raf halton apprentice records

after leaving RAF Halton, but whilst stll serving in the Royal Air Force, click here. 57K Leadership and management experience were Time-expired airframes were used to provide hands-on experience. AIR CHIEF MARSHAL SIR MICHAEL ARMITAGE, who has died aged 92, began his long RAF career as a Halton Apprentice, one of "Trenchard's Brats" under the scheme established by Lord Trenchard in 1920 which saw apprentices trained at RAF Halton. For many years this sign was displayed in a prominent place in each of the Workshops Bays. Why Forces War Records? The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. The Halton trained men . Other tours included, Apprentice Flight Commander at Locking . This new school was under the 2 direct control of the War Office and commanded by Lt-Col Ian Bonham Carter. WhatDoTheyKnow also publishes and archives requests and responses, building a massive archive of information. What are the limitations? This aid could be unreliable but when it was used mainly over this country and into France, we found it to be very accurate. Halton apprentices loyalty and devotion to duty during WW II was recognised by the large number of decorations they received. This kind of improvisation could not provide all of the men the RFC needed and rationalisation of the training machine became an urgent requirement. Sgt App F M Hines of the 63rd Entry receives the Colour for No 1 School of Technical Training from HM Queen Elizabeth II on 25 July 1952. These publications are free to members and assist in keeping us all in touch. Although many boys were later transferred to 5 Cranwell, where permanent accommodation was available, several thousand remained at Halton undergoing in equal measure, drill, physical training, fatigues and technical training for which only basic facilities were available. To my mind, the future of this great Service depends largely upon Halton; the boy of today is the fellow who will man the RAF tomorrow. However, following a concerted campaign led by the RAF Halton and RAF Cranwell Apprentices Associations, supported by some prominent ex-apprentices serving at air rank, NCO apprentice ranks and the wearing of the iconic wheel badge were reinstated in 1982. This Colour is unique in being the only one to be awarded to a youth training school in any of the armed forces and, having been received from Her Majesty by a sergeant apprentice, a unique custom was established that it may, on occasions, be carried by an NCO. Our Heritage plans are extensive and likely costly. On the 22nd July 1941 she was posted to RAF Peterhead in North East Scotland, aFighter Station. This scheme ended in 1972. The RAF apprentice and flight cadet training schemes were the backbone of the Royal Air Force in the years leading up to, and during and immediately after, the Second World War, and I'm sure Min Larkin (Halton Apprentices Archivist) will give a good account of the huge contribution Halton's ex- apprentices made to our service, both on the . After brief service with No. The Oath of Allegiance. Age 15- 17 for a a three year course. General Service Training was an important part of the curriculum, because, once he entered productive service, an apprentice was expected to gain rapid promotion and command men. I applied for this and was successful, so instead of being sent out to a squadron at the end of this flight-mechanic training, I had to stay on at Halton for a Fitter course and then onto St. Athen for a Flight-Engineers course specific to the aircraft I would eventually fly on, namely the Stirling. Applicants for Friend Membership must supply details of their relationship with the deceased (wife, brother, sister, etc) together with their service details (Service Number, Apprentice Entry and Rank) if . With ever increasing numbers now volunteering for the RAF, the size of Halton intakes ballooned, in 1936 reaching over 1,000 boys per entry. Sgt. Thames Valley Police have concluded an investigation and agreed that such crimes did take . Some became top surgeons and a few served on the Crown Court circuit. 2 Squadron (Airframes) 78th. Why Forces War Records? These had to be accurately placed and this called for very accurate navigation. addressed. Mine Laying - it may not be generally known but at least three quarters of all mines laid within enemy waters were dropped by the RAF. Posts. The Main Force targets, mentioned above, were the well known bombing missions on German towns and industrial targets, involving many aircraft concentrated over as little time as possible, to saturate defences. 