For many years this sign was displayed in a prominent place in each of the Workshops Bays. This aid could be unreliable but when it was used mainly over this country and into France, we found it to be very accurate. Search the Royal Air Force officers' service records 1918-1919 ( charges apply) online for officers who served in the Royal Air Force during the First World War ( AIR 76 ). 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. On the 21st of February 1945 she moved to RAF Rivenhall near Witham in Essex with 38 Group. Since then he has been Haltons historian and archivist and in 1995 he founded the Apprentice Museum, renamed the Trenchard Museum in 1999. Ironically, the TAs gradated in the rank of Junior Technicain but unsurprisingly, produced the highest number of commissioning candidates. Many of the initial Halton transferees were killed in various sea battles during the war; fifteen went down with HMS Glorious at the end of the Norwegian campaign in 1940. Some who graduated as LACs 33 in the 1920s were given immediate further training at Henlow and took up their first appointments as corporals. Passing out you had to average 80% on all subjects to pass out LAC (Leading Aircraftsman), 60% average to be AC1 (Aircraftsman 1st class), 40% to be AC2. Initial trade training was carried out in the workshops and later in a mix of workshops and on redundant aircraft positioned on the airfield. Among them were Sqn Ldr Ben Bennions, Wg Cdr Taffy Higginson, Flt Lt Geoffrey Sammy Alford and Gp Capt Frank Carey. People | RAF Apprentices Halton Block 3. If you are not the intended recipient or there are problems View as HTML, Please see attached response to your recent FOI request. Perhaps our founder Lord Trenchard summed up his, and the legacy of Halton in a speech he gave in the House of Lords in December 1944 on the air campaign during the war. RAF Apprentices Halton In his memorandum, Permanent Organization of the Royal Air Force, which was presented to the House of Commons as a White Paper by Secretary of State Winston Churchill in December 1919, Trenchard placed great emphasis on the importance of training, particularly of skilled ground crew. Although thousands of former apprentices had very successful careers in the RAF, many did not reach their full potential until life beyond the Service. Bill Liddle. Royal Air Force Administrative Apprentices Association His recommendation to the Air Ministry of distinctive coloured hatbands was approved in 1920 and this too became a permanent feature of an apprentices uniform. He became Sergeant 570858 of 209 Squadron RAF Volunteer Reserve. They spent most of their first year at Halton and Cranwell settling into their new country and learning English. Join | The Old Haltonians - RAF Halton during the Second World War -. . One, Sir John McGregor, left the RAF as a sergeant after WW II, emigrated to Hong Kong where he joined the colonys Civil Service in a lowly position and made his way up the promotion ladder to become head of the Hong Kong Executive Council and adviser to the last Governor, Mr Chris Patten, during the negotiations leading to the transfer of the colony to China in 1997. Established in 2008. RAF Malton. 1 Squadron (Engines and Instruments) 78th. On the 17th May 1945 they were married in St Nicholas Church in Witham, Essex. On school days we had various subjects including aerodynamics and technical drawing. When RAF Halton closes (circa 2025), the Association wants to create a Heritage centre in St George's Church where the contents of the . The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. Military Unit - Unit - Forces War Records . The 13 year old became a University lecturer with a PhD. 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. D. Bell made this Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Defence Trenchard Museum - About Us Sgt. RAF and Halton Apprentice Documents Archive! - 74th.co.uk 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. This scheme ended in 1972. If you were a 'Trenchard Brat' and not already a member, why not join this elite . The statements expressed in this e-mail are personal and do not Records of RAF Halton apprentice scheme - WhatDoTheyKnow A Definitive History of the RAF Aircraft Apprentice Scheme - Min Larkin The aim of the two studies was to match the growing complexity of aircraft and their systems, particularly those associated with the projected TSR2, with ground crew who had the ability to diagnose faults in systems which cut across the traditional trade boundaries. We had lunch on airfield from field kitchens, on 3rd Sept 1939 I heard Mr Chamberlain say we were at war with Germany. AETs were trained as dual-trade airframe and propulsion technicians and initially followed the National Certificate curriculum in their academic training as their predecessors had done. . Two hundred of these Polish boys, 14/15 year olds and one only 13, were selected to train at Halton as aircraft apprentices, and another 100 at Cranwell. The top rank, normally flight sergeant apprentice, was in effect the head boy of the School. We also have our Entry Window in St. George's Church at RAF Halton. Here she met my Grandfather, Squadron Leader William Henry Edwards DFC. Finlay was one of 116 former apprentices who flew as pilots in the Battle; several of them became aces, some destroying more than 12 enemy aircraft. He was in Egypt by June 1941. Over the years, some members have made bequests to our Association in their wills in preparation for their final postings. Welcome to the Brit-Gen forums. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Medically fit potential recruits were offered training in the trade of their 12 choice, or one the selectors thought more appropriate for them. The oldest living member of the RAF Halton Apprentices Association (Old Haltonians) is John Rogers, who was born in October 1908, and who became a member of the 12th entry of apprentices in 1925. The Halton Apprentices Contribution to WW II. The Royal Air Force Apprentices' Association (RAFHAA), the Old Haltonians, was formed in 1980 to meet the need for a point of focus for all those young persons who as 'Trenchard Brats' went through the 'Halton Grinder' and emerged at the other end as fully-fledged tradesmen to support the needs of the RAF.. Run by Volunteers and powered by Alaveteli. Some became top surgeons and a few served on the Crown Court circuit. 