On the 17th May 1945 they were married in St Nicholas Church in Witham, Essex. The reduction of training time reached its nadir with the early graduation of the 39th entry in April 1940 after only 21 months. 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. With over 620 million military records, . 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. They gave of their best in the inter-war years, during WW II, throughout the Cold War and in peacetime, in all theatres, in all circumstances and rightly earned the sobriquet, The Backbone of the Royal Air Force. It is as an apprentice engineering school that Halton is best remembered, and indeed revered, not only in this country but across the industrial world. 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. Bucks HP19 0GF. If you were a 'Trenchard Brat' and not already a member, why not join this elite .
A Definitive History of the RAF Aircraft Apprentice Scheme - Min Larkin Need more information, contact the General Secretary by email to secretary@rafhaa.co.uk. Of course, it is vital that advice is taken from a qualified lawyer; but dealing with these matters is not expensive and gives one peace of mind. 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.
RAF Halton | Royal Air Force He ew in Shackletons with 224, 205 and 201 Sqns, and Nimrods with 201 Sqn as Air Electronics Leader and aircraft captain. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. Only five of Haltons Polish contingent elected to return to Poland. Supply Drops - again very small targets often just a map reference in the middle of a wood. Another short-lived course training medical admin apprentices for one year starting with the 301st Entry in 1964 ended in 1969. 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. Their adult status was recognised by the discontinuance of the apprentice NCO ranks and the removal of all apprentice insignia from uniforms. Below are just some of our members who have served at RAF Apprentices. Until 1951, this mark also governed the rank at which an apprentice graduated. viruses. The Queen Inspecting the Escort Squadron, the 63rd Entry, escorted by Group Captain Don Finlay the parade commander. Passing out parades were always impressive. 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. 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. It was clear that Trenchard wanted highly skilled men at a price the Service could afford from its very meagre budget, and men who would foster an Air Force spirit. RAF Malton. 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. While serving as a squadron leader in Germany in 1945 he ran the British Forces Network in Hamburgh. Monica was one of the first residents there. The statements expressed in this e-mail are personal and do not After the introduction of a new trade structure in 1951, all aircraft apprentices graduated as junior technicians with some gaining accelerated promotion to corporal. They eventually found their true vocations with the advent of the Nimrod and the Tornado in the early 1970s. The RAF Medic is able to handle ambiguity . 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. 24 This contained a myriad of rules which severely restricted an apprentices freedom to spend what precious spare time he was allowed as he might wish. The majority of these pilots became aircraft captains, two making notable contributions to the introduction of the Blind Landing System. A site to help anyone submit a Freedom of Information request. 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. Sgt. To help find them, these trips were always in full moonlight and at low level, generally 500ft, so that the parachutes were in the air for the shortest possible time to avoid detection. A large number of these men are senior Air Vice-Marshals and Air Commodores running the highest technical ofces in the Air Force. Entry, September 1954.
Halton Apprentices - PPRuNe Forums These boys are not only extremely well lodged, fed, and clothed, but are taught trades which will be useful to them in after-life.
Halton 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. 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. 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. These targets were small and did not reveal themselves by searchlight / flak etc, hence accurate navigation was needed. By the mid 1920s Halton apprentices were serving on aircraft carriers, then under the control of the Royal Air Force. In January 1920, the 1st Entry of 235 recruits began their three-year apprenticeship at Cranwell, whilst permanent accommodation was being completed at Halton. His name is Ian Henderson cairms and joined the 81st RAF Halton apprentice. 1 School of Technical Training at Halton in southern England. 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. For these reasons and others, Trenchard instituted the Aircraft Apprentice Scheme to be based at RAF Halton No. 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. and on 5th June 1943 was posted to RAF Hurn and transferred to 38 Group Airborne Forces. If you have any unwanted Unfortunately these . Its trainees graduated as LAC with many of them still less than 17 years of age. Staff appointments involved operations, search and rescue, training and personnel management. Gp Capt Min Larkin CBE MRAeS Min joined the RAF as an aircraft apprentice in 1949. Bombing - apart from the first two, our bombing missions were confined mainly to the near coast of France. Why Forces War Records? You can help us achieve lasting recognition for ex-Halton brats by making a gift to RAFHAA in your will. Need more information, contact the General Secretary by email to. please notify the sender and then delete the e-mail (and file(s) if Age 15- 17 for a a three year course. 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. 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. We all owe a debt of gratitude for the apprentice training we received at Halton. However, because the permanent barrack building 72 programme at Halton had fallen behind schedule, this entry was trained at Cranwell. The Halton trained men . This request has been closed to new correspondence.
