Photo of RAF / WAAF meal possibly in West of Scotland

[John915]

Good evening,

Iv'e tried blowing up the photo but can't get a good close up of the bottles. However, comparing the beer bottles with the faces and cutlery I would say they are pint bottles. The "sauce" bottles are the same size and I dont remember them being anywhere near that size in those days. Saying that, I only remember the 50s onwards but this is war time so I dont think the sauce bottles would have been that big.

Are they perhaps whiskey bottles? We need to ask those who were there in those days.

John915

[weste]

The beer bottles may also be ale. It may be worth looking at local breweries as if buying bulk for a function, may be bought locally. Although the thinner bottles could be sauce bottles ,  camp coffee but i wonder what else was done in those type of bottles. Shame because you can almost read the labels, it's very frustrating i'm sure.  If you've got or can get a date it may be worth checking newspaper archives because it probably would have been put in the local newspaper especially if it's a town hall!

[elaine447]

Sandy
I just want to Thank you,
I am really glad you posted this picture
I have been reading a few of the personal stories
on the BBC WW2 Peoples War
and it made me realise that Greenock played a much bigger role in the war than
we realise, as I was born quite a few years after the war was over, I have grown up knowing that the shipyards played a big part in it all, but nothing about how many other activities took place here, and it answers questions about a picture I have of my grandmother
with friends and servicemen, although not as grand as your picture it just shows that
the people of Greenock must have put on dinners for the servicemen and women
passing through Greenock on their way to their postings.
There is a picture of WAAFS marching in Greenock, sorry should have saved the link
but I will try find it again,
Elaine
added link
http://www.thememoryproject.com/stories/1700:janet-mowbray-houston/

[IMBER]

In that part of Scotland there's a good chance the bottles were something like these:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/co-operativestores/4756647837/

[SandyMcJ]

Thanks again to everyone for their input and suggestions. I'm pretty sure (if there was one) the prize for the right answer would go to elaine447. The link to the picture of the WAAF's on parade in Greenock was the real clincher because there is a copy of the self-same picture in my mum's photos! There is also a picture of the RAF marching past what I now presume is Greenock Town Hall and I now reckon the 3 photos go together and that the meal was held in the Town Hall following the parade! The other 2 photos don't have the photographer's stamp on the back so I didn't realise they might be connected.

The date for the parade in Elaine's link is 1943 so there is a possibility many of the participants could still have been based at Abbotsinch (now Glasgow Airport) which was a joint RAF/ RN base until August 43 (mainly associated with torpedo training) and which is not far from Greenock.

Now the other important question - what was in the bottles on the table?
I've scanned the photo at the highest resolution I can and have attached the clearest picture I can get of 2 of the bottles. I am convinced the square bottle is OK sauce and the closest version of the label I can find on-line is here
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatpicturegalleries/8782139/Fancy-a-little-something-on-the-side-Famous-British-condiments.html?image=6
(note the bottles had labels on 3 sides and this is the main label on the front). The other bottle I'm sure is beer - some of the men are clearly drinking beer and the bottle seems to have a crown cap. Unfortunately the label is not full on and not that clear. I thought it might be McEwan's pale ale but that's just a wild guess.

Any further input welcome, but I'm convinced the main question has been answered.

Thanks again

Sandy 

PS if anyone would like to see RAF march past photo to confirm it's Greenock please PM me and I'll send it rather than clogging up the message board

[Ruskie]

I missed Elaine's earlier link to a modern photo of the interior of Greenock Town Hall. I agree that it must be the location of your photograph. The pillars are exactly the same. 

Definitely OK sauce too.

I can't help with the Scottish beer, though you may be right that it is McEwans (I'm sure I can see the end of the word - an's ...  )

[IMBER]

The following appeared in the Greenock Telegraph of 31 May this year:


Simulated fly session

INVERCLYDE Flying Boat Club is offering people the chance to take part in computer-simulated flying.

It will be on Wednesday 6 June in Barnard's Court Mission, East Hamilton Street in Greenock at 7.30pm.

The public can try their hand at joystick flying as well as using a yoke wheel and rudder pedals.

Visitors will also get an opportunity to see local photography of wartime Greenock and its flying boats, plus records of RAF Greenock.

An exhibition of aircraft equipment will be on show too.

[elaine447]

I'm happy that you can now link your picture to the others 
Elaine

[SandyMcJ]

IMBER - re RAF Greenock. Your info about this is correct and it seems highly likely that personnel from the station would take part in the Wings for Victory parade. There were other RAF stations nearby including Abbotsinch and Renfrew (home to 946 (Balloon) Squadron amongst others - presumably responsible for barrage balloons?). Useful link to RAF stations at http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations_Index.htm
I really must get hold of my mum's service record because all she really mentioned was when she was stationed with Bomber command in Lincolnshire and I thought she was there for pretty well all her service, but it now looks like she was nearer to home for at least part of the war.

Thanks again

Sandy