So has anyone bought / read this yet? Was published in April. Looks good, but I will have to order it, regardless. And is HR ‘Ray’ Kidd OBE the Yorkshire-based Corps history expert that I’ve heard lots of good things about, or am I getting my wires crossed? Possibly the official Corps Historian…?
wilf_san
Copy on my bedside table which I’m thumbing through on occasions. So far, good read.
[quote=“wilf_san” post=18923] And is HR ‘Ray’ Kidd OBE the Yorkshire-based Corps history expert that I’ve heard lots of good things about, or am I getting my wires crossed? Possibly the official Corps Historian…?
[/quote]
He is indeed based in Yorkshire, he is the Wing President of Central & East Yorkshire Wing. I am not sure if he is Corps Historian, I seem to recall he has something to do with that though. He was particularly helpful regarding queries on my own Squadron’s history.
My order will be in for this book towards the end of this week. Sounds excellent!
Does it seem to be written as a neutral historical research record, or is there any level of narrative opinion/conclusion?
wilf_san
Proud to say I am in it !!
AJ
[quote=“wilf_san” post=18923]
So has anyone bought / read this yet? Was published in April. Looks good, but I will have to order it, regardless. And is HR ‘Ray’ Kidd OBE the Yorkshire-based Corps history expert that I’ve heard lots of good things about, or am I getting my wires crossed? Possibly the official Corps Historian…?
wilf_san[/quote]
Official gift to Gp Capt Maddison ex Air Cadet
Can anyone recommend the best place to purchase from?
The author said that the best place price-wise seems to vary.
From memory the three retailers he mentioned were Amazon, Pen and Sword and Waterstones. The cheapest is currently Amazon.co.uk at £22.75.
EDIT: That said, it is currently £20.59 here.
shame its not available on the iPad
Good Lord, Air Experience in a Horsa…
Would anyone like to write the risk assessment for that?!
Have you not seen the Grasshopper videos?
Yes, but in those you only get to crash earthbound, screaming on your own. In a Horsa you get to do it with thirty of your mates!
Ah, but it is (now). Happy Christmas!
I’ve just bought the Kindle version via Amazon, and found that it is an extremely-good book. Santa failed to deliver a copy for me last week (and this on top of a predictable procurement delay my side, earlier in the year) so, I bit the bullet and went for it.
If you haven’t bought a copy so far, I strongly recommend it. The book is very comprehensive : quite surprisingly so.
It openly and fairly acknowledges it’s main sources (including Philpott’s “Challenge in the Air” and my previous favourite history of the organisation, Lamond’s elusive and almost-forgotten masterpiece). This new book successfully weaves these and other strands together into an updated 21st century tapestry of the RAF Air Cadets. With close to encyclopaedic coverage of every area of activity (pick your area of interest, If it’s not there I will eat my beret). I do now see why it took so long in the making - bravo Sir, good job.
Perhaps I’m being unfair when I say I feel that it’s not being sufficiently marketed, as possibly it is being shouted from the rooftops, and my day-job delights are just limiting my own awareness of that.
But it deserves a little reboot, here, on ACC.
Vulcan (there’s a classic Air Cadet Central user name you don’t often see in the Arrivals Lounge these days) if you do see the author in passing, down in Yorks, please do give him a massive and well-deserved thanks for all his efforts.
wilf_san
Greetings,
I agree the book is excellent book. I got it as a present, also if you’re thinking of joining or going for commission or nco its a great source of info. It should be more widely advertised. What was interesting was the origins of the much discussed VRT. You can see how the ATC evolved so differently from the other cadet services and how the attempt to make them run im parallel is not going to work, different ethos, background and service support and histories. I think never the twain shall meet too many different things are important to each force
Interesting, I haven’t had the chance to read the whole book yet, I’ll look-out for a section that includes detail regarding the origins and early history of the VRT.
