necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the department. Printed from https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/records_of_raf_halton_apprentice on May 01, 2023 15:11. The official contact address for the RAFHAA is as follows: 2021 The Old Haltonians | All Rights Reserved. to help with the costs of keeping the site running. During our time HRH Duke of Kent (Prince George) came round workshops to inspect our work. Once you have catered for your loved ones, a generous bequest would help us achieve our Heritage plans. Catalogue description Records of the Royal Air Force. 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. Included in the syllabus was English and general studies which covered, in some depth, the history of the RAF. We had a station church, swimming pool, workshops and school buildings. 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. The idea was to create future leaders of the technical branch with an appreciation 51 of the challenges faced by aircrew. 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. By the early 1970s, RAF apprentice training had reached a crossroads. The most famous of the aircraft apprentice alumni is Air Cdre Sir Frank Whittle who gave the world the jet engine. Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. 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. Some former apprentices ended up as BBC TV stars. Under the continuing pressure on manpower another very important decision for the future of the RFC was taken; it was decided to recruit boys. 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. 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. Oct 2004. 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. 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) We are now on Facebook. 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. Indeed some AETs were married during training, had children and lived in MQs. 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 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. In 1919 Lord Trenchard established the No. He had left school in July 1964 and was headed off to join the Royal Air Force at RAF Hereford to enter a one-year Administrative Apprentice training course as part of the 301 st cohort known as an 'entry' (1) A week later, on the 2nd of September 1964, he took the Oath of Allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen. Introduction of the Halton apprentice scheme. 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. 57K Fortunately for thousands of apprentices yet to come, this point was not pursued. Ironically, many of the apprentices serving at this time were keen to see these symbols of their past heritage restored. Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Craft Apprentices graduated as junior technicians but without formal academic qualifications, unless taken ex-curriculum. The Trenchard Museum aims to preserve and display items that relate to the history of Royal Air Force Halton. 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. In addition to all these privileges they enjoyed six weeks holiday a year, mid-term breaks, and were paid, albeit a paltry amount. We all owe a debt of gratitude for the apprentice training we received at Halton. When RAF Halton closes (circa 2025), the Association wants to create a Heritage centre in St George's Church where the contents of the . In 1930 he won the first of his 8 Amateur Athletic Association titles and represented his country at the Empire Games. 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. Although offered a five year engagement in the RAF, most opted to leave the Service. 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. His role was to assist the pilot to manage the complicated systems in these more advanced aircraft. Because of lack of accommodation at Halton, the school was originally located at RAF Cranwell in 1920. On 25th October 1942 she moved to RAF Hurn near Bournemouth, Hants. The MOD has taken steps to keep this e-mail and any attachments free from Bucks HP19 0GF. 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. In addition to their responsibilities under the tenets of normal military discipline, each apprentice was issued with a small booklet entitled Standing Orders for Apprentices. Early morning a boy went to cookhouse and brought back a bucket of tea and biscuits known as gunfire. 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. 2nd May 2009, . the system and for other lawful purposes. On 14th October 1945 she resigned her Commission and left WAAF Service. However, as the TSR2 on which they were destined to work had not materialised, many after graduation found themselves posted to single-skill posts. 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. 12-08-2021, 8:00 PM #2. christanel. 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. Passing out parades were always impressive. Many former apprentices who trained as pilots and flight engineers continued to fly with civil airlines. To meet this requirement a two-year Craft Apprentice (CA) Scheme, with a new numbering series starting with the 201st Entry, was introduced, Hunters, and the occasional Sea Hawk, in Haltons workshops. 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. 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. Why Forces War Records? This scheme, which included Sir Frank Whittle "father of the jet engine", trained . Your help would be gratefully received. John Rogerson. 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. We provide commercial SERGEANT Served from 1962 - 1975 Served in RAF Apprentices. It was a great experiment and was bitterly criticised at the time. The types of missions which my squadron undertook while I was with them are described below: Our navigator, Peter Ashford, was excellent; throughout every flight, even when he knew fairly certainly where we were, he continually checked his calculations. About half way through this course an appeal was launched for training as Flight-Engineer. Photographs at RAF Halton 1954 - 1957 Official photographs. 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. 12-08-2021, 8:00 PM. We also have our own garden of remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum. Only five of Haltons Polish contingent elected to return to Poland. With an average of 2,000 boys in residence at any one time, the establishment of RAF Police at Halton, known as Snoops to apprentices, was higher than normal. He was rescued only to be shot down again a few weeks later and killed. Join Date. 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. He became Sergeant 570858 of 209 Squadron RAF Volunteer Reserve. The brass wheel badge, introduced in April 1919 and subsequently worn by apprentices on the upper left sleeve. 