February the 5th 1944 and we now had our wings. We now had no need to worry about anything , but say our goodbyes and prepare for leaving Ponca City. But that only entailed putting our mug, knife, fork, spoon, flannel, tooth brush, hair brush, and Brilcreme in our small packs, load our kit bags, and wait for transport to the station.. So think I will now pause and try to work out how long it had taken to “Obtain a pilots brevet in W.W 2.”
Visited recruiting office and accepted as suitable for pilot U/T. About December 1941.
Visited R.A.F Padgate for exams and tests . About January 1942.
Informed I had passed the exams but to await release from the Ministry of Labour as I was in a “reserved occupation”
About March /42 Informed I had been released from the Ministry of Labour and given an R.A.F number together with a R.A.F.V.R silver badge. At this time I was an apprentice and a National Fire Service, acting , unpaid. spare time motor cycle dispatch rider for the central fire station. from which I was discharged in March 1942..
Called up 19/10/42 . Given a railway warrant and instructed to report to No 1 A.C.R.C. Lords Cricket ground. About eleven months ? That seems to me like three years to obtain the brevet. !!!! To think this started because someone managed it in four months, and then I was encouraged to tell how long it took me.
Yes, cockneysteve, luck did play a part for me, as you see above. eleven months elapsed between attending the recruiting office and reporting to Lords cricket ground, much to my annoyance. As I have previously mentioned my friend who attended the recruiting office at the same time as me, trained in this country and was K.I.A on Beaufighters by the time I finished at Initial Training Wing.
Andy199
Google “The R.A.F in Oklahoma “ There are quite a few pictures shown, and details of the author Paula Denson. She can supply a copy if required.
You may remember some of my photos disappeared when I deleted them in Photo bucket, so am reproducing (hopefully) the two which relate to leaving Ponca.
SERGEANT NEMO WITH MUG WAITING FOR TRANSPORT TO THE STATION.
PONCANS WAITING TO WAVE GOODBYE, WITH BILL AND ME IN THE FOREGROUND