot, or Stores. Distributing Park, crammed from floor to roof with the innumerable large and small parts which go to make up the modern flying machine 1 Great must have been his bewilderment at the first vain attempt to assign some use to each article, or to visualise tail skids, under-carriages, gun mountings, planes, cowling, struts, and the thousand and'one component parts of the aeroplane. In the case of the average storeman who lias learned his trade, for example,in a large hardware store, through years of patient plodding, this mass of unidentifiable, unrecognisable pieces of metal and wood must create the utmost mental confusion. There is yei a worse shock for him when he faces tho “paper” side of the problem. By “paper” is indicated the formidable pile of Army forms and Army books used in the keeping of an absolutely correct record of every transaction in the receipt and issue of aeroplane stores.

At tho back of the civilian or lay mind, tlie use of all these forms, in duplicate or triplicate, each having many references, cross references, initials and signatures, not unnaturally appears superfluous. Not until one comes in close contact with R.A.F, Store procedure does one realise the absolute necessity for rigid check and counter-check; only by such a system can each link in tlie long chain of every transaction bo correctly traced.

In a R.A.F. Store dead accuracy in every 1 receipt or issue, no matter how trivial, is the keynote to perfect storekeeping, and incidentally of correct stock-keeping. A wrong figure, a badly painted mark on a packing case, both errors being carried along through the stream of procedure and then having to be traced back through the same channels to their original source for rectification—in any such minor mistake the trouble can be laid at the door of slackness and carelessness of detail.

Touching upon the issue of stores, nothing is ever taken for granted—correct nomenclature and part number of each article hold an important place in efficient storekeeping. To the uninitiated eye half a dozen parts, which fulfil exactly the same office in the construction of an aeroplane, may look identical, and yet each of the six would be adaptable only for its, particular type of machine. As an instance, a squadron will wire stating that a certain type of aeroplane is out of commission, awaiting, say, a new rudder; the particular machine is flying overseas in a specified time. A minutely different type of rudder is sent, and then commences trouble, which, needless to say, throws the whole affair out of gear. Storemen, like musicians, are born, not made, and a shrewd equipment officer in charge is very soon able to gauge the possibilities of a trustworthy man.. A point to be carefully instilled into every storeman is that rough handling of the many delicate parts of an aeroplane, manv of which are made more accurately than the -works of a watch, may . cause the loss of one or more lives. 1 'Officers are cir»j»'+-«r»tly on the watch for rough handling, eg, apart from endangering the lives of others, there is the question of cost to be. reckoned with. In the R.A.F. nothing is wasted.

The testing of every little insignificant part is performed under the evervigilant eye of the A.I.D. man (Aeroplane Inspection Deonrtment), who examines, te«ts and stamns the numerous parts which go to make the complete neronlnne. Not a sino-lo article is ever taken into stock until it lias passed the A.I.D. man, on whom rests the sole responsibility for accepting aero parts from tlie maker.

So, from tlie maker to the Stores Denot, on to the Stores Distributing "Park a”d thence to the squadron is the endless round of aeronlane parts, and it is not oftnn that the storeman lias time to reflect upon the strange nnd_ sometime® tragic desrinv which awaits each different part, high in the heavens, it may be. thousands of feet above Hip German lines. But. If leisure for reflection J s lacking, goodwill and a wonderf’dly efficient organisation are always present, and our flving men run no risks whmh ftio officers and men in charge of R.A.F. Stores can spare them.