FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1949
1949 - 2016.PDF
FLIGHT, 22 December 1949 PASSING-OUT PARADE Cranwelt's 48th Entry Reviewed Before Leaving College Illustrated by " Flight" Photographs ON Wednesday of last week, a perfect winter's day,Field Marshal Sir William J. Slim, G.B.E.. K.C.B.,D.S.O., M.C., Chief of the Imperial General Staff, reviewed No. 48 Entry on the completion of their courseat R.A.F. College, Cranwell. The low December sun and the clear blue sky, throwingthe College building into high relief, formed an ideal back- cloth for the parade—a scene spoilt only where corrugatedroofing and temporary brickwork still covered wartime scars. The perfect conditions may have had something todo with it, but the impression was gained that College standards are nearly back to those of pre-war days. Thedrill, with all its peace-time embellishments, was virtually perfect and the slow march-past in line, if a trifle funereal,was immensely impressive. After taking the salute Sir William motored to the air-field to inspect the Flying Wing which, for the first time, boasted a Meteor 7 among its .aircraft. Flanking theMeteor were two Ansons, twelve Prentices and twelve Harvards. At the close of the inspection, cadets, guests and friendsforgathered in the gymnasium for the prize-giving, where Air Cdre. G. R. Beamish, C.B., C.B.E., Commandant ofthe College, addressed the assembly and thanked the Field Marshal for his attendance: he pointed out that ten days Field MarshalSirWilliam Slim, followed by Air Cdre. Beamish, inspect- ing the cadets. (Right) Presenting the Sword of Honour to Fit. Cadet Under-offtcer J. R. E. Edmondson-Jones. previously Sir William had performed the same duty atWest Point" in the U.S.A. and would the next day be at Sandhurst to take the Sovereign's Parade of officer cadets.The Commandant went on to speak of the changes which had come about at Cranwell, and of how the cadets ofNo. 48 Entry had themselves observed, during their time there, the increasing emphasis and requirements of flyingtraining. They had seen, he said, a re-organization of the programme, specifically designed to serve the needs offlying training while still retaining a balance with continued education and officer training. A laugh greeted Air Cdre. Beamish's remark that No.48 were the last entry to complete their basic training on Tiger Moths, and so would be the last to be able to boretheir grandchildren with tales of " the old biplane days." On the other hand, he said, doubtless they have seen (withsome heartburning) the Meteor 7 being prepared to give their successors atleast a little passenger experience in high-performance aircraft. The prizewinners, went on the AirCommodore, are well worthy of their success and I must commiserate withthose who ran them extremely close. Fit. Cdt. rinder-officer Parkinson wasvery near indeed to winning the prize for Imperial and War Studies, as wasFit. Cdt. Cpl. Parratt to both the award of the Royal United ServicesInstitution and to the Science and Engineering Prize. Fit. Cdt. Sgt.Clements' excellent showing as a cadet N.C.O. might well have earnedhim an award. THE PRIZE-WINNERS Left to right : Fit. Cdt. Under-officer I. N. Mere- dith. Philip Sassoon Memorial Prize ; Fit. Cdt. Cpl. A. R. L. Chester, Robert Marsland Groves Mem- orial Prize and Dickson Trophy ; Fit. Cdt. Under- officer J. R. E. Ed mondson-Jones, Sword of Honour, King's Medal and John Anthony Chance Memorial Prize ; Fit. Cdt. Cpl. R. E. Webster, Abdy Gerrard FeUowes Memorial Prize for Aeronautical Science; Fit. Cdt, Sgt. R. J. Spiers, Air Ministry Prize for • Imperial War Studies ; Fit. Cdt. Sgt. A. N. H. Heap, Royal United Service Institution Award.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