Records of RAF Halton apprentice scheme - WhatDoTheyKnow 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. During our time HRH Duke of Kent (Prince George) came round workshops to inspect our work. . Some former apprentices ended up as BBC TV stars. This was, in effect, a direct replacement for AA training, but required lower academic qualifications on entry. Neville Lee. 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. We would overfly the target, not circle around, to ensure we did not attract attention. We never failed to drop our load. View as HTML, Please see attached response to your recent FOI request. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. We provide commercial
The RAF Administrative Apprentice | Genealogy Ensemble An Olympian and an inventor, Dam Busters and Great Escapers come and meet the boys who truly took off! Some apprentices clocked up cricket type scores in days of Jankers, but someone had the good sense to rule that punishments awarded for youthful offences were to be erased from apprentice records on graduation. Of the Halton apprentices who achieved air rank, thirteen were knighted. Many former apprentices who trained as pilots and flight engineers continued to fly with civil airlines. Several hundred ex-apprentices serving on these engagements at the start of hostilities were, however, retained in flying posts. What and where may we have access to such information? 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. 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. The Boys were signed on for 12 years' service from the age of 18 and . 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. About Us. Then on 25th November 1943 she moved to RAF Ringway near Manchester, 38 Group. The aircraft industries were naturally the first port of call for many ex-apprentices where they made magnificent contributions on the shop floor, at all levels of management, and in the boardrooms. After brief service with No. . Reunion and other photographs. Dennis died in 1942, in an aircraft accident. The most famous of the aircraft apprentice alumni is Air Cdre Sir Frank Whittle who gave the world the jet engine. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. We are interested in the apprentice scheme run at RAF Halton No1 Technical Training School from 1922 until closure in 1993. Cliff Michelmore, ultimately became the anchor man for BBC TV news and current affairs programmes. Other tours included, Apprentice Flight Commander at Locking . 1 The curriculum was a mix of traditional schooling and technical apprenticeship in the various air force trades such as engine maintenance and repair, and airframe rigging. All other recruits were enlisted, or commissioned, into the RAFVR.
The site has been in use since the First World War but is due to close by December 2027. Your Association is determined that the role of ex Halton apprentices in the military history of our great nation is recognised by future generations. In 1919, Air Marshal Lord Trenchard foresaw the need to produce a pool of skilled aircraft engineers for the RAF. 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. RAF Halton. Having passed this course I was sent to 90 squadron of 3 Group, Bomber Command, then stationed at Tuddenham, Nr Mildenhall in Suffolk. Ironically, many of the apprentices serving at this time were keen to see these symbols of their past heritage restored. 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. Join Date.
81st RAF Halton apprentice - british-genealogy.com 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. On school days we had various subjects including aerodynamics and technical drawing.
Aircraft Apprentice Scheme - Wikipedia At Halton, they eventually joined the 49th and 50th Entries which graduated in the late 1940s. Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/records_of_raf_halton_apprentice on May 01, 2023 15:11. Your donations keep this site and others like it running. However, as the TSR2 on which they were destined to work had not materialised, many after graduation found themselves posted to single-skill posts. Dennison Pierce Broomfield 209 Squadron (d.8th Sep 1942). The 40th Entry, which enlisted in August 1939, was the largest ever with 1,285 boys taking the Kings shilling. Welcome to Forces Reunited the place where you can find information and friends from RAF Apprentices. Initial trade training was carried out in the workshops and later in a mix of workshops and on redundant aircraft positioned on the airfield. Are you the owner of any commercial copyright on this page? 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. 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. 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. It was a great experiment and was bitterly criticised at the time. Our He was rescued only to be shot down again a few weeks later and killed. The maximum age of recruitment of apprentices was raised to 18 and, exceptionally, 21. The winds of change were now well and truly blowing through Halton. The 103rd Entry has an active Association and has held a number of reunions. Some became top surgeons and a few served on the Crown Court circuit.
Also in 1919, Halton House - a French style mansion built by Lionel de Rothschild . One or two of the photos, have all the names on the back, a group, with names, is dated 28th Aug. Cosford. CHIEF TECHNICIAN Served from 1969 - 1993 Served in RAF Apprentices. 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. The Association magazine, 'The Haltonian', is published twice yearly and additional Newsletters are electronically mailed out four or five times a year. These targets were mainly coastal gun emplacements and launching sites for the V-weapons. Dear Air CmdSecCS-RAFParliBusiness (MULTIUSER). At the end of the war, November 1918 . The move to Halton coincided with the 5th Entry in January 1922 when the rank of Aircraft . 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. 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. 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. However it accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever 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. 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. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Here is the appropriate extract, Some of your Lordships will remember that after the last war we set up in the Air Force a very large training School at Halton. The Army's Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was established in 1912 and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was founded in 1914.
