13-690: LMF may refer to: Lack of Moral Fibre , RAF World War II designation for air crew unwilling to fly Lamb-Mössbauer factor , in solid-state spectroscopy Lazy Mutha Fucka , a Cantonese hip-hop band from Hong Kong Lexical Markup Framework , the ISO standard for lexicons Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery , a medical degree Linked Media Framework , predecessor of Apache Marmotta Lancaster Music Festival, in Lancaster, Lancashire , UK Topics referred to by
26-450: A desperate situation. RAF psychiatrists, while acknowledging the deterrent effect, considered it harsh and deficient in failing to take account of individual situations. Many Commonwealth countries resented the application of this procedure to their personnel scattered throughout the RAF. Canadian Air-Vice Marshal Harold Edwards was particularly critical. As the end of the war approached,
39-831: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Lack of Moral Fibre Lack of Moral Fibre or LMF was a punitive designation used by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War to stigmatize aircrew who refused to fly operations. By early 1940, RAF commanders were concerned about mounting psychological casualties in Bomber Command and Coastal Command . A letter circulated to commands on 22 April 1940 recommended that squadron commanders identify men who had forfeited their confidence, distinguishing medical cases from those "lacking moral fibre". By
52-633: The Air Ministry officer who handled all cases under the Memorandum , 746 officers and 3,313 non-commissioned officers were referred. Of these, 2,726 cases (including 2,337 NCOs) were classified as LMF. A man classified in categories (i) or (ii) would lose his flying badge , "to prevent his getting a lucrative job as a pilot in civil life". The service records of those classified LMF were stamped with large red "W" (for "waverer"). Officers would lose their commissions and be refused ground jobs in
65-540: The LMF procedure became politically sensitive, and was officially dropped in 1945. However, the term remained in popular use in the RAF until the 1960s. Veterans continue to discuss lack of moral fibre as part of a victim narrative. Works cited Aircraftman Aircraftman ( AC ) or aircraftwoman ( ACW ) was formerly the lowest rank in the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and is still in use by
78-573: The RAF, while NCOs would be reduced to aircraftman second class and assigned menial tasks, such as latrine duty, for at least three months. From 1944, men released as LMF could be called for the coal mines or drafted into the army. Contemporary opinion of the system was divided. Though severe, it was less harsh than a court martial . Senior commanders such as Air Vice-Marshals Keith Park ( 11 Group ) and Arthur Harris ( 5 Group and later Bomber Command) considered it essential. Squadron commanders such as Leonard Cheshire viewed it as justified in
91-558: The air forces of several other Commonwealth countries. In RAF slang, aircraftmen were sometimes called "erks". Aircraftman ranked below leading aircraftman and has a NATO rank code of OR-1. For some time in the RAF it had been a training rank only and no airmen in productive service held the rank. Aircraftmen do not wear any rank insignia. The rank was renamed air recruit ( AR ) in the Royal Air Force in July 2022. The rank
104-403: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title LMF . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=LMF&oldid=1180650495 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
117-607: The summer of 1940, senior commanders became concerned that medical officers were removing too many men from flying duty. More detailed guidance was given in the Memorandum on the Disposal of Members of Air Crews Who Forfeit the Confidence of Their Commanding Officers S.61141/S.7.C(1) issued on 28 September 1940, signed by Charles Evans, Principal Assistant Secretary for Personnel in the Air Ministry . This "LMF memorandum"
130-606: Was an AC2; also colloquially known as an "AC plonk". With effect from 1 April 1964, the gradings of AC1 and AC2 were abolished, with "aircraftman" becoming the entry rank. The Royal Australian Air Force also uses both aircraftman and aircraftwoman. The rank is used in the Bangladesh Air Force . In the Royal Canadian Air Force , the rank is also known by the French term of aviateur . This
143-535: Was changed from private in spring 2015 when the RCAF changed the colour of its rank insignia from gold to pearl grey. It is the lowest rank in the RCAF. Prior to 1968 the rank of aircraftman was used in the RCAF as in other Commonwealth air forces. In August 2020, the rank was changed to aviator. The Royal Malaysian Air Force has four aircraftman ranks: In the Royal New Zealand Air Force ,
SECTION 10
#1732772003756156-602: Was introduced to the RAF in January 1919, replacing the ranks of "air mechanic", "private" and "clerk" that had been introduced under Air Memorandum No. 1 in March 1918. There were three grades: leading aircraftman (LAC), aircraftman 1st class (AC1) and aircraftman 2nd class. A similar grading existed for junior ratings in the Royal Navy. The rank of senior aircraftman (SAC) was introduced on 1 January 1951. The lowest grade
169-778: Was revised on 19 September 1941, 3 February 1943 and 1 March 1945. Under this procedure, aircrew refusing to fly operations were to be classified as (i) medically fit, (ii) medically unfit on nervous grounds (introduced in the 1941 revision ) or (iii) medically unfit for other reasons. Aircrew would not be placed in the first two categories if they had been subject to "exceptional flying stress", and to be assigned to category (i), they "had to be proved to be lacking in moral fibre". From February 1943, aircrew on their second tour (30 operations in Bomber Command) could not be classified LMF, though commanders were urged not to publicize this provision. According to Wing Commander James Lawson,
#755244