Originally Posted by
ian16th
65 years ago today, on 22nd May 1952, the 16th Entry of Boy Entrants were inducted into the RAF. In my case at RAF Yatesbury.
A motley collection of 15-17 year old youths, all who had their education affected by WWII, from all over the UK and a few from the Republic of Ireland.
They were the 1st Entry to swear allegiance to the new Queen Elizabeth II, and take the 'Queens Shilling.'
I wonder how many of us survive? Did we know what the journey was that we started that day?
Where it would lead us?
13 Oct 1959 I became a Boy Entrant at Cosford, 38th Entry u/t Telegraphist II. Demobbed 1973 and immediately joined GCHQ as a Radio Officer then spent 30 pleasant years as a civil servant. The Boy Entrant scheme was an excellent character-building experience; one of our DIs, Flight Sergeant Colin Hynd, still attends annual Boy Entrant re-unions (although he did miss one reunion because he'd fallen off his motorbike & broken his leg)