gaining an raf pilots brevet in ww2
Well Danny thanks to taxidual we now have the story of the belated "wings" presentation to Wilson Taylor 69 years after his "wings test"
I couldnt make sense of either the Northern Echo or BBC video, s explanation of why he wasnt given his brevet way back in 45---lack of operational experience, provisional "wings"??.
The story brought back memories on the cessation of overseas aircrew training as the war ended and the influx of I suppose thousands of u/t aircrew to Bircham Newton and Docking in late 45.We were given the option of gentlemanly agreeing to eventually sign on if we continued training and obtained our brevet.
The experiences of two friends who opted for this were strange---one got his pilots brevet and commission. However when he was unable to get a satisfactory answer on his career path he refused to sign on and was transferred to ATC until his normal demob number came up.
The other guy graduated as a navigator and did sign on but he said that some on his course refused to sign on and were denied their brevet.
Back to WilsonTaylor---I note from the picture of his logbook in the BBC video that he
took his wings exam on August 21 45 at 18 SFTS RCAF Gimli---on the internet it states that 18 SFTS Gimli closed in May 45 but it seems more likely that this was when WT, s course began.
I had always thought that after EFTS at Yorkton in Sept 45 we would have gone on to what I erroneously thought was the only SFTS still operating at Calgary and then to the Liberator.
OTU in BC.
I recognise that this is outside your experience Danny but I think it might be of interest if other u/t, s could shed futher light on this era---it is too late to ask Richard Burton who was at one of the three ANS, s still operating---Summerside PEI and I think Portage and Rivers in Manitoba
Best Wishes,
D