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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 0687.PDF
APRIL 4TH, 1946 FLIGHT 353 f]i(-]i pass on to more specialised train-ii!ir in aero-engineering. The second year apprentices go toAriiroath, where a staff ol about jj officers and 130 non-commissioned officerscommanded by a Captain, superintend the training during the apprentice's re-maining two and a half years. Compre- hensive instruction is given. andexceptional apprentices are selected after two years' training to become cadets [K)and so obtain a permanent commission as ar. engineer officer, with the opportunityot specialising later in aeronautical en- gineering. The boys who train as Artili-cers (Ali), airframes and engines, or (LO) electrical and ordnance, arc givenruminations at the end of each term, u weeks leave is granted annually.On completion of three and a halt -years' training an apprentice spends sixmonths at a Royal Naval Air Station as an Air Artificer Apprentice, after whichhe may be recommended for rating as Air Artificer 5th Class. He is then readylor service with the Air Branch, ashore or afloat, and well on his way to becom-ing one of the most highly skilled and highly paid ratings of the Royal .Navy. Overseas Postings IN a written answer to a question in theHouse of Commons on March 22nd. the Under-Secretary of State for Air en-larged slightly on the statement which he made when introducing the Air Esti-mates, about the reduction of oversea? tours to three years for single men. Hepointed out that it will take until October 1st to complete this reduction,in view of the fact that there was already a heavy programme of release and re-patriation in hand. He also explained that, in order toavoid delays in the release of men due for demobilisation, it had sometimesbeen necessary to send overseas other airmen who had only a limited furtherperiod to serve before themselves be- coming due for release. The sole purposeof such postings was to prevent variation in release between members of theK.A.F. serving in this country and those overseas. R.A.F. Regiment in Action THE K.A.F. Regiment does not alwaysreceive all the credit to which it is entitled. Many units of the .Regimenthad to undertake the most arduous cam- paigning during their service overseas,and the defence of airfields very often resulted in units of the Regiment becom-ing involved in major battles. A good example of R.A.F. Regimentcampaigning is that of the veteran squadron of the Burma campaign—No.2943 Squadron. Formed at Secundera- bad in May, 1943, the Squadron movedto Palel in Assam in November, and a flight was detached to defend Tamu air-field in Burma. It took part, with the Border Regiment, in offensive patrolsinto enemy territory up to the evacua- tion of Tamil airfield, when the flight re-joined the main squadron in defensive "boxes" in the Imphal Valley. FromFebruary to June, 1944. while Imphal was surrounded, the Squadron defendedthe airstrip at Palel, while the Armoured ''light carried out patrols with No. io<>i'l^ade of the 20th Division. In August. UM). with the Japanese retreating, tlK- -quadron carried out fighting patrolswith the 14th Frontier Force Rifles for 3- days, penetrating deep into Burma. After a rest and refit in India, theSquadron returned to Burma. It fol- lowed up the advance from Kalewa onthe Chindwin all the way to Rangoon, and there were many occasions when ithad to advance by forced marches over roads impassable tor vehicles. One flightmarched 35 miles, carrying full kit, in h'hs than 24 hours. The Squadron landed in Java 111October,J945. While at Tanna" Tinngi, just outside Batavia, in December, it wasinvolved in a fierce night battle with Indonesian extremists who attacked aconvoy. For more than three hours, with its camp blazing around it, theSquadron beat off continuous attacks, but escaped without casualty. Sine- that time, tiie Squadron has