Recruiting of regulars and National Servicemen
into the RAF in the early days of the Cold War was really
massive. The Army recruited far more, of course, but recruits
went to individual regiments for training while in the RAF
training was centralised.
All recruits went first to one of two Reception
Units (RU), No 1 RU at RAF Padgate (until 1953) or No 2
RU at RAF Cardington in Bedfordshire for initial medicals
and kitting out. Several thousand a month were handled in
a process that took up 3-5 days. Each day a batch of recruits
was dispatched to a School of Recruit Training(S of RT).
For short journeys, transport was by truck but for longer
distances, special trains were chartered..
Essentially there were five S of RTs although
some other RAF stations were also used for short periods:
Bridgnorth: No 7 S of RT, Shropshire; from
November 1945 to February 1961 although it continued for
regulars for another 2 years
Hednesford: No. 11 S of RT, Staffordshire;
from October 1950 to December 1956; intake on Wednesdays;
all potential National Service officers (POMs) and Jews
went here.
Padgate: No 3 S of RT, near Warrington, from
August 1945 to March 1957;
West Kirby: No. 5 S of RT, Wirral, from September
1946 to December 1957; intake on Mondays (to 1956) then
Fridays;
Wilmslow: No 4 S of RT, Manchester, WAAFs
also trained here; from November 1948 to November 1959;
Each S of RT was organised on similar lines
with an intake of 100-120 men a week for 8-week periods
of training. Each had 4 Wings comprising 2 Squadrons with
4 Flights in each Squadron. The men in a Flight would be
housed in 5 or 6 huts, most with a corporal drill instructor
in a separate room. A flight lieutenant, perhaps supported
by a junior officer but always with a flight sergeant or
sergeant, would command each Squadron. Basic training consisted
of drill, weapons training and fitness training with occasional
lectures on other topics. Sport was on Wednesday afternoons.
Usually one week of the eight was given over to fatigues
and guard duties. At any one time a typical S of RT would
be training up to 3,500 men.
Anthony Upton writes in: "My Paybook
was marked Hostilities Only, Called up June 1946, Basic
training carried out at Compton Bassett, Wilts. Demob August
1948.Service No. 3084952."
Others had various experiences of staying
at one RAF Station all their service, others moved frequently,
but all shared a common bond which stays with them all their
life.
The Royal
Air Force
RAF
Hednesford
RAF
West Kirby
RAF
YatesburyAssociationi/ incorporates RAF Compton Bassett,
Cherhill & Townsend)
RAF
Yatesbury Pictures
RAF
Stations and Aerodromes
Royal
Air Force History
The
RAF Regiment
RAF
- AIRFIELD CONSTRUCTION BRANCH. 1941 to 1966
