How to write a letter to the OC

Cadets Ask the Staff
1

How should I start and address a letter to Sir (OC) Flt Lt? And how would I sign it? It would take me forever to give all the details here but basically I am talking, more explaining why I should start a Sqn band, and how it would work, and asking if we can.

Thanks !

2

Dear Flt Lt Bloggs,

I’d like to start a band.

Kind regards,
Cdt Question

Don’t over think it. Keep it simple.

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3

So I don’t need to say “yours sincerely” or address him really formally?

Loving the “Cdt Question” as the example based off my username!! :rofl:

ALso, can I say “Dear Sir” instead ? Seems more natural to me.

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5

If you finish the email with “Cheers mate, your pal Qu” you might have an issue. But any ‘normal’ email ending will be fine. Again:

6

Dear Sir = yours faithfully
Flt Lt Bloggs = yours sincerely.

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7

ok thx. Just edited above post too .

8

Or you could go old school with:

I remain, sir, your obedient servant :rofl:

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9

Ok Thanks, Is “Dear Sir” acceptable enough?

10

:rofl: funny

11

Yes. I would say that’s probably safest.

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12

Thanks, I was thinking that it was pretty safe too.

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13

ALso @pEp @JoeBloggs , would it be a good idea for us to learn the national anthem before doing general pop songs, or not? I was thinking because everyone knows it…

14

Please don’t do ”Dear Sir” - it’s a bug bear of mine! Try:

Dear Flt Lt Bloggs,

Sir,

Lorem ipsum…

Yours sincerely,

Cdt Question.

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15

That’s how I still sign off anything remotely formal to senior officers. They took it out of JSP 101 as part of a drive to civilianise Defence Writing and make it more like a Civil Service departmental style guide.

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16

Why have two salutations? Surely it should be ‘Flt Lt Bloggs’ in the address block / envelope and ‘Sir’ as the salutation?

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17

Is it not easier to speak to the OC?

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18

That wasn’t a specific military thing, just a very old-fashioned one - I have a copy of Debrett’s Correct Form from the 1980s which recommends it for very formal letters. I consulted it before writing to the Dean of Wells to apologise for something (I can’t even remember what I’d done) and so ended up with

Very Reverend Sir,

I have the honour to apologise…

I remain, Very Reverend Sir, your obedient servant,

Scrotty Teenager

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19

Dear M’Lord

Blah blah blah

Forever faithfully,
Cdt J. Bloggs Esq.

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20

I think Esq. is just used by JOs (Army subalterns anyway, not so sure about capts) instead of a rank prefix: not as well.

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21

That’s right, although it was retained as a military thing right into the 1990s: where it appeared in the example formal letter of JSP 101 (before the concept of routine, DO, and formal letters were dropped for the reasons I went into earlier).

Edit: Before all the useful bits of Debrett’s got paywalled, I think it was still in there for writing to peers, royalty, etc.