ATC Sunday 2013- ATC Founding by British Pathe 1941

Adult Staff The Staff Mess
1

Anything planned for this 2013 ATC Sunday?

Here’s Sir Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air, giving an ATC formation speech from his London office, in 1941.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/air-training-for-boys-of-sixteen

[Also another brilliant British Pathe newsreel from Manchester with extremely-rare footage of ADCC Officers and Cadets, plus the very-first ATC Cadets. Wish it lasted a bit longer…

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/junior-raf-on-sleeve-as-junoir-r-a-f

It captures some of the uniform curiousities of the ADCC, including the strangely-located badges on the forage caps (Offrs and Cadets), the silver rank-braid worn on the shoulders of Officers’ No1s (also all-chrome buttons, including at the cuff). They wore silver "C"s on their lapels (and I think the morse traing officer is ranked as Cdt Air Commodore?). There’s also a Cadet Flt Sgt, and I can’t tell if he’s ATC or ADCC…but he’s wearing ringed eagles above his stripes, as crowns were banned. Intriguingly, he seems to have a flying brevet. Some of the ADCC Officers appear to have RAF or RFC brevets from previous service…and the US-style foot-drill left turn is…different?]

wilf_san

2

I love things like this…

I’d also love to see the ATC revive these old ADCC and ATC specific customs, uniforms, etc… they should be something to be proud of and give the Air Cadets a positive identity of their own rather than being advertisments for the RAF all the time.

About the turn: I think that was pretty standard around that time. I’ve been lead to believe that HM Forces (less the Navy) only started foot stamping and swinging arms shoulder high during the Cold War.

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The turn was the way we did it in the 70s and in the RN in 80s.
No full volume shouty drill commands or stamping of feet on board in case you woke up your off watch oppos who were getting some kip. That included the Officers, Senior and Junior rates.
This bring your knee up to right angles used to be an army thing - can’t get used to seeing it in blue uniform.

Off topic…
Parading with the army was great fun…
“Parade Shun” from the “Army shouty man” always had a delayed reaction as we translated it into “Parade Ho” and came to attention.
And no, we didn’t have Squad will turn to Port, port turn - tis an urban myth.
It used to be Squad with turn Red Niner Zero.