raf halton apprentice records raf halton apprentice records

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. Of the five ex-apprentice flight engineers who flew in the Dams Raid, only one returned. When RAF Halton closes (circa 2025), the Association wants to create a Heritage centre in St George's Church where the contents of the . 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.. Entry, September 1954. Records Search now. Most notable of these was Cliff Michelmore who was an aircraft apprentice in the 32nd Entry which graduated from Halton in 1938. There was absolute secrecy about this, no mention of it in squadron operational records or our log books - she did not in fact exist. I will happily attempt to copy some of the photos if needed. Most exapprentices did exactly that. 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. Aylesbury Established in 2008. It withstood crash landings better and, whereas the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines with which the Lancaster were fitted were magnificent engines, they were liquid cooled and just a bullet or two in the cooling system would rapidly put the engine out of action; whereas I have known air-cooled Hercules engines still give out some power even with a cylinder shot away. 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. These targets were small and did not reveal themselves by searchlight / flak etc, hence accurate navigation was needed. Finlay arrived at RAF Halton as an Apprentice in 1925. My first flight was in an Avro Tutor 2 seat biplane at Halton airfield. Although thousands of former apprentices had very successful careers in the RAF, many did not reach their full potential until life beyond the Service. Schools', as it was known by apprentices, was held in a purpose-built college building which had a well-stocked library and excellent engineering science laboratories. In the third year of training, all apprentices were required to produce a dissertation of 5,000 words on a subject of their choice. Workshops entailed basic fitting, lectures on metallurgy, heat treatments etc. 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. By the early 1970s, RAF apprentice training had reached a crossroads. A squadron. 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. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? This was, in effect, a direct replacement for AA training, but required lower academic qualifications on 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. Just before reaching her destination, which had been given to our navigator verbally just before take off, he alerted me to go aft, open the rear bottom escape hatch, attach her package to the static line, get her in position to jump (after also attaching her parachute to the static line). As the rudimentary methods of training RFC tradesmen hitherto were unlikely to meet the massive new manpower requirement, it soon became clear that the RFC would have to train its own air mechanics. . 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. Trenchard had already provided more detail about his intentions for the scheme in a letter to Churchill in November 1919, writing that it would be necessary to enlist the bulk of the technical tradesmen as boys, because the Royal Air Force could not hope to compete in the recruitment of men who had served full apprenticeships in civilian life and could therefore command high wages. SERGEANT Served from 1962 - 1975 Served in RAF Apprentices. They have records for every single engineering apprentice that went through RAF Halton. Nevertheless, I feel justified in saying that the experiment has richly justified itself. Perhaps the most resented rule, especially by older apprentices in their third year of training, was lights out at 21:45hrs, when their former school chums were still out enjoying themselves with their girlfriends. Two entries a year were planned. 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. 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. Block 3. Activities of 38 Group were towing of gliders and dropping of parachutists. . We are now on Facebook. Because of lack of accommodation at Halton, the school was originally located at RAF Cranwell in 1920. Here she met my Grandfather, Squadron Leader William Henry Edwards DFC. Medically fit potential recruits were offered training in the trade of their 12 choice, or one the selectors thought more appropriate for them. We provide commercial No.1 Parachutists School. 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. Download HRH The Duke of Gloucester reviewing the nal graduation parade, that of the 155th Entry in June 1993. AC1. Our There is a label at the Imperial War Museum which reads;- Given that, at the end of the war, only some 20,000 apprentices had graduated from Halton, it is clear that their contribution to WW II had been impressive and this was acknowledged by many senior commanders. However, because the permanent barrack building 72 programme at Halton had fallen behind schedule, this entry was trained at Cranwell. As a result, the single-skill Aircraft Apprentice was replaced by a new breed, the Technician Apprentice (TA), who trained in the four trades of airframe, propulsion, electrical and weapons. Reunion and other photographs. Many former apprentices who trained as pilots and flight engineers continued to fly with civil