12-08-2021, 8:00 PM #2. christanel. of the recipient to perform all necessary checks. We provide commercial The trust was set up to commemorate the centenary of the inception of one of the most fore-sighted and innovative schemes in British military history. With over 620 million military records, . When control of the Fleet Air Arm passed to the Royal Navy in January 1937 it lacked the facilities for training its own aircraft engineering apprentices. A shorter course meant a cheaper one, which no doubt pleased the Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill. The maximum age of recruitment of apprentices was raised to 18 and, exceptionally, 21. The Halton trained men have provided the nucleus on which the great expansion of the air force was centred. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. At the navigators order to go, I pushed the package out and she immediately followed. We had to polish all our floors, clean bathrooms. Oct 2004. In June 1917 Maj Gen Sefton Brancker, Deputy Director-General of Military Aeronautics, submitted proposals to centralise the technical training of men, women and boys in a new large school to be located at Halton. The Royal Air Force Apprentice scheme began in 1920, having been devised by Chief of the Air Staff Hugh Trenchard and approved by Winston Churchill. However, because of its heavier build, the Sterling did not have the performance of the Lancaster and were eventually replaced by them on Main Force targets. and a limited company (03277032). What courage! AETs enjoyed the highest level of aircraft engineering training during the life of the various 49 apprentice schemes. If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. The end of an era. Recent discoveries include six George Cross and thirteen George Medal winners among the former apprentice fraternity. Peter was an expert astro-navigator, in fact after we finished our operational service, he went to the Air Ministry and produced a training manual on the subject, which was used as a basic training manual for years afterwards. Of the Halton apprentices who achieved air rank, thirteen were knighted. Some who graduated as LACs 33 in the 1920s were given immediate further training at Henlow and took up their first appointments as corporals. Boys from the age of 15 took a series of highly competitive exams and tests, and the select few were invited to join the most exclusive boarding school of its time. Details of HLF award to RAF Museum Hendon. One of the main difficulties facing the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) from its foundation in 1912 was a shortage of air mechanics. The original Aircraft Apprentice (AA) training started in 1920 and continued until December 1966, with the graduation of the 106th Entry. The arrival of the first RAF Commandant, Air Cdre F R Scarlett CB DSO, in December 1919 heralded many improvements to all aspects of boy training, in particular the tightening of disciplinary standards which had been allowed to drift downwards after the armistice. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. In January 1920, the 1st Entry of 235 recruits began their three-year apprenticeship at Cranwell, whilst permanent accommodation was being completed at Halton. The brass wheel badge, worn by all RAF boy recruits for some 75 years, to distinguish them from men, had been introduced in April 1919. Notable among them was Sgt Gray of the 20th Entry, an observer, who was, along with his pilot Fg Off Garland, awarded one of the first two air VCs of WW II. Although the government took options on the purchase of the American F-111 this never came about. Thus in late 1919 the Halton Apprentice Scheme was promulgated to Local Education Authorities, and entrance examinations were held in London and the provinces. Royal Air Force Apprentices were a breed apart, a cut above, a group of boys who went on to become highly skilled craftsmen and airmen. Routine. Two entries a year were planned. Manage receipt and storage of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals in medical stores, issuing of medications. Royal Air Force HAA RAF Malton. This move coincided with the adoption of the rank of Aircraft Apprentice. However, as time passed and the brats were able to prove their worth, it became a title which all ex-apprentices are proud to claim, even those who attained air rank. To keep abreast of changes in RAF engineering practice, four different types of apprenticeships were introduced over the lifetime of the scheme. