Hi, I found this picture with names on the back, taken on the 17th of September 1940. Any info or help on anything to do with these brave guys will be great. Thanks James
They all appear to be erks (rank - Aircraftsman) - all wearing OR's sidecap and no signs of any rank insignia anywhere on them. Not too sure what was still being done at Cranwell in September 1940 - I thought they had closed the RAF College by then and stopped accepting gentleman who were getting a regular commission. But it could have been first day of flight training.
It also looks like Roland Reddy on the RH side of the picture. Could be this guy....... ACCOUNTANT BRANCH To be Actg. Plt. Offs. on prob. (emergency): Sgts. 4th Feb. 1943 752035 Dennis James CHAPMAN (138615) 955736 Eric CROW (138639) 902783 Frederick Ronald HAYBALL (138640) 1006415 Roland Simpson REDDY (138643)
For comparison, here is a June 1940 photo of a similar course: http://www.raf-lincolnshire.info/cranwell/cranwellphotoh01.htm ETS Course 174B at RAFC Cranwell, pictured in Jun 1940. This photograph appears with kind permission of Charmaine Finch. Her father, Douglas Arthur Finch is on the top row, third from the right. http://www.raf-lincolnshire.info/cranwell/cranwellphotoh02.htm Signatures of ETS Course 174B at RAFC Cranwell who were photographed in Jun 1940. This photograph appears with kind permission of Charmaine Finch. Her father, Douglas Arthur Finch is on the top row, third from the right.
RAF Cranwell college was indeed closed at the outbreak of the war but reopened immediately as the RAF College Flying Training School,one of six such schools formed with Cranwell continuing the flying training role throughout the war. Cranwell was the HQ of No 21 Group Training Command from December 1938 until July 1944. Besides hosting the college,the site offered officer administrative training courses from before the war.....a source for those destined for non commissioned roles in the same disciplines were trained as apprentices at RAF Halton Following the evolution of the ETS (Equipment Training School). It started as the School of Store Accounting and Storekeeping in July 1934 but in December 1936 was renamed the ETS and remained at Cranwell until June 1941. In addition,Cranwell was a Supplies Depot from October 1936 to November 1949. Cranwell also hosted the School of Clerks Accountancy from May 1939 until the end of January 1941 Cranwell was a large RAF station during the war with a strength claimed to be in the order of 7000 servicemen with a further 3000 civilians employed on the site.
That one is in the middle of a block issued at Padgate September 1939. One of the signatures looks like David Hedley Phillips but nothing in the LG.
Hello Neil Forum member who first posted was last online here in Dec 2016 I have sent him a message on your behalf Regards Clive
