Proud boys who found their wings in the ATC

Smartly lining up for their photograph to be taken in their uniforms and berets, it is hard to imagine these young airmen are actually schoolboys.

Nostalgic photographs of the Air Training Corps have been uncovered by Alec Brew, who is researching the squadrons in the Black Country to mark its 70th anniversary. Alec, aged 62, grew up in Oaken and the nearest ATC was two miles away in Codsall, near Wolverhampton.

"I think my parents thought it was too far to go for the ATC and so I never joined — which is something I now regret," he said.

"Looking back over the old photos has been wonderful and I love the picture of an instructor and student sitting in an aircraft with their berets on — they used to go up like that and it is amazing their hats didn't fly off."

On January 1, 1941 the Air Ministry took over the Air Defence Cadet Corps, which had been created in 1938 to give 20,000 boys aged 14-18 some of the basic instruction they would need to become airmen.

The Wolverhampton Wing consisted of 1045, 1046 and 1047 Squadrons, which had closed flights at Wolverhampton Grammar School and Technical College for their own pupils and open flights for any ATC cadet in places including Codsall and Wombourne.

Alec, who lives in Blakeley Avenue, Claregate, says: "The headquarters were in the warehouse next to Clarksons furniture store in Snow Hill, where three old aircraft were kept, a Gloster Gauntlet fighter, and Avro 504 trainer and a De Havilland Don trainer.

"The cadets learned Morse code, basic drill and to recognise the stars for astro-navigation, should they become navigators."

By the end of 1938, 172 squadrons were in existence in the UK. Officers were selected by squadron committees and commissioned by the Air League.

Cadets paid 3d a week and the plan was to attract and train young men who had an interest in aviation. When the Second World War started, cadets went to work at RAF stations, when not in school. They carried messages, provided extra muscle in handling aircraft, filled thousands of sandbags and loaded miles of belts of ammunition.

Alec, author of 30 local history books, said: "The Air Ministry also decided that cadets should learn to fly, and this was done on single seat gliders. During the war gliding was done at Walsall Airport, and afterwards at RAF Lichfield and RAF Cosford.

"During the war they went to local RAF stations like RAF Hixon, where cadets were taken aloft in Wellington bombers."

In Wolverhampton 1046 Squadron still operates in Bee Lane, Fordhouses and 1047 Squadron in Warstones Road, Penn with flying at RAF Cosford.

Alec says: "It is good that the ATC is still going strong and both boys and girls are now able to join."