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. Former Halton apprentices were ideally suited to this new challenge and volunteered for it in their thousands. This payment, An Apprentice on a familiarisation flight in a Hawker Hart 1936, seems to the Committee to be unnecessary. However, this did not prevent them from being commissioned, with some attaining air rank and others filling senior appointments in industry as we shall see later. We all owe a debt of gratitude for the apprentice training we received at Halton. AIR - Records created or inherited by the Air Ministry, the Royal Air Force, and related bodies; Division within AIR - General records of the Air Boards and Air Ministry; AIR 2 - Air Ministry and Ministry of Defence: Registered Files; Subseries within AIR 2 - Non-coded sequence (files registered from 1953, with some earlier files) On airfield, we did engine running on a Blenheim, prop swinging on Tiger Moth. The first four intakes trained at Cranwell, and it was not until January 1922 15 that the first cohort arrived at Halton to become the 5th Entry. There was absolute secrecy about this, no mention of it in squadron operational records or our log books - she did not in fact exist. Fortunately for thousands of apprentices yet to come, this point was not pursued. The 13 year old became a University lecturer with a PhD. RM 2D2Y83F - The Queen inclines her head in acknowledgement of the new colour (the flag), one of only nine held by the Royal Air Force, which she presented to RAF Halton this afternoon (Friday). Sgt Samuel Butterfield destroyed eight enemy aircraft in 14 days of intensive operations in May 1940 accounting for four EA on a single day before being shot down himself over the Channel. monitoring, recording and auditing to secure the effective operation of The Association magazine, 'The Haltonian', is published twice yearly and additional Newsletters are electronically mailed out four or five times a year. Maintain the electronic and paper medical records, monitoring the occupational health of Defence personnel. RAF Database Global Search: Enter a name, number or an Aircraft Serial to search all our databases! Nevertheless, I feel justified in saying that the experiment has richly justified itself. Apprentice Flight Commanders were always busy during lunch hours hearing charges but never. Welcome to the Brit-Gen forums. Workshops entailed basic fitting, lectures on metallurgy, heat treatments etc. In the latter respect, two Cranwell apprentices excelled, one becoming a bishop and another followed in Lord Trenchard's footsteps by becoming head of the Metropolitan Police. photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. Neville Lee. Only five of Haltons Polish contingent elected to return to Poland. If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Whittle initially applied to join the 7th Entry at Halton in January 1923 but failed the medical owing to his lack of height. Some former apprentices ended up as BBC TV stars. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Coincidentally with the arrival of this large entry, as a war emergency measure the 50 duration of training was gradually shortened, initially to 2 then to 2 years. So be careful when telling your RN friends this 62 snippet as they can get very upset to learn that the junior Service, in the form of Halton apprentices, provided an important element of the foundations on which the carrier force developed into a vital arm of the nations capability in WW II and beyond. This one marked the graduation of the 20th Entry in July 1932. more so than on Mondays when they were usually faced with a crop of charges resulting from apprentices enjoying themselves beyond lights out on Saturday nights. Engine running was done on the airfield. They eventually found their true vocations with the advent of the Nimrod and the Tornado in the early 1970s. Top 10 most popular library books since 2016. This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and Aylesbury Your donations keep this site and others like it running. We had lunch on airfield from field kitchens, on 3rd Sept 1939 I heard Mr Chamberlain say we were at war with Germany. please notify the sender and then delete the e-mail (and file(s) if After the re-introduction of the wheel it was paraded for the first time at the Graduation of the 134th Entry on 29th September 1982. On-going research indicates that 1,000 have been awarded State Honours. With many apprentices now older than direct entry airmen, there was no need for any of the rules which governed the lives of their predecessors. On 25th October 1942 she moved to RAF Hurn near Bournemouth, Hants. My first flight was in an Avro Tutor 2 seat biplane at Halton airfield. Need more information, contact the General Secretary by email to. recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. Patron - Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Armitage - ObituaryClick here. Now with some 4,000 boys on strength Scarlett wanted an additional distinguishing feature on their uniforms to facilitate immediate recognition of the sections (later wings) to which they belonged. The museum is named in honour of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Viscount Trenchard, who is regarded as the Founding Father of the Royal Air Force, who also launched the