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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.
This left 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 Tech. 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
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:
ENTRY ROLL CALL
Key:
KNOWN DECEASED
ASSOCIATION MEMBER
NON-MEMBER
UNTRACED
Quick name Finder - Click the button with the Initial letter of Surname.
Return here by clicking on button (right-hand side) marked
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 a colour sheet now carries photos of reunion groups.