beenlully occupied guarding the Batavia air- field. At times, the men have beendoing 72 hours' continuous guard duty, and once they were virtually washed outof their tented site by torrential rains which flooded the camp to a depth of afoot. Now, after two and a half years ofactive service, the Squadron is disband- ing in Batavia, and Sqdn. Ldr. R. R. J.Digges, the CO., has already seen more than half the squadron repatriated, tour-expired, within the past three months. , Foreign Decorations THE KING has granted unrestricted permissionfor the wear.ng of the undermentioned decora- tions conferred upon the personnel indicated inrecognition of valuable services rendered in con- nection with '.be war: — Conferred by the President of the United States of America Legion of Merit Degree of Commander Air Marshal D. COLYER. C.B., D.F.C., K.A.F.Air Marshal Sir CHARLES E. H. MEDHUEST, K.C.B., O.B.E., M.C., K.A.F.Air Marshal Sir WILLIAM L. WELSH, K.C B., D.S.C.. A.F.C., R.A.F. (Ret.).Act. Air Marshal Sir WILLIAM A. COEYTON, K.B.E., C.B., M.V.O., D.F.C., R.A.F.Air Vice-Marshal F. H. M. MAYNABD. C.B.. A.F.C., R.A.F. (Ret.).Air Vice-Marshal R. O. JONES. C.B.. A.F.C., R.A.F.Act. Air Vice-Marshal J. A. BOKEI. C.B.F... M.C.. A.F.C., R.A.F.An. Air Vice-Marshal T. M. WILLIAMS. C.B.. O.B.E.. MX.. D.F.C.. R.A.F. Degree of Officer Air Chief Commandant Lauj WELSH W.VA.FAct. Air Vic Marshal It V. ixUNU.n; (Mil-. A.F.C., R.A.F. Air Comdie V 11 LVAETH. C.B.I-;., R.A FAir C'omdre. A. F. LAM; M.B.K.. A FC It A 1 Act. Air Coimire. C. S. CADELL. (.'B F. I: A FAct. Air Conidre I!. O SETMOHI: It. \ 1 . Act. Air Comdie. VV. W. STRAIGHT. (IS )'.. M ( ., D.F.C.. A.D.C., A.A.F.Group Capl. II A V. HociN. D.F.C.. R.A.F. (iionp Cajit. II G. I.EONAHD WILLIAMS, R.A.F.Croup Capt. M. K. t). PoRTEtt, C.B K. It A F Group Capt. F \v. TRIITT, O B E.. Mr. I; \ FAct. Group (.nLH K. N. CLIFTON. I: A F Act. Group (.apt. K. M. JONES If A.F.V ItAct. Wins Cdr. D. N. KKXUALL O.B.F... R.A.F.V.R. Act. Wing Cdi. K. .1. B. Rosi: It.A.FV.U.Fit. l.t G. ('. BARWKLL. R.A.F VR Degree of Legionnaire tiioup Capt. li. C. KlDl>. OB I-;., AFC.. AIM.. R.A.F. Group Capt. F C. READ. C.B.F., It A F Group Capt G K. WOOD. O.B.M., D.F.C.. R.A.F. Act. Wing Cdr. T. II K. EDWARDS, O.B.K. R.A.F.V.R Act. Wing Cdr. C. llr.xisiJ WHITE. M.B.K.. R.A.F. Act. Sqn. Lilr. L .1. BANSISTLU. It.A.I-.V.It. Bronze Star Medal Act. Air Vice Marshal .!. D I. HAHDMAN. C IS..O.B.E, D.FC, It.A F. Air Cotndre. K. I). G. COLLIKR. C B.F.. It.A V.Group Capt. A. N. COMBE, A.F.C., it.A.F. Group Capt. II. A. EVANS-EVANS.Act. Group Capt. D It. EVANS C.B.E., D.F.C., R.A.F.Act. Group Capt 1) C. It. MACDONALD OS O . A.F.C., R.A.F.O Act. Group Capt. S. G WISE, D.F.C.. R.A.F.Act. Wins; Cdr. 1.. A STHANUE. [I.SO O.B.t., M.C., D.F.C.. R.A.F. (IUI.I Fit Ll. T. h. GlLLlESON. It.A.F.V.It. Fit. Lt. R WOOLK, M.B.E., ll.A.F.V.R. Roll of Honour Casualty Communique A'o. 567. Of the names in This list 246 are second piilrics giving later information of casualties published m earlier lists. Royal Air Force KILLED IN ACTION.—8ft. G. F. Buers VIt s«iG. E. Chappell; Sgt. A. T. Furness; i'lO. .1. Parkin, D.F.C.; Sgt. I. a. Platt: F/O. I), w.Southwell. PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING, BELIEVEDXILLEP IN ACTION, NOW PRESUMED KILLED IN ACTION.—Sgt. K. V. Dennis; Fit. Sgt. P. M. Holt. PREVIOUSLY REPORTF.O MISSING, KOW PBE-SITMED KILLED IN ACTION.—Sgt. J. A. Akers; SKI. E. W. Allen; Sgt. A H. Baldwin; Sut. I). ABeaven; Sgt. J. \ Bowen: W/O. E. Bi»<lshaw; Sgt. A. H. Brown; Sgt. E. H. Brown;Fit. Sgt. R. t. W. Buckman; Sgt. ll. Bullock; Fit. Lt. M. L. Carrick; Sst. G. J. J. MORE WAR-WASTE : Shown above are the remains of a Marauder, after being blown up by 20 lb. of T.N.T. The U.S. authorities in Europe have decided that this is the most economical way of destroying the thousands of unwanted aircraft left over from the war.
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