RAF AIRCRAFT APPRENTICES
0M1 / 55th Entry

No.1 Radio School RAF Cranwell
1947 - 1949

Entry Representative: Cliff Blake

0M1 / 55th at Cranwell

The Entry started with 91 original members, then gained 10 for further training from earlier Entries, giving an overall figure of 101. Similarly 11 were transferred to later Entries, 3 re-mustered to other trades, and 12 were discharged, leaving 75 to pass out as nominal 0M1 / 55th.

The passing-out parade in December 1949 included 67 of the original members. The parade Inspecting Officer was Air Marshal Sir Hugh Walmsley, Deputy Chief of Air Staff. Sgt A/A Clark D.A. was in charge of the parade, Sgt A/A Edwards D.J. was in charge of the Entry, and Sgt A/A Tongue T.W. was the Parade Warrant Officer.

Also on parade were:

Air Marshal Sir John Whitworth Jones, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Technical Training Command.

Air Commodore E.H. Richardson, Air Officer Commanding No.27 Group

Air Commodore G.R. Beamish, Air Officer Commanding RAF Cranwell

Group Captain H.A. Evans-Evans, Officer Commanding No.1 Radio School

Wing Commander H.P. Simpson, Officer Commanding Apprentices Wing

On the Technical side prizes were presented to:

Cpl A/A Allinson R.W.	Radio Fitter (Ground) 1st prize
Cpl A/A Jones J.A.	Radio Fitter (Ground) 2nd prize.
Sgt A/A Edwards D.J.	Radio Fitter (Air) 1st prize.
Leading A/A Bennell D.A.	Radio Fitter (Air) 2nd prize

Sgt A/A Edwards also had the Highest Educational Marks, Highest Aggregate Marks, and was first in General Service Subjects. Leading A/A Langton R.T. received the Victor Ludorum Trophy.

D.J. Edwards, D.A. Clark, and G. Willis went on to the RAF College. Edwards rose to the rank of Air Commodore CBE AFC before sadly dying in1983 from leukaemia. Clark rose to rank of Squadron Leader before sadly dying in 1977 following an operation on his tongue. Willis also became a Squadron Leader before retiring in 1969.

The Entry List below is presented in alphabetical order:

NUMBER	SURNAME	INITS	KNOWN AS	REMARKS
583586	Addison	C A	"Mike"	Lapsed Association Member
583696	Ager	N J	Neville	Association Member
583519	Allinson	R W	Ron	Association Member
583810	Baker	G W	Bill	Untraced.
583313	Baldwin	T A		Joined with 54th Entry. Discharged.
583282	Barratt	G M		Joined with 54th Entry. Untraced.
583709	Bates	G R	Gordon	Discharged
582800	Beckley	P A	Peter	Joined with 52nd Entry. Association Member
583623	Bennell	D A	Don	Untraced.
583624	Blake	C H	Cliff	Association Member
583783	Bowen	T C		FT'd to 56th Entry. Untraced.
583756	Brennan	D E	Dennis	Association Member
583782	Bristow	G R	Dicky
583695	Bryce	R	Bob
583743	Chew	K	Keith	Lapsed Association Member
583635	Churcher	J W	John	Deceased 11th Dec 1994
583727	Clark	D A V	Des, AKA "Nobby"	Deceased 13th Feb 1973
583808	Collingbourn	R	Ray	FT'd to 56th Entry. Association Member
583539	Collins	A H		Untraced.
583306	Cornell	L J	John, AKA "Chunky"	Joined with 54th Entry
583512	Crellin	J H		Untraced. Retired 4th Sept 1984 as Flt Lt Eng Branch
583590	Davis	L N	Les
583533	Denyer	R W	Dicky	Deceased 1962
583333	Devall	G A	George	Joined with 54th Entry. Association Member
583711	Dodds	A	Alf	Deceased Association Member (17th May 1987)
583558	Doherty	M R	Dick	Association Member
583576	Donaghue	A A	Alan
583577	Drain-Lowe	P J	Peter	Deceased date N/K
583649	Du Feu	D F	Derrick
583552	Duhigg	L J	Les	FT'd to 56th then 57th Entry. Deceased Association Member (12th Aug 2001)
583792	Edwards	D J	Dave	Deceased 1983
583546	Emmett	M	Mick
583729	Farmer	P B	Peter, AKA "Bruce, Pete"	Deceased Association Member (2nd May 2006)
583657	Forrester	C	Colin
583784	Fowler	D J	David, AKA "Cherokee"
583537	Fowler	R A	Bob	Association Member
583670	Gauld	D H F		Discharged
583740	Grealy	P B	Pat	Discharged
583648	Green	R K		Remustered to Fitter II E
583592	Gregory	P R	Peter	Lapsed Association Member
583559	Halliday	J R	John, AKA "Jock"
583790	Hamnett	J	Jeff	Deceased 1967
583728	Handley	R	Roy	Association Member
583549	Handley	V		Discharged
583798	Hardon	R A	Ron, AKA "Allan"	Lapsed Association Member
583641	Harries	D R	David	Association Member
583514	Harris	D E	Dave	Untraced. GD Branch. Retired 22nd Jan 1968
583795	Henry	T R	Tom	FT'd to 56th Entry
583702	Hewett	R W S	Roly, AKA "Roland"	Deceased Association Member. (28th Aug 2007).
583632	Holloway	W F J	Bill, AKA "Archie"	Association Member
583530	Jones	J A	Alan
583780	Jordan	M M	Maurice, AKA "Geordie"	Discharged. Deceased Lapsed Association Member (22nd Mar 2003)
583667	Jukes	P W	"Rocky"	Discharged
583805	Kent	A R	Tony	Deceased Association Member (15th Dec 1990)
583693	Kimberley	K J	Ken
583563	Lamming	B E	Brian	Deceased Lapsed Association Member (3rd Sep 1998)
583643	Langton	R T H	Bob	Association Member
583726	Lowrence	R	Rod	Deceased Association Member (8th Feb 1997)
583689	Maddox	W F	Bill	Association Member
583627	Martin	M A	Mick	FT'd to 56th Entry. Untraced. GD Branch, retired 21st Jan 1969.
583797	Mawdsley	W	Bill
583704	May	D R		Untraced. GD Branch Flt Lt, retired 6th Apr 1969
583658	McCoye	D A	Dave	Deceased 18th Apr 2006
583614	McDonald	A		Discharged
583799	McIntyre	T F	Terry
583597	McKie	S A	Stan
583631	Nockels	R L	Bob
583528	Notman	D J	Don	Remustered to Wireless Mechanic. Deceased Oct 1993
583725	Patrick	T N	Tom, AKA "Paddy"	FT'd to 56th Entry
583714	Peppercorn	J S G	John
583536	Phelps	H M	"Baldy"
583651	Pierce	R	Ron	Discharged. Deceased Lapsed Association Member. (3rd June 2008).
583581	Pughe	D O M	Doug	Association Member
583109	Ralphs	D W	Des	Joined with 53rd Entry. Deceased Jan 1989
583802	Readman	W B	Bill
583515	Redmond	N F		Discharged
583378	Roberts	J N		Joined with 54th Entry. Discharged.
583584	Rowe	R	Reg	Deceased 12th Nov 2000
583172	Russell	E W	Eric, AKA "Russ"	Joined with 54th Entry. Association Member
583666	Salter	R A		FT'd to 56th Entry. Untraced.
583637	Scrivener	D E	Derek	FT'd to 56th Entry. Deceased 1997
583469	Skelton	G W	Gordon	Joined with 54th Entry
583296	Slatter	L E	Sam, AKA "Lloyd"	Joined with 54th Entry. Association Member
583566	Smith	J G	Gordon	Deceased Association Member (30th Mar 2006)
583600	Smith	K E	Ken	Lapsed Association Member
583601	Snelling	R L J	Ray
583569	Sparks	D B		FT'd to 56th Entry
583567	Spittle	F V	Frank, AKA "Taffy"
583801	Stott	P A L	Peter	Deceased Feb 1987
583568	Stringer	B	Brian
583606	Symes	L	Les
583534	Telford	M		Untraced. Education Branch, retired 31st Aug 1972
583551	Thwaites	A J	Alan, AKA "Al"	Untraced.
583677	Tomlinson	R C A	Ralph
583585	Tongue	T W	Trevor	Deceased date N/K
583638	Tootill	J F	John	Untraced.
583522	Wardrop	A L	Andy, AKA "Jock"	Deceased 9th Oct 2007
583550	Whelan	B		Discharged
583715	Wild	A L	"Isaac"	Remustered to Engine Mechanic
583571	Willis	G		Untraced. GD (Equip) Branch, retired 1st Jan 1969
583807	Wilson	P	Peter