Agreed re the importance of the book to anyone considering uniformed adult service. Definitely on the required reading list.
wilf_san
[quote=“charliecharlie2k12” post=19676]Can anyone recommend the best place to purchase from?[/quote]Poundland?
Not really a book, surely more of a pamphlet?
Dear Bucket, clearly you’re unaware of the definition of a pamphlet.
In my world, that does not include high-quality bound hardback reference books weighing in at a kilo-and-a-half. Nor does the term ‘pamphlet’ include an 8,000 page e-book, properly formatted for Kindle.
Try reading it before dismissing it. And no, you won’t find this book in a pile of remnants, stacked in one of the types of shop you’re suggesting. Borrow a copy from someone, or your local library, and you’ll see why.
wilf_san
Decided to pull the trigger on it yesterday, on Kindle for iPhone …a very detailed and very impressive, well-researched book.
I have to say I found numerous typos however, and one or two mistakes that I spotted; but overall probably the most comprehensive history of the ACO that has yet been produced, judging by comments on here (I haven’t read Lamond or Philpott sadly).
Chapters 1-3 in particular merit special attention, covering the inception of what became the ADCC, and the transition from the ADCC to the ATC (in its original and widest form, including the UAS, and the “Air Sections of the OTC” - i.e. CCF(RAF)!)
Most interesting for me was that what we (in the ATC at least ) are taught / teach in respect of the origins of the “air cadet movement” - in ACP31 - is not entirely accurate in that omits the Bournemouth Young Airmen’s League (which almost became the British Young Airmen’s League) …was BYAL the basis / model for Chamier’s ADCC? (I believe that Wg Cdr Kidd strongly implies this in “Horizons”) …so - if Air Cdre Chamier is the Father of the air cadet movement, are the “Founding Fathers” of the air cadet movement actually Charles Longman and Robert Weller?
One are where I was disappointed is that there is no detail on that perennial (or in recent times at least…) and thorny question of why it was decided that Officers for service with the ATC (which 1941-48 incorporated what were to become the RAF(CCF) Sections) should be commissioned into a specifically created RAFVR Training branch.
Long standing members of ACC will know my interest in this, and I’ll admit I’d love to research it further if I had the time. There MUST be some ex-Air Ministry files in the National Archives at Kew relating to the policy decisions behind the formation of the ATC, and the decision commissioning Officers into the RAFVR(T) - whilst allowing Sqns / Civilian Committees to recruit and appoint Civilian Instructors and Warrant Officers locally, and into the ATC, not the RAFVR(T).
I suspect, the answer - as usual - lies in custom, tradition, and historical precedent. The Officer Training Corps (OTC) formed out of Haldane’s reforms of the Army, was established by Royal Warrant in 1908 (much as the Air Training Corps was established by Royal Warrant in 1941! …precedent?!); with Junior Divisions in schools, and Senior Divisions in Universities. In essence, the Junior Divisions of the OTC were to become the CCF in 1948, with the Senior Divisions becoming what we now know as UOTCs within the TA (Army Reserve!). I can’t find the 1908 OTC Royal Warrant online, but if it specifies that Officers for service with the OTC are to be commissioned into the TA; then we have the obvious precedent for Officers for service with the ATC commissioning into the newly and specifically created RAFVR(T), as specified in the ATC Royal Warrant. Wait out 
Cheers
BTI
I have to agree with wilf sans comment
BYAL…interesting point, certainly raised previously, by either (or both) Philpott and/or Lamond. But surely Charmier saw the specific need for an ADCC with the exact combination of syllabus skills to fit the growing needs of the prewar RAF? So: if he realistically envisioned the scale and scope of the two Corps, he fairly retains victor’s rights to be known as the Father?
I’ve some more insights on this, BTI. May try and put it up on the forum over New Year…Interested to see what you unearth in the way of OTC parallels.
wilf_san
ps I still need to relocate the Kew research that was done a long time back by others (for non-ACO reasons) which helps partly explain this…