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. It was opened by his grandson on the 26 June 1999. To see photographs of our reunions and of ex 78th entry members . D. Bell made this Freedom of Information request to Ministry of Defence My father was in the RAF after the war, based in Ismalia, by now married, with mum and me as a baby. 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 the late 1950s, a study was initiated into the RAFs youth training requirements. Initial trade training was carried out in the workshops and later in a mix of workshops and on redundant aircraft positioned on the airfield. He remustered to aircrew as an Air Signaller/Air Gunner in 1953 and was commissioned as an Air Electronics Ofcer in 1959. From 3rd November 1943 to 14th November 1943 she was detached on course to W.O.S Windemere in the Lake District. Several hundred ex-apprentices serving on these engagements at the start of hostilities were, however, retained in flying posts. Activities of 38 Group were towing of gliders and dropping of parachutists. Leadership and management experience were Time-expired airframes were used to provide hands-on experience. Every November we organise the annual Apprentices Service of Remembrance at the Halton Tribute. Medically fit potential recruits were offered training in the trade of their 12 choice, or one the selectors thought more appropriate for them. Donate and support our work. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources. Apprentice Flight Commanders were always busy during lunch hours hearing charges but never. The site has grown as people send in old photos of those days . On school days we had various subjects including aerodynamics and technical drawing. RAF Database Global Search: Enter a name, number or an Aircraft Serial to search all our databases! Download 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. Recent discoveries include six George Cross and thirteen George Medal winners among the former apprentice fraternity. For example, a new training school was set up at Netheravon with 200 men, another was formed at Reading with 1,000, and one in a converted jam factory at nearby Coley with another 2,000, and there were many others, large and small. 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 RAFs previous reliance on maintenance by repair was being superseded by a new concept of repair by component change. The Apprenticeship Scheme was launched in October 1919, when selection examinations were held around the country. 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. The Queen Inspecting the Escort Squadron, the 63rd Entry, escorted by Group Captain Don Finlay the parade commander. 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. 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. 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. Thousands of former apprentices made senior officer rank and many more Flight Lieutenant. Although thousands of former apprentices had very successful careers in the RAF, many did not reach their full potential until life beyond the Service. 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. These publications are free to members and assist in keeping us all in touch. 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. Monica was one of the first residents there. 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. of the recipient to perform all necessary checks. 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. With over 620 million military records, . A large minority of the boys joining the RAF as apprentices saw it as a route via which they might achieve their true ambition, which was to become pilots. Run by Volunteers and powered by Alaveteli. John King No 1 School of Technical Training RAF Halton, 17th Jan 1939 575533 Aircraft Apprentice J King. In 1943 hundreds of boys, many orphans, were driven out of Poland by Hitler and, after a tortuous journey through the Middle East, ended up in the UK. 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. 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. Add a Name to this List. However it accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever 1, Pipit Gardens If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 261373 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible. Halton apprentice training gave many a boy from a humble background the chance to aspire to heights not normally expected of him. 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. 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. In the third year of training, all apprentices were required to produce a dissertation of 5,000 words on a subject of their choice. and on 5th June 1943 was posted to RAF Hurn and transferred to 38 Group Airborne Forces. This very deliberate commissioning from the ranks was an outstanding example of social mobility, uncommon for the time. What are the limitations? Want to find out more about your relative's service? In 1922 the school moved permanently to RAF Halton and was fully operational by 1926. Of the Halton apprentices who achieved air rank, thirteen were knighted. Your help would be gratefully received. He has also told us in Family . Over the years, some members have made bequests to our Association in their wills in preparation for their final postings. The trades taught evolved with the ever developing advances in aeronautical engineering but they were principally engines, airframes, armaments, instruments, electrics and wireless. Your Association is determined that the role of ex Halton apprentices in the military history of our great nation is recognised by future generations. 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. World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945. please A large number of these men are senior Air Vice-Marshals and Air Commodores running the highest technical ofces in the Air Force. Their adult status was recognised by the discontinuance of the apprentice NCO ranks and the removal of all apprentice insignia from uniforms. 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. . This request has been closed to new correspondence. 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. Halton apprentice pay account sample sheet. Our Association details are provided on the rear page of the Haltonian and are sufficient for most lawyer's needs. 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. Need more information, contact the General Secretary by email to. If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small . 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. 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. caused as a result of any virus being passed on. Posts. Entry, September 1954. Flight Engineers accounted for more than 400 of these names. The move to Halton coincided with the 5th Entry in January 1922 when the rank of Aircraft . For example: 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. Why Forces War Records? 