{"id":2399,"date":"2017-09-06T08:10:28","date_gmt":"2017-09-06T07:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hibbittbarnes.uk\/blog\/?p=2399"},"modified":"2025-07-02T12:40:06","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T11:40:06","slug":"any-old-excuse-for-a-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hibbittbarnes.uk\/blog\/any-old-excuse-for-a-celebration","title":{"rendered":"Any Old Excuse For A Celebration!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The<\/a>

The original gag (click to enlarge)<\/p><\/div>\n

6TH SEPTEMBER<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Harvey’s grandad, Cyril Ellen<\/a><\/strong>, was born on this day in 1895. Talking of birthdays, whilst serving in the RAF with 45 Squadron in Egypt in 1921, Cyril who was the Adjutant, issued a memo on behalf of his Commanding Officer. The order was that the officers’ birth certificates were all to be altered to show the same date of birth and this might occur up to six times a year.<\/p>\n

It turns out it was simply an excuse to have a jolly good old knees-up!<\/p>\n

The order read as follows…<\/p>\n

\n

DAILY ROUTINE ORDERS<\/strong>
\nBY<\/strong>
\nSQUADRON LEADER E. A. MURRAY, D.S.O., M.C.<\/strong>
\nCOMMANDING 45 SQUADRON. R.A.F.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Serial No. 33.<\/strong>
\nPage: 3<\/strong>
\nDate. 28-9-21.<\/strong><\/p>\n

———————————————<\/p>\n

AFTER ORDER.<\/strong><\/p>\n

PART I ADMINISTRATION.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. BIRTH CERTIFICATES – OFFICERS.<\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It is notified for information of Officers concerned that the date of birth of each of the undermentioned has been changed in respect of the day and the month. The year remains unaltered.
    \nAll copies of Birth Certificates are to be amended, accordingly forthwith. The new date is 6th October.<\/p>\n