Aircraft Apprentice scheme which brought worldwide recognition to RAF Halton. Established in 2008. Halton was arguably one of the first aeronautical engineering colleges in the world and certainly the first in any air force. If you have any unwanted Block 3. Over 1,000 other 65 gallantry awards went to former aircraft apprentices and some 3000 were Mentioned in Dispatches. On 5th January 1942 she moved to RAF Tain near Thurso, a Fighter Station, she was Appointed Section Officer on 21st of June 1942. Included in the syllabus was English and general studies which covered, in some depth, the history of the RAF. Hopefully this site will also be of interest to others who trained as Trenchard's "Brats", and to anyone with an interest in RAF Halton. Recently, a member asked if we still accepted bequests or legacies and how he should proceed if he wished to make such an arrangement. Come with us to discover more about Trenchards Brats as we hear first hand accounts of their stories, see how life was for these young men and marvel at the legacy they left. Suitable adults proved difficult to recruit after WW1, but he persuaded Mr Winston Churchill, then Secretary of State for Air, that boys between the ages of 15 and 17 years should be recruited to be trained at Halton; and the Halton Apprentice was born. The 74th Entry Graduation Invitation. The information was collated from graduation records, confirmed by research at the PMA. He had always intended that the best of each Entry should be awarded cadetships at Cranwell, but were he alive today he would be amazed to discover that well-over 20% were commissioned, with 110 attaining air rank. The trades taught evolved with the ever developing advances in aeronautical engineering but they were principally engines, airframes, armaments, instruments, electrics and wireless. The rear gunner reported seeing both parachutes open but as we were very low and had to fly straight on, that was all we saw. We never failed to drop our load. In 1919, Air Marshal Lord Trenchard foresaw the need to produce a pool of skilled aircraft engineers for the RAF. Ironically, the TAs gradated in the rank of Junior Technicain but unsurprisingly, produced the highest number of commissioning candidates. Halton made us the people we are today. The most famous of the aircraft apprentice alumni is Air Cdre Sir Frank Whittle who gave the world the jet engine. Here she met my Grandfather, Squadron Leader William Henry Edwards DFC. These rules are necessary for your own benefit, apprentices were often told by their superiors. To meet the immediate need for these 61 skills, volunteers were invited from the 35th, 36th and 37th Entries to transfer to the Royal Navy, and 160 of Haltons apprentices answered the call. Dennis died in 1942, in an aircraft accident. We did not charge him with being improperly dressed, recalled Air Cdre M J Evans, one of five former Halton apprentices who returned to command the station. In 1919 Lord Trenchard established the No. It was in the earliest days of the aircraft apprentice scheme that the term Trenchard (or Halton) Brat came into vogue, initially as a term of derision used by old sweats who took a rather jaundiced view of these clever young upstarts who were destined for rapid promotion to corporal. This was undertaken in parallel with another study into the requirements for trade specialisations and resulted in the 1964 Trade Structure, introduced in April that year. Source: RAF Halton Defence Aerodrome Manual [2] Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. These boys moved to Halton in the late summer of 1917 where, by the end of the 4 year, 2,000 boys were under training as air mechanics living in Spartan conditions in dilapidated wooden huts previously occupied by infantry troops. Their success in the air and on the ground pays a finer tribute than any words of mine to the standard of Haltons achievements., One thing is absolutely true, the air battles of Burma were won in the classrooms and workshops at Halton; won not just by knowledge and skill of your maintenance crews, it was won by the spirit that Halton produced., Halton has given the Royal Air Force not only its hard core of efficient technical NCOs and airmen but also a magnificent core of officers many of whom are in high rank in all branches of the Service., 2021 The Old Haltonians | All Rights Reserved. One or two of the photos, have all the names on the back, a group, with names, is dated 28th Aug. Cosford. With the rapidly growing numbers now joining the Service, thousands of ex-apprentices ,who had been corporals for years, suddenly found themselves racing through the ranks to SNCO and warrant officer, providing a vital source of experienced technical supervisors on front line squadrons, maintenance units and as instructors for the increasing