airlines. The RAF Medic is able to handle ambiguity . We also have our Entry Window in St. George's Church at RAF Halton. Dennis died in 1942, in an aircraft accident. However, as the TSR2 on which they were destined to work had not materialised, many after graduation found themselves posted to single-skill posts. Recently, a member asked if we still accepted bequests or legacies and how he should proceed if he wished to make such an arrangement. This scheme, which included Sir Frank Whittle "father of the jet engine", trained . His reason for this was to ensure that boys committing offences both on and off the station could be dealt with expeditiously by the appropriate authority. What are the limitations? RAF apprentices were an elite band who went on to hold some of the highest ranks in the Royal Air Force, and make huge contributions to their country and the wider world. AET Prevett, the Parade Commander, was so chuffed, he wore a wheel on both arms. We wish to have access to records, manuals, policy statements, annual reports, developments, evolution.. especially with respect to the care and education of the apprentices. They eventually found their true vocations with the advent of the Nimrod and the Tornado in the early 1970s. At the end of the 6 weeks training I was sent to RAF Halton. This scheme produced single-skill fitters who maintained aircraft and associated equipment and could, if necessary, actually fashion small replacement parts themselves. This theme was very shortlived and was terminated after ten intakes. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. the system and for other lawful purposes. recording and preserving recollections, documents, photographs and small items. 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. On the 17th May 1945 they were married in St Nicholas Church in Witham, Essex. He remustered to aircrew as an Air Signaller/Air Gunner in 1953 and was commissioned as an Air Electronics Ofcer in 1959. 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. Whilst the TA scheme took care of engineering support for future aircraft and equipment coming into service, there was a continuing need for single-skill fitters. When the expansion of the RAF began in the mid-1930s, ex-apprentices, as Trenchard had planned, formed about 50% of the trained strength of the Service. The cost of running Halton was a contentious issue in the early days. 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. He remustered to aircrew as an Air Signaller/Air Gunner in 1953 and was commissioned as an Air Electronics Ofcer in 1959. 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. The first 400 RFC boy mechanics enlisted at Farnborough in May 1917, shortly followed by further intakes at Blandford. 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. I can just remember her small white face behind her goggles as she dropped into the night. necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the department. 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. On 5th January 1942 she moved to RAF Tain near Thurso, a Fighter Station, she was Appointed Section Officer on 21st of June 1942. Under the guidance of his Flight Commander and the NCO instructors, he was taught drill, physical training and Air Force Law. The January 1973 Entry, the 123rd, was the first to undertake AET training. However, certain aspects of the original scheme were retained such as the apprentice entry numbering system and AETs were accommodated separately from airmen. For the first 50 years of the scheme apprentices were classified as minors and their officers and SNCOs acted in loco parentis. Your help would be gratefully received. 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. It is tomorrow we must prepare for and so the success of Halton as the birthplace of the RAF, mind and spirit is of the most vital importance. We had 2 year course, not 3 as it was wartime. On 14th October 1945 she resigned her Commission and left WAAF Service. Indeed some AETs were married during training, had children and lived in MQs. In February 1920, still known as Boy Mechanics, the first intake of 235 was accepted at Cranwell for a three-year apprenticeship. 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. Our navigator, Peter Ashford, was excellent; throughout every flight, even when he knew fairly certainly where we were, he continually checked his calculations. 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. Fortunately for thousands of apprentices yet to come, this point was not pursued. Air CmdSecCS-RAFParliBusiness (MULTIUSER), Download a zip file of all correspondence, Employers from which applications originate, IT Apprenticeship and traineeship employers. An Olympian and an inventor, Dam Busters and Great Escapers come and meet the boys who truly took off! Early morning a boy went to cookhouse and brought back a bucket of tea and biscuits known as gunfire. Top 10 most popular library books since 2016. The maximum age of recruitment of apprentices was raised to 18 and, exceptionally, 21. The Trenchard Museum aims to preserve and display items that relate to the history of Royal Air Force Halton. monitoring, recording and auditing to secure the effective operation of A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. You can help us achieve lasting recognition for ex-Halton brats by making a gift to RAFHAA in your will. Interestingly, apprentices were the only people who continued to join the wartime RAF; from September 1939 until 1945. The site has grown as people send in old photos of those days . 