2 Wing. For these reasons and others, Trenchard instituted the Aircraft Apprentice Scheme to be based at RAF Halton No. I was up in the NAAFI listening to the wireless. A.C.I/LAC Donald George Porritt MU/MEF 107 B Squadron. Until 1951, this mark also governed the rank at which an apprentice graduated. Most pre-war apprentices soon attained LAC rank but, following the Great Depression, from the late 1920s to the start of WW II, many did not advance beyond corporal, unless selected for flying training. In March 1920 No 1 School of Technical Training was established at Halton, the future home of aircraft apprentice training. Halton made us the people we are today. 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. On airfield, we did engine running on a Blenheim, prop swinging on Tiger Moth. In the third year of training, all apprentices were required to produce a dissertation of 5,000 words on a subject of their choice. History of the Royal Air Force. These boys are not only extremely well lodged, fed, and clothed, but are taught trades which will be useful to them in after-life. Of those apprentices who became Cranwell cadets, thirteen won the Sword of Honour, giving credence to Trenchards vision that the new Service should base the selection of its future leaders on ability and merit, and not class and social background. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small Several hundred ex-apprentices serving on these engagements at the start of hostilities were, however, retained in flying posts. 20th Apr 2023 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. Two entries a year were planned. On 25 July 1952, No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton received the highest accolade that any unit in the RAF can receive the award of a Queens Colour. The end of an era. This scheme, which included Sir Frank Whittle "father of the jet engine", trained . Although offered a five year engagement in the RAF, most opted to leave the Service. On the 13th of January 1931, a month shy of his 16th birthday, my father started a three-year apprenticeship at the Royal Air Force's No. Home | The Old Haltonians At the end of 2017, only 45 ex-AETs were still serving, of whom some twenty were holding commissions, with several at senior officer level and seven at air rank. Of the five ex-apprentice flight engineers who flew in the Dams Raid, only one returned. Records of RAF Halton apprentice scheme - WhatDoTheyKnow Most exapprentices did exactly that. Royal Air Force HAA 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. Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Hospital Halton - Wikipedia The site has grown as people send in old photos of those days . We are interested in the apprentice scheme run at RAF Halton No1 Technical Training School from 1922 until closure in 1993. Recent discoveries include six George Cross and thirteen George Medal winners among the former apprentice fraternity. Considering they were the two professions most apprentices had spent three years avoiding at Halton and Cranwell, a surprising number became vicars and policemen. The TA course, although relatively short-lived, offered unprecedented career opportunities for those apprentices who completed it. World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945. Halton Apprentices - The State Awards and Honours, Wing Commander Taffy Holdens inadvertent flight in Lightning XM135, The Stained Glass Windows of St. George's Church (Part 2), The Stained Glass Windows of St. George's Church (Part 1), The Halton Grove at the National Arboretum, The Halton Tribute to the Apprentice Scheme, The official contact address for the RAFHAA is as follows: Use tab to navigate through the menu items. This request has been closed to new correspondence. 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. CHIEF TECHNICIAN Served from 1969 - 1993 Served in RAF Apprentices. In order to find the thousands of skilled men demanded by the rapidly growing Service, the RFC expanded its training programmes, basing these new units wherever suitable sites could be found, an unavoidable but random process that scattered the schools across the country. May be difficult to read. John Rogers succeeded Richard Martin (6th . 1 School of Technical Training. At the end of the war, November 1918 . We are now on Facebook. Apprentices were not allowed time to dwell too much on 19 their personal thoughts, as evenings and most of the weekends were taken up with room cleaning, inspections and parades. He remustered to aircrew as an Air Signaller/Air Gunner in 1953 and was commissioned as an Air Electronics Ofcer in 1959. Whittles final examination results along with those of 40,000 other former 73 Halton apprentices are preserved at the Trenchard Museum Archives at Halton. Bucks HP19 0GF. 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. The Origins of Boy Service in the RFC and RAF. Details of HLF award to RAF Museum Hendon. They were the true heroes of the piece, becoming SNCOs and warrant officers whose training taught them never to accept second best in keeping our aircraft serviceable and safe. It was a great experiment and was bitterly criticised at the time. 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 brass wheel badge, introduced in April 1919 and subsequently worn by apprentices on the upper left sleeve. She was brought out to our aircraft just as we were about to take off. The Army's Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was established in 1912 and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was founded in 1914. Oct 2004. HRH The Duke of Gloucester reviewing the nal graduation parade, that of the 155th Entry in June 1993. 