number of technical training schools. There is no doubt at all in my opinion, that Halton and the Halton spirit have been a pillar of strength to the RAF all over the world. mySociety The site has been in use since the First World War but is due to close by December 2027. Initially, aircraft apprentices graduated as an Aircraftman Second Class (AC2), an Aircraftman First Class (AC1), or a Leading Aircraftman, (LAC), depending on their final trade test results. Other tours included, Apprentice Flight Commander at Locking, avionics development at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, and Deputy OC Brawdy. The 40th Entry, which enlisted in August 1939, was the largest ever with 1,285 boys taking the Kings shilling. We are interested in the apprentice scheme run at RAF Halton No1 Technical Training School from 1922 until closure in 1993. He was rescued only to be shot down again a few weeks later and killed. However it accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever He ew in Shackletons with 224, 205 and 201 Sqns, and Nimrods with 201 Sqn as Air Electronics Leader and aircraft captain. Interestingly, at the critical stage of the development of the engine which was to power the first flight of a British jet aircraft, Whittle requested and received the support of four ex-Halton apprentice engine fitters to help out in his workshop at Power Jets. These targets were mainly coastal gun emplacements and launching sites for the V-weapons. I was up in the NAAFI listening to the wireless. Our Our navigator, Peter Ashford, was excellent; throughout every flight, even when he knew fairly certainly where we were, he continually checked his calculations. Rowland James George Bazell B Flight 90 Squadron. The cost of running Halton was a contentious issue in the early days. The first TA intake (the 107th Entry) started training in October 1964 but, along with many others in the Service, they were dismayed in April 1965 when the Wilson government scrapped the TSR2 programme. We can reunite you with your friends who served at RAF Apprentices and we have a wealth of information on different units, bases and ships in the site. Serving and retired RAF personnel should ensure the boxes, Service No, Rank, Entry, Joining Date, Trade and Current Occupation are completed. Their success in the air and on the ground pays a finer tribute than any words of mine to the standard of Haltons achievements. Marshal of the Royal Air Force Viscount Portal, Halton throughout the years has made an outstanding contribution not only to the RAF but to the country as a whole., Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Dermot Boyle, One thing is absolutely true, the air battles of Burma were won in the classrooms and workshops at Halton; won not just by knowledge and skill of your maintenance crews, it was won by the spirit that Halton produced. Admiral of the Fleet Earl Mountbatten, Halton has given the Royal Air Force not only its hard core of efficient technical NCOs and airmen but also a magnificent core of officers many of whom are in high rank in all branches of the Service. Air Marshal Sir John Whitworth Jones. Photographs at RAF Halton 1954 - 1957 Official photographs. It was on one of these drops, I think the one dated 29th April, that we took a passenger with us. The heavy losses sustained by Bomber Command are reflected in the 2,000 casualties listed in the Apprentices Roll of Honour in St Georges Church at Halton. However, certain aspects of the original scheme were retained such as the apprentice entry numbering system and AETs were accommodated separately from airmen. SocietyWorks Ltd 1 School of Technical Training at RAF Halton (see aircraft apprentice) which remained at the Station until it moved to RAF Cosford in the early 1990s. Halton received its first . Sqn Ldr Donald Finlay, of the 12th Entry, a triple Olympian well known to the public as one of the countrys top athletes, commanded Nos 41 and 54 Sqns in the Battle of Britain shooting down four enemy aircraft and winning a DFC. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Under the continuing pressure on manpower another very important decision for the future of the RFC was taken; it was decided to recruit boys. The first entry numbering 235 boys were accepted for three-year apprenticeships in January 1920 and began training at Cranwell, as accommodation at Halton had not been completed. 