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. Serious consideration was given to terminating it altogether, but after considerable debate in the upper echelons of the Engineer Branch. on to dismantling engines first De Havilland Gypsy engines, then Rolls-Royce Kestrel and Merlin engines and reassembling them, also Bristol Pegasus radial engines, carpentry, blacksmithing, pipework etc. He trained at RAF Halton as an aircraft apprentice, known as Trenchards Brats. 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. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. It was a great experiment and was bitterly criticised at the time. 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. I was confirmed in the station church. Former Halton apprentices were ideally suited to this new challenge and volunteered for it in their thousands. History of the Royal Air Force. The CA Scheme lasted ten years, ending with the 231st entry in 1974. To see photographs of our reunions and of ex 78th entry members . The trades taught evolved with the ever developing advances in aeronautical engineering but they were principally engines, airframes, armaments, instruments, electrics and wireless. This kind of improvisation could not provide all of the men the RFC needed and rationalisation of the training machine became an urgent requirement. 6d. 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. 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. Super Moderator. In 1917 there was an expansion of technical training in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and Halton became the main training unit for aircraft mechanics. Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/records_of_raf_halton_apprentice on May 01, 2023 15:11. These are a daily record of events in each Command or Force entered on form 540, often with appendices which contain documents illustrating and expanding the record. Among them were Sqn Ldr Ben Bennions, Wg Cdr Taffy Higginson, Flt Lt Geoffrey Sammy Alford and Gp Capt Frank Carey. On 25th October 1942 she moved to RAF Hurn near Bournemouth, Hants. These publications are free to members and assist in keeping us all in touch. CORPORAL Served from 1959 - 1973 Served in RAF Apprentices. A high proportion of TAs were commissioned in the engineering branch. 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. We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. On the 21st of February 1945 she moved to RAF Rivenhall near Witham in Essex with 38 Group. - RAF Malton, in A Squadron initially. Oct 2004. 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. Due to Peters expertise, our crew were given many specialist operations. Introduction of the Halton apprentice scheme. Routine. Since then he has been Haltons historian and archivist and in 1995 he founded the Apprentice Museum, renamed the Trenchard Museum in 1999. 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. However, the latter improved with the opening of large training workshops in 6 early 1918 which had been rapidly constructed with the help of thousands of German POWs. He died in 1950, polio, having left the RAF in approx.1949. A large number of these men are senior Air Vice-Marshals and Air Commodores running the highest technical ofces in the Air Force. Need more information, contact the General Secretary by email to. 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. 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. Thank you. Below are just some of our members who have served at RAF Apprentices. All of my Grandmother`s duties from now on were in Code & Cypher work. Thames Valley Police have concluded an investigation and agreed that such crimes did take . After the introduction of a new trade structure in 1951, all aircraft apprentices graduated as junior technicians with some gaining accelerated promotion to corporal. 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. These were donated by his mother after the war. Only five of Haltons Polish contingent elected to return to Poland. This site uses cookies. concurrently with the TA scheme. Technical training at Halton was divided into three distinct, but closely co-ordinated departments: Trade, Academic and General Service Training. 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. There was a lot of sport I did swimming, cross-country running and athletics. a week. This has the added advantage that it will undoubtedly foster the Air Force spirit on which so much depends. Later in the paper, he continues, The training of all these boys will eventually be carried out at Halton Park. Subsequently the RN sent 400 directly recruited Fleet Air Arm apprentices to train with the 38th to 41st Entries. Our barrack room had 30 boys in it. This element of the course was replaced in 1977 by the Ordinary Diploma and for most the Higher Certificate awarded by the newly formed Business and Technician Education Council (BTEC). 