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. After the introduction of a new trade structure in 1951, all aircraft apprentices graduated as junior technicians with some gaining accelerated promotion to corporal. By creating an account you agree to us emailing you with newsletters and discounts, which you can switch off in your account at any time. . 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. However, on-going research is continually uncovering hitherto unknown awards. All other recruits were enlisted, or commissioned, into the RAFVR. Reunion and other photographs. It was on one of these drops, I think the one dated 29th April, that we took a passenger with us. Your help would be gratefully received. 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. A shorter course meant a cheaper one, which no doubt pleased the Secretary of State for Air, Winston Churchill. RAF Halton. The Operation was an Anti-submarine patrol, which took off from RAF Pamanzi, at 04:20 hrs on Tuesday 8 September 1942 but crashed minutes later, with the loss of all crew. 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. The rigorous selection procedure 13 ensured that recruits would be of the highest quality, and because of their resourcefulness and intelligence, they could be expected to complete their apprenticeships in three years rather than the five normally served by civilian engineering apprentices. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Public opinion over the recent scandals of child sexual abuse in institutions is now demanding that full Inquiries be carried out. Below are just some of our members who have served at RAF Apprentices. Dear Royal Air Force, When will the RAF conduct a full investigation into the sexual abuse and cover up of such by staff at RAF Halton during the years of it's existence. 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. Under these circumstances it would appear that, if any payment is to be made, it should be made by the parents of the boys, and not by the State.. 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. 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. The arranging of individual and entry visits to Halton House, The Trenchard Museum and the Apprentice Archives are other services provided to members of the Association. Top 10 most popular library books since 2016. With over 620 million military records, . By the end of 1919, 26,000 of the 27,000 serving RAF officers had been discharged, and it is largely their service details which are held in this series. 81st RAF Halton apprentice - British Genealogy He completed his 45 years in uniform as Deputy Director of Personal Services. From 1919 to 1993, the No 1 SoTT was based at RAF Halton and from 1920 until 1993 the School was the home of the Aircraft Apprentice Scheme. The museum was named in honour of the man who is regarded as the Founding Father of the Royal Air Force, and also who founded the Aircraft Apprentice scheme with which the good name of Halton has often been synonymous. He argued that the best way to ensure that, . He remustered to aircrew as an Air Signaller/Air Gunner in 1953 and was commissioned as an Air Electronics Ofcer in 1959. In an article he wrote for the Halton Magazine while in Halton Hospital for a short period in early 1944, Whittle explains the advice he was given by a flight sergeant physical training instructor which enabled him to add three inches to his height, enough to be accepted for the 8th Entry in September 1923. Apprentice Flight Commanders were always busy during lunch hours hearing charges but never. However it accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever Catalogue description Records of the Royal Air Force. I have moved your post to a thread of its own in the Military - Royal Air Force forum where it will get more attention. The Royal New Zealand, Pakistan, Ceylon and Royal Rhodesian Air Forces, and the Burmese, Malayan and Venezuelan Air Forces all sent boys to Halton to train alongside British apprentices. 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. SocietyWorks Ltd Cliff Michelmore, ultimately became the anchor man for BBC TV news and current affairs programmes. Aircraft Apprentice Scheme - Wikipedia RAF Halton - Wikipedia A squadron. There is a label at the Imperial War Museum which reads;- of the recipient to perform all necessary checks. While many of their colleagues were fighting in the air, thousands of former apprentices were working tirelessly on the ground to ensure their aircraft were in fighting condition. This move coincided with the adoption of the rank of Aircraft Apprentice. Former Halton apprentices were ideally suited to this new challenge and volunteered for it in their thousands. Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Armitage - PressReader He has also told us in Family . After leaving the RAF, many ex-apprentices turned away from engineering altogether and forged successful second careers in other professions including medicine and the law. 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. He ew in Shackletons with 224, 205 and 201 Sqns, and Nimrods with 201 Sqn as Air Electronics Leader and aircraft captain. The limiting factor to this huge expansion turned out to be not a shortage of aircrew, nor of aircraft manufacturing capacity, but rather a lack of skilled groundcrew of which more than a dozen were needed to maintain each front-line aircraft. 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. The Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Hospital Halton, was the first Royal Air Force hospital to be built that was dedicated to air force personnel.Located on what was then the largest of the RAF camps at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire, England, the hospital treated over 20,000 patients during the Second World War and was the first place in the world to use penicillin on a large-scale.