RAF Recruitment | RAF Medic | Royal Air Force John Rogerson. Thus in late 1919 the Halton Apprentice Scheme was promulgated to Local Education Authorities, and entrance examinations were held in London and the provinces. We had to polish all our floors, clean bathrooms. It was, I believe, the largest of its kind in the world. Royal Air Force HAA 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. 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. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Uniquely, at the moment (2016) two former Halton Craft Apprentices hold high executive 69 positions in the two principal RAF Charities: Air Mshl Sir Dusty Miller 210th, is President of the Royal Air Forces Association, and Mr Lawrie Haynes 216th, CEO of Rolls Royce Nuclear and Marine, is Chairman of the Trustees of the RAF Benevolent Fund.
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.. To see photographs of our reunions and of ex 78th entry members . My first flight was in an Avro Tutor 2 seat biplane at Halton airfield. Due to Peters expertise, our crew were given many specialist operations. One of the main difficulties facing the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) from its foundation in 1912 was a shortage of air mechanics. Like this page to receive our updates. Download The Halton trained men provided the nucleus on which the great expansion of the Air Force was centred surely the efficient maintenance of aircraft has also been one of the outstanding features of the war, and that has been made possible by the Halton training of our men. Technician apprentices were recruited with a minimum of four GCE O-levels and more emphasis was placed on their academic training to ensure that most graduated with a National Certificate. Interestingly, apprentices were the only people who continued to join the wartime RAF; from September 1939 until 1945. These were donated by his mother after the war. Top 10 most popular library books since 2016. Contact us if you think it should be reopened. 6d. 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. and a limited company (03277032). Want to know what life was like during the War? 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. We also have our own garden of remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Halton Apprentice Roll of Honour - rafcommands.com Location. The information was collated from graduation records, confirmed by research at the PMA. Sgt. 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. He ew in Shackletons with 224, 205 and 201 Sqns, and Nimrods with 201 Sqn as Air Electronics Leader and aircraft captain. The Halton trained men have provided the nucleus on which the great expansion of the air force was centred. He would get me to take endless star-shots and he continuously consulted his GEE box - a very useful early electronic navigation aid. Here she met my Grandfather, Squadron Leader William Henry Edwards DFC. I passed out AC1. 3rd June 1935. The original Aircraft Apprentice (AA) training started in 1920 and continued until December 1966, with the graduation of the 106th Entry. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
Once you have catered for your loved ones, a generous bequest would help us achieve our Heritage plans. 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. Donate and support our work. The whole estate was purchased by the British Government for the nascent Royal Air Force at the end of the First World War for ?112,000. 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.
Exhibitions | RAF Apprentices Halton Add a Name to this List. The Chairman advises: 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. 12-08-2021, 8:00 PM #2. christanel. is a registered charity in England and Wales (1076346) He had laid firm ground on which Trenchard was able to build his aircraft apprentice scheme. At the navigators order to go, I pushed the package out and she immediately followed. Fortunately for thousands of apprentices yet to come, this point was not pursued. He went on to say that apprentices would form 40% of all ground crews in the Royal Air Force, and 62% of all the skilled tradesmen. 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. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by Other tours included, Apprentice Flight Commander at Locking, avionics development at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, and Deputy OC Brawdy. For the first 50 years of the scheme apprentices were classified as minors and their officers and SNCOs acted in loco parentis. (05798215). 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. Keith Robinson. 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. Our Heritage plans are extensive and likely costly. On the 21st of February 1945 she moved to RAF Rivenhall near Witham in Essex with 38 Group. Did she survive? 29th June 1941 she joined HQ 14 Group. In 1919 Lord Trenchard established the No. Subsequently the RN sent 400 directly recruited Fleet Air Arm apprentices to train with the 38th to 41st Entries. it gained a reprieve with the introduction of the Apprentice Engineering Technician (AET) scheme. He has also told us in Family . Two entries a year were planned. Surely the efcient maintenance of aircraft has also been one of the outstanding features of the war and that has been made possible by the Halton training of our men.. 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. 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. I was confirmed in the station church. 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. the system and for other lawful purposes. 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.
Royal Air Force personnel - The National Archives Reply 13th Jun 2019, 07:36 . He argued that the best way to ensure that, . 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). The Halton Apprentice label soon became synonymous with aeronautical engineering excellence, a reputation that rapidly gained international recognition particularly in the aircraft Industries. 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. We couldnt load the mail server logs for this message. 2 Wing. We are the largest and fastest growing community of UK forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members! 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. 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.