Recent History

	THE STORY SO FAR
1984	Sqn Ldr Murphy founded the RAF Cranwell Apprentices Association.
1985	The 0M1's got Roly Hewett to organise an Entry sub-group.
1986	19 of us met at Hendon and held the inaugural meeting.
1987	21 met at Sleaford for dinner and visited Cranwell.
1990	Cliff Blake took over from Roly Hewett as Entry Representative.
1990	6 met at Hendon for Battle of Britain Anniversary.
1994	6 met at Southampton as a local Meet
1997	19 plus 16 lady partners had a reunion weekend at Newbury.
2000	14 plus 13 lady partners had a reunion weekend at Kenilworth
2002	8 plus 6 lady partners had a reunion weekend at Worcester
2003	8 plus 6 lady partners had a reunion weekend in Jersey for The Flower Parade.
2004	4 plus 3 lady partners had a reunion weekend in Bristol for The Balloon Fiesta.
2005	8 plus 7 lady partners had a reunion weekend in Portsmouth for The Festival of the Sea.

Golden Entry Speech at RAFCAA AGM/Reunion - 2000, by Bill Maddox

Patron, Mr President, Mr Chairman, Honoured Guests and Fellow Members.

On the bright, clear and very cold morning of 23rd January 1947, 91 newly attested apprentices of the 55th Entry left Halton for Cranwell. On the journey snow began to fall and settle: arrived at Cranwell, it was already over an inch deep, and didn't disappear before the end of April - by which time we were fully qualified snow and ice clearer's.

At Cranwell we were miraculously transform into the 0M1 Entry. An awesomely smart SAA "Piss" Poore introduced us to a banister burnishing fetish.

We were "E" Squadron of the Apprentice Wing with "shit & custard" hatbands: we later took over the red & blue of "C" Squadron when the Polish entries passed out. We were always hungry - oh for a Corporal Cook like the one at Cosford who told us at the 155th Passing out Parade "go on have some more - there's plenty." Our progress was much like any other entry. We had our share of NCO AA's, of bandsmen, sportsmen, and those more dedicated to studies. Of the latter Dave Edwards stands out - I don't recall him relaxing at all. He was to become our most senior officer as Air Commodore Edwards CBE AFC, prematurely taken from us by leukaemia.

Of the original 91, 67 passed out as 0M1, together with 9 "retreads" from the 9M5 and 9M9 Entries.

0M1's have also occupied responsible posts since leaving the Service, including design and test of equipments for the Services, and also participated in a variety of Space Programmes which included Giotto - the Halley's Comet interceptor. Roy Handley has been the Project Manager of multi-million pound sterling international communications installations. Guernsey were supplied with Chief Constable - Derrick Du Feu, and a town in Canada with a Mayor - Les Davis.

In this our 50th year since passing out, it is fitting too, to remember those who cannot be with us today, whether seriously ill like Gordon Smith, or those that have died. Apart from Dave Edwards, we have lost "Nobby" Clarke, Dicky Denyer (aged only 32), Alf Dodds, Peter Drain-Lowe, Jeff Hamnett, Tony Kent, Brian Lamming, Rod Lawrence, Don Notman, Des Ralphs, Derek Scrivener, Peter Stott and Trevor Tongue.

I will now pass you over to David Taylor, a member of the Entry who relieved us of the title "Junior Entry", and promoted us also to Senior Entry, "C" Squadron.

Our Newsletter

Of course we keep in touch with a Newsletter, and from 1990 there have been two issues per year around January / February and July / August, with an occasional summer or winter extra in between.

It is produced on a word processor rather than a DTP package, and the aim is to insert members' letters as written, rather than reporting in the third person. In this way the news content is not reduced. A few letters are suitable as received, but some need a bit of editing to cut out repetition, personal statements, etc, or insert clarification in square brackets.

A six monthly statement of expenses is included to give account to those who have donated towards photocopying and postage.

Subscription rates for the Cranwell Apprentices Association have also been stated for information.

Other RAF or AA news is often covered, along with handy information on things like telephone number changes, and snippets of recent electronic development.

In the past half-tone black & white photos have been included, but just recently a colour sheet has carried photos of reunion groups.

Contact Webmaster at: webmaster(AT)rafcaa.org.uk
The RAFCAA is Registered under Charities Act 1960 - No. 1007716

This page was last updated on 9th June,2008

RAF AIRCRAFT APPRENTICES0M1 / 55th Entry

No.1 Radio School RAF Cranwell1947 - 1949