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. If you have any unwanted 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. intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is 1 School of Technical Training at Halton in southern England. In February 1920, still known as Boy Mechanics, the first intake of 235 was accepted at Cranwell for a three-year apprenticeship. 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.. christanel. I was up in the NAAFI listening to the wireless. We had to polish all our floors, clean bathrooms. Permanent workshops were constructed to house the RFC's many trades. Although the government took options on the purchase of the American F-111 this never came about. The Chairman advises: AET Prevett, the Parade Commander, was so chuffed, he wore a wheel on both arms. a week. The Boys were signed on for 12 years' service from the age of 18 and . Over 1,000 other 65 gallantry awards went to former aircraft apprentices and some 3000 were Mentioned in Dispatches. Thames Valley Police have concluded an investigation and agreed that such crimes did take . Reunion and other photographs. The first entry under the scheme will take place early in 1920 at Cranwell and move 10 to Halton as soon as permanent accommodation is ready.. Watermead Some who graduated as LACs 33 in the 1920s were given immediate further training at Henlow and took up their first appointments as corporals. Captain Eric Poole was the first pilot to land an aircraft using the system while carrying passengers and Captain Charles Owens was the first to land an aircraft using it with Her Majesty the Queen on board. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy, Please enter a password with 6 characters or more. All apprentices studied the same mathematics, mechanics and engineering drawing syllabuses, but engineering science was tailored to suit an individuals trade. the training of our mechanics in the multiplicity of trades necessitated by a highly technical Service is to enlist the bulk of our skilled ranks as boys, and train them ourselves. They were woken with Reveille at 0630hrs, called on colour hoisting 18 parade at 0730hrs and sent to bed at 2145hrs. 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. 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. In 1919 Lord Trenchard established the No. This custom continues at RAF Cosford today, 75 the current home of No 1 School of Technical Training, where young men and women are trained as aircraft engineering technicians on a modern apprenticeship course. For many years this sign was displayed in a prominent place in each of the Workshops Bays. If you are not the intended recipient or there are problems History of the Royal Air Force. In 1919, Air Marshal Lord Trenchard foresaw the need to produce a pool of skilled aircraft engineers for the RAF. We would overfly the target, not circle around, to ensure we did not attract attention. 3rd June 1935. Halton apprentices loyalty and devotion to duty during WW II was recognised by the large number of decorations they received. Cliff Michelmore, ultimately became the anchor man for BBC TV news and current affairs programmes. My Grandmother always said that if she had her time all over again and had option to delete her war service, she most definitely would not and is rightly proud of her achievements. 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 . 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. Most notable of these was Cliff Michelmore who was an aircraft apprentice in the 32nd Entry which graduated from Halton in 1938. 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. Thank you. By the mid 1920s Halton apprentices were serving on aircraft carriers, then under the control of the Royal Air Force. 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. 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. Through war-time and peace-time, being honoured by the Queen and honouring a Prime Minister, welcoming trainees from around the world and moving to bases across the UK since 1920, the RAF Apprentices have been part of significant events in history. Helping people find out more about their relatives wartime experiences since 1999 by This theme was very shortlived and was terminated after ten intakes. 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 Oath of Allegiance. It was on one of these drops, I think the one dated 29th April, that we took a passenger with us. These had to be accurately placed and this called for very accurate navigation. The cost of running Halton was a contentious issue in the early days. If you were a 'Trenchard Brat' and not already a member, why not join this elite group; we have regular reunions involving hundreds of your ex-colleagues. She was brought out to our aircraft just as we were about to take off. Rowland James George Bazell B Flight 90 Squadron. 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. concurrently with the TA scheme. Our barrack room had 30 boys in it. 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. 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. The two views shown are the front and reverse faces of 'The Tribute'; a sculpture which is located in front of Kermode Hall, previously Patron - Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Armitage - Obituary, The Royal Air Force Apprentices' Association (RAFHAA), the Old Haltonians, was. They spent most of their first year at Halton and Cranwell settling into their new country and learning English. 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. This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. He trained at RAF Halton as an aircraft apprentice, known as Trenchards Brats. it gained a reprieve with the introduction of the Apprentice Engineering Technician (AET) scheme. We had lunch on airfield from field kitchens, on 3rd Sept 1939 I heard Mr Chamberlain say we were at war with Germany. What and where may we have access to such information? 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. Your donations keep this site and others like it running. The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers and the free to access part of the website is funded by donations from our visitors. addressed. Keith Robinson. Academic training was comparable with that of a good technical college and was to National Certificate level. Other tours included, Apprentice Flight Commander at Locking . If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page. The Origins of Boy Service in the RFC and RAF. 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.
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