A Cranwell education

[Phil_R]

A few years ago I had the pleasure of visiting Cranwell with an about-to-retire Wing Commander who had worked there for a while. As we strolled around soaking up the history of the prettier, red-brick parts of the campus (and marvelling at the architectural horror of the 1960s parts), it was discussed that there are occasionally foreign attendees, particularly in the context of the offspring of middle-eastern royalty.

So, how does this work, exactly? My assumption is it's some sort of officer exchange program with the student's national air force, albeit for people who aren't quite officers yet. I get the impression it was being viewed almost as something of a finishing school for people expecting the same sort of military career as, for instance, our own most famous sons of nobility.

Best

Phil

[Rossian]

It used to be said.....

.....did it not, that a Sandhurst course was a necessary foundation for running a succesful military coup in one's own country.

I often wonder what became of the Iraqi air force chaps who went through South Cerney at the same time as I did. Where are they now

One SO of my acquaintance still goes to reunion of his course at the Towers, where they are all flown in the private jet belonging to the ME chap who went through with them.

The Ancient Mariner

OK I give in how do you edit a typo in the title??

[Basil]

I often wonder what became of the Iraqi air force chaps

Whilst flying for Cathay I sat having a beer with an Iraqi and an Iranian who'd served in their respective air forces during the Iraq/Iran war.
Their good-humoured banter sounded just like a bunch of RAF guys.

[Roland Pulfrew]

My assumption is it's some sort of officer exchange program with the student's national air force

Phil

International Defence Training - they pay for it and it is (was) done from irreducible spare capacity. Not that we have much irreducible spare capacity left nowadays.

[Wander00]

ISTR that many years ago - early 70s - a bunch of Saudi students at the Towers set up the next best thing to a brothel in one of the Cadet wings.

[Phil_R]

International Defence Training

Thanks, that's probably the phrase I was looking for.

Still, sons of royalty!

[Hummingfrog]

I was there late 1974 til late 1975 and must have been so engrossed in the course that I didn't notice their hobby

HF

[ricardian]

And there were Venezualan apprentices at Halton in the 1960s!

[MPN11]

Two Sudanese on my ATC course in 65, but no suggestion they were royalty.

[EngAl]

There were 2 Saudis on my OCTU course at Henlow in the mid 70s and it was understood from the outset that they were almost certainly going to pass as their government was paying. They weren't royalty either.

[Roland Pulfrew]

Still, sons of royalty!

Phil

In my time I have been on courses with or have taught personnel from the Lebanese, Kuwaiti, Omani, Kenyan, Belizian Air Forces/Air Wings. Also had students going through the system from Iraq, Saudi and UAE - none, as far as I knew, were sons of Royalty.

[Wander00]

Had an Omani student when I was a flt cdr on IOT. Son of a sergeant in the Omani Army so not rich by any means. Lovely guy - remember him totally blown away by Halton House OM. Still have the djebella he gave me on leaving.

[4fitter]

The lovely Fred Harbottle allocated a certain ME Prince to me at Bracknell. He didn't need my grammar, grace or culture