Name of Group Captain character in RAF Training Mag "Tee-Emm" cartoon series on PO Prune

[Jeffrey Ethell Collection]

Some of you will have read the wartime RAF Training Mag "Tee-Emm"(short for Training Memorandum) cartoon series on PO Prune whose ridiculous adventures as a pilot were very effective in raising safety issues within the ranks of aircrew in the RAF.

There were many characters including

• Pilot Officer Percy Prune: The main character.
• Wireless Operator Waff Winsum: A supporting character.
• Rear Gunner Sergeant Stooge: A supporting character.
• AC2 Plonk: A character created alongside Prune
• F/Lt Barrel Foulynge

I need the full name for the Group Captain character and have seen him referred to as 'Groupy" in one pane from Tee-Emm mag.

Reason being the Group Captain is the name that was painted on the nose of a Ki-21 No. 16 that belonged to the Gremlin Task Force in Saigon Indo-China in 1945 - 1946. The nose has the letters G CAP but the rest is hidden by the engine.

Thanks for any help with this request.

Credit: Stuart Hadaway, "History of War Magazine", 14 August 2025
Artist Bill Hooper, RAF "Tee-Emm" magazine

Moky

 

[Engineman]

Are you open to guesses? If so, How about Group Captain Tony Prange?

In jest

Eng

 

[EwenS]

On 1st Oct 1945, following the arrival of British troops and RAF units at Tan Son Nhut airfield, Saigon the previous month, a samll "Air Headquarters French Indo-China" was created to control 273 squadron with Spitfires and 684 squadron withe PR Mosquitos based there. The CO was one Walter Graemes Cheshire (not to be confused with the then and now better known Group Captain Leonard Cheshire). This AHQ was disbanded on on 15 Feb 1946. Being a relatively small unit I struggle to believe that it would have two senior British officers.

Now for the bit that is confusing me. I have references that WGC occupied this post with the rank of Air Commodore. BUT according to RAF Web the ranks he held were as follows (relevant period only)
Wing Commander 20 Nov 1942
Acting Air Commodore 20 July 1944 when he became Chief Intelligence Officer HQ ACSEA
Group Captain (WS) on 20 Jan 1945
Group Captain on 1 July 1947

I've no idea what WS means (War Service perhaps?). So it looks as if he had reverted to the rank of Group Captain in 1945, which then leaves the question of why some sources refer to him as Air Commodore in Oct 1945?

W G Cheshire_P

 

[Jeffrey Ethell Collection]

On 1st Oct 1945, following the arrival of British troops and RAF units at Tan Son Nhut airfield, Saigon the previous month, a samll "Air Headquarters French Indo-China" was created to control 273 squadron with Spitfires and 684 squadron withe PR Mosquitos based there. The CO was one Walter Graemes Cheshire (not to be confused with the then and now better known Group Captain Leonard Cheshire). This AHQ was disbanded on on 15 Feb 1946. Being a relatively small unit I struggle to believe that it would have two senior British officers.

Now for the bit that is confusing me. I have references that WGC occupied this post with the rank of Air Commodore. BUT according to RAF Web the ranks he held were as follows (relevant period only)
Wing Commander 20 Nov 1942
Acting Air Commodore 20 July 1944 when he became Chief Intelligence Officer HQ ACSEA
Group Captain (WS) on 20 Jan 1945
Group Captain on 1 July 1947

I've no idea what WS means (War Service perhaps?). So it looks as if he had reverted to the rank of Group Captain in 1945, which then leaves the question of why some sources refer to him as Air Commodore in Oct 1945?

W G Cheshire_P

Thanks Ewen,

Yes, the AOC for RAF Saigon after the surrender was indeed Air Commodore Walter G. Cheshire for the period October 1945 until February 1946. He formed the Gremlin Task Force (GTF), an assortment of ex Japanese transport and bomber aircraft to be used to supplement the few British C-47 Dakotas on transport and liasion duties around the French Indo-China and Siam (Thailand) areas.

As Air Chief Marshall Cheshire, he wrote an article for the "RAF Journal" in 1965 about his time in Saigon and his role in forming the GTF. It's available online as a PDF starting on p55.

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/Research/RAF-Historical-Society-Journals/Bomber_harris.pdf

However...

I'm not seeking the name of any RAF AOC at Saigon, either Air Commodore or Group Captain. I'm looking for the name of the Group Captain cartoon character in the the PO Prune cartoon series created for the wartime RAF training publication "TEE-EMM". His name was on the nose of a Japanese Ki-21 bomber that was part of the Gremlin Task Force at RAF Saigon 1945 through 1946.

I was hoping a member of WW2AIRCRAFT.NET might have read one of the TEE-EMM's and remember the Group Captain's name. Rather frustrating that, I've seen examples of drawings of the Grp Capt online but no mention of his name!

Credit: Bill Hooper, artist, RAF "Tee-Emm" magazine