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Entry Rep. Des Greenwood —
destudor(at)tiscali.co.uk
The 2M3 (41st) Entry of Aircraft Apprentices*
In March 1940, 175 Royal Air
Force Aircraft Apprentices of the
newly-recruited 41st Entry
arrived at No 1 Electrical and Wireless
School, RAF Cranwell.
As Aircraft
Apprentices, they had committed
themselves to serve for 12 years from the age
of 18.
At Cranwell, there known as the
2M3 Entry, they
completed a two-year war-time Apprenticeship
in the
Group 1 trade of Wireless and Electrical
Mechanic (later changed to Wireless Operator
Mechanic).
During those two years the
2M3 Entry was
augmented by 38
Apprentices put back from the 1M9 Entry,
which brought the total membership to
213.
Of that number,
11 were put back
to train with later Entries and
10 ceased
training for various reasons.
The 2M3 Entry
passed out on 5th March 1942 —
192 strong — to
start their men's service
as regular airmen in the largely non-regular
ranks of the wartime
Royal Air Force.
oo000oo
In Memoriam
Eighteen of the 2M3 Entry
were Killed in Action or Died
Whilst on Active Service
during the 1939-1945
hostilities
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Alan Allen
Ted Craze
Fred
Marrington
Dennis Sharland
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Geoff Ambler
M Jerome
Bert Oxley
BW Smith
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James Boyd
Roy Knight
Ray Piper
JS Thomson
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Frank
Chadbourne
Allen Lloyd
Harry Scarman
John Tomlinson
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Fred Trower
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Eric Winter
(in Royal Armoured Corps)
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Three were killed in
service during the early
post-war years
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Jeff Hanson
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WH (Jock) Hogarth
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David James
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oo000oo
Service
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Our records are incomplete, but
from those we hold we know
that,
of the 213 members associated with
the 2M3 Entry, at least 64 (30%)
served as aircrew:
10 as Pilot, 7 as Navigator, 34 as
Wireless Operator Mechanic / Air
Gunner,
6 as WOM Air, and 7 as Air
Signaler.
Two died during aircrew training,
one as u/t Pilot and one as u/t
Navigator.
At least 55 (26%) were
commissioned. The ranks attained
by that 55 were:
Air Commodore (1), Group Captain
(3), Wing Commander (4), Squadron
Leader (12),
Flight Lieutenant (14), Flying
Officer or Pilot Officer (21).
At least 12 (6%) attained the rank
of Warrant Officer or Master
Aircrew.
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oo000oo
Dedication
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In 1922, during the early days
of the RAF, Lord Trenchard
innovated the Aircraft
Apprenticeship scheme
to train highly skilled
technical tradesmen and NCOs
for the new Service.
It succeeded beyond all
expectations. "Trenchard's
Brats" acquired an
enviable reputation
for their abilities and for
their good fellowship both on
duty and off duty.
Many went on to serve in
commissioned rank; and
"ex-brats" from
Flowerdown, Cranwell,
Halton,
Locking and Cosford became the
backbone of the Royal Air
Force's Technical (now
Engineer) Branch.
Some reached the highest ranks
in the Royal Air Force;
others achieved great success
in civil life and in spheres
far removed from their
beginnings.
The 2M3 (41st) Entry claims,
with all due modesty, a share
of these marks of quality.
Of the 213 ex-2M3s, 90 are as
yet untraced.
Any information on any member
of the 2M3 Entry would be most
welcome.
Please telephone Des Greenwood
+ 44 - (0)118 - 978 2661
or e-mail:
destudor(at)tiscali.co.uk
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