2nd May 2009, . It is still unclear what my Grandmother's duties were in Code and Cypher. The TA course, although relatively short-lived, offered unprecedented career opportunities for those apprentices who completed it. My thoughts on the Stirling - being a very robust aircraft and fitted with Hercules air-cooled engines, it was much the safer aircraft in which to fly. You have only to look at the promotions and honours gained. Since then he has been Haltons historian and archivist and in 1995 he founded the Apprentice Museum, renamed the Trenchard Museum in 1999. A Definitive History of the RAF Aircraft Apprentice Scheme - Min Larkin, The consistent technical excellence of the RAF has rested upon the skill and high devotion to duty of those who learned at Halton their trades and first formed their sense of duty. He remustered to aircrew as an Air Signaller/Air Gunner in 1953 and was commissioned as an Air Electronics Ofcer in 1959. Despite the harsh standards of discipline, most ex-apprentices are only too willing to tell you about the occasions when they broke bounds, climbed in and out through windows stealthily in the dead of night, to avoid being caught by patrolling RAF Police. He would get me to take endless star-shots and he continuously consulted his GEE box - a very useful early electronic navigation aid. This scheme, which included Sir Frank Whittle "father of the jet engine", trained . One of the youngest recruits to join the RAF, at just 15years and 2 months, was Apprentice Harry Clack. Above, a Wallace, 605M (previously K3664) and, To keep abreast of technical developments Halton had state-of-the-art Blenheims to work on as early as 1937. Our Association details are provided on the rear page of the Haltonian and are sufficient for most lawyer's needs. If you were a 'Trenchard Brat' and not already a member, why not join this elite . Was she captured by the Germans? Join Date. Catalogue description Records of the Royal Air Force. intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is 1, Pipit Gardens On arrival at Halton, apprentices were signed-on for twelve years from the age of 18, allocated accommodation and kitted out and they very soon found their lives falling into a well-ordered routine governed largely by bugle calls. A large number of these men are senior Air Vice-Marshals and Air Commodores running the highest technical ofces in the Air Force. The Royal Air Force Halton Apprentices' Association is a registered charity (No 292523) and operates within the rules of the Charity Commission., As a member you will have access to the Association membership database (subject to GDPR restrictions) which may well be able to assist you in renewing your friendships with past colleagues of your entry or your time at Halton. Passing out parades were always impressive. With over 620 million military records, . If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small Having passed this course I was sent to 90 squadron of 3 Group, Bomber Command, then stationed at Tuddenham, Nr Mildenhall in Suffolk. christanel. The RAF Police could often be seen patrolling local towns, especially on Saturday evenings when their chances of nabbing a few apprentices in the local pubs or dance halls were high. We had 2 year course, not 3 as it was wartime. Like this page to receive our updates. Scarlett remained in post until 1924 which enabled him to oversee the 8 transformation of a temporary wartime military camp into the beginnings of a permanent RAF station. World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945. To ascertain we had the right spot, we had to look for a small light (mainly small electric hand torches) flashing a previously agreed letter or letters, which we had to recognise immediately or we were instructed to fly on and bring the load back. In 1969 a one-year Mechanic Apprentice course was introduced starting with the 401st Entry. The first 400 RFC boy mechanics enlisted at Farnborough in May 1917, shortly followed by further intakes at Blandford. But the cost issue resurfaced in a Commons debate in 1926 when MP, Sir Frank Nelson, pointed out that 230, which was estimated to be the cost of training an apprentice, is probably more than it costs a parent to send a boy to any of the four or five leading public schools of England. He went on to complain that, these apprentices at Halton get 1s a day pocket money, which, when they number 3,000, will cost the country 55,000 a year, and even now it costs between 30,000 and 35,000 a year. But, once again, the point was not pursued. If you are not the intended recipient or there are problems The oldest living member of the Association is awarded the honorary title "King Brat" as a mark of respect. On 14th October 1945 she resigned her Commission and left WAAF Service. Thank you. He set an RAF record for the 120 yards High Hurdles in his first race, and represented his country at the High Jump whilst serving as an aircraft apprentice. Location. Indeed some AETs were married during training, had children and lived in MQs. Ironically, many of the apprentices serving at this time were keen to see these symbols of their past heritage restored.

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