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. From the outset of his training he became a member of a society based on the orderly pattern of RAF life in wings, squadrons and flights, where he learned the give and take of community living, and developed a feeling for the customs and traditions of the Service. Several hundred ex-apprentices serving on these engagements at the start of hostilities were, however, retained in flying posts. Ironically, many of the apprentices serving at this time were keen to see these symbols of their past heritage restored. These certificates were awarded for achievement in all aspects of trade and academic training. We are interested in the apprentice scheme run at RAF Halton No1 Technical Training School from 1922 until closure in 1993. 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. 1 Squadron (Engines and Instruments) 78th. In January 1917, following the impressive part played by the RFC in the great battles in the previous year, the Army Council authorised its expansion to a total of 106 squadrons (86 to be in France) and in July this was almost doubled to 200. Other tours included, Apprentice Flight Commander at Locking, avionics development at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, and Deputy OC Brawdy. 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. CHIEF TECHNICIAN Served from 1969 - 1993 Served in RAF Apprentices. The statements expressed in this e-mail are personal and do not 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. Sometimes rifle drill or PT before breakfast, later march to workshops with our own band with bugles, bagpipes, trumpets and drums. In 1919 Lord Trenchard established the No. I would love to know what happened to this very courageous lady. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. A group of dedicated retired service personnel and proud ex-Brats came together to ensure that the story was told of how thousands of boys were trained to levels of excellence which led to them to make huge contributions to the Royal Air Force, to science, and to Great Britain. 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. 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: The information was collated from graduation records, confirmed by research at the PMA. 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. and a limited company (03277032). He ew in Shackletons with 224, 205 and 201 Sqns, and Nimrods with 201 Sqn as Air Electronics Leader and aircraft captain. If you have any unwanted He has also told us in Family . 12-08-2021, 8:00 PM #2. christanel. If you are not the intended recipient or there are problems Following a visit by members of a Parliamentary Select Committee in 1923, they reported that they were; [] of the opinion that the management and training of these boys is conducted in a very efficient manner; they were much struck with the discipline, with the order which was kept, and the arrangement by which they were efficiently taught a trade [and they] receive a payment of 10s. John King No 1 School of Technical Training RAF Halton, 17th Jan 1939 575533 Aircraft Apprentice J King. addressed. . 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. This move coincided with the adoption of the rank of Aircraft Apprentice. Journey through our timeline to discover more. May be difficult to read. SocietyWorks Ltd (05798215). it gained a reprieve with the introduction of the Apprentice Engineering Technician (AET) scheme. 57K I think he may have joined up in Jan 1940? The BBC soon recognised his talent as a broadcaster and he later co-hosted, with Jean Metcalfe, Two-Way Family Favourites, a radio programme much loved in the UK and those serving in Germany. Donate and support our work. A pass mark in all aspects of his trade training was an absolute for an apprentice to graduate. 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. British Path video of the Apprentice training scheme at Halton in 1938. 12-08-2021, 8:00 PM. is the Royal Air Force's aircraft engineering school. She was on a on-way trip, we at least had a chance of getting home! All apprentices studied the same mathematics, mechanics and engineering drawing syllabuses, but engineering science was tailored to suit an individuals trade. In addition to all these privileges they enjoyed six weeks holiday a year, mid-term breaks, and were paid, albeit a paltry amount. He had laid firm ground on which Trenchard was able to build his aircraft apprentice scheme. The Origins of Boy Service in the RFC and RAF. I passed out AC1. At Halton, they eventually joined the 49th and 50th Entries which graduated in the late 1940s. Also in 1919, Halton House - a French style mansion built by Lionel de Rothschild . 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 . Promoted to substantive Corporals on graduation, after two years satisfactory productive service they could look forward to being promoted to Sergeant. His role was to assist the pilot to manage the complicated systems in these more advanced aircraft. is a registered charity in England and Wales (1076346) The 40th Entry, which enlisted in August 1939, was the largest ever with 1,285 boys taking the Kings shilling. The AET scheme ended in June 48 1993 with the graduation of the 155th Entry, which also marked the end of apprentice training in the RAF. 3rd June 1935. 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. This Atlantic Star (1939-1945) was sent to the next of kin of Sergeant 570858 Dennison Pierce Broomfield, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action on 8 September 1942, aged 22 years, while serving with No 209 Squadron.