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Joining the RAF

I joined the Air Training Core in 1942, 424 Squadron. I was a volunteer reserve and I wanted to fly with the RAF. I wrote a letter to the RAF and asked if I could join. I was then sent a letter in 1943 in which I was invited to go to Oxford to see if I would qualify to join. There was a health check, and a maths and English test which I passed, but I was told that I would not be able to become a pilot because I was too short. I passed all the selection exams and was asked what else I would like to do and as I had trained in Morse code in the Air Training Core I said I would like to be a wireless operator. I did qualify to join as a wireless operator and air gunner. Because of my age, 17 and a quarter, I could not join for three months, at which time I went to Air Crew Reception Centre in Saint Johns’ Wood, London in July 1943. The food was great and so were the mates. We were given jabs and we were kitted out with uniforms. Our days consisted of square bashing. Then we went to initial training wing in Bridlington where we did more square bashing. Our squad would over take all the other squads, quick marching to be the first to get to the cook house. Whilst I was there I was also trained to use a 303 Browning machine gun. The training consisted of aiming from a low flying plane and aiming at a Trow.
I then went to Madley to train as a wireless operator at number 4 Radio School. We went to school from 8.00am to 6.00pm 6 days a week. The Nissan hut that we lived in was in an orchard and you walked a mile up the road to the eating quarters and then a mile in the opposite direction to the school. We did some administration but most of the day was spent in Harwell Boxes, where we learnt the Morse code, wearing ear phones all, and learning about radio theory. The transmitter was called 1154 and the receiver was called the 1155. We did this for three months.
My first air trip was in an Anson Plane, five got in with an instructor, who gave each of us a turn to use the equipment. I used the equipment first, but by the time the third, fourth and fifth chaps turn came, they were all too sick to complete the test. I did this three times and then I qualified and went on to Proctors. This is a single-engined air craft and there would be just me and the pilot. I did this for 8 months and I then took a Morse code and radio theory test which I passed and I was made a sergeant. Shortly after this, a list was made up of twenty RAF chaps from Madley who were going to be sent to India. I volunteered to go to India in place of another person, who had a family at home but in the end the list was shortened to eighteen and as I was the twentieth on the list, I didn’t go.
I was then sent to an Advanced Flying Unit at Staverton, where we flew in Wellingtons. This lasted for another 2 months. I then went onto Heavy Con Unit where I went on to Lancasters. I then went to 85 Operator Training Unit and took the trade test which I passed with 95% and I was promoted to Flight Sergeant. I was then sent to 101 Squadron, Bomber Command at Ludford Magna.

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