the RAF. Known to one and all by the familial name of "Paddy" Bandon he developed a devilish sense of humour and was involved in many scrapes with superior officers during his career. There were a number of anecdotes told about the Earl, perhaps the most repeated was the occasion that he and several of his fellow pilots wearing grubby and dishevelled flight dress, straight after combat flights, entered the Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo used as an officers’ mess during 1942. An immaculately dressed army officer snootily told him, "I am Major the Honourable (A N Other), Assistant Provost Marshal. You and your men are improperly dressed and must leave." The Earl replied, "I am Group Captain the Earl of Bandon and therefore outrank you on both counts. Now do push off, there's a good chap." Early RAF career The Earl graduated from Cranwell in December 1924 and was posted as a pilot to No 4 Squadron RAF in the rank of pilot officer. Two years later he was promoted to flying officer and appointed as a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) at No 5 Flying Training School RAF. On 2 May 1930, by now a flight lieutenant, he was posted as a QFI to the RAF's Central Flying School but only stayed there eight months before he took up a post as Personal Assistant to the Air Officer Commanding the Middle East. In November 1931 he returned to active flying duties with No 216 Squadron RAF, also acting as squadron Adjutant. During 1931 whilst still serving with No. 216 Squadron RAF, he made the first non-stop flight from Khartoum to Cairo, re-filling his fuel tanks by hand from cans stored recklessly inside the aircraft’s cockpit. Promotion to squadron leader came on 1 December 1936 when the Earl was posted to RAF Ternhill in Shropshire as a flight commander at No 10 Flying Training School. At the end of 1938 Bandon spent several months as a supernumerary squadron leader within No 6 (Auxiliary) Group RAF. The hiatus in his career ended in January 1939, just prior to World War II when he was summoned to a Headquarters staff posting as the Plans 3 Officer at the Directorate of Operational Plans at Adastral House. During his time in the Directorate he was a member of the committee that held talks in 1939 with delegates from Poland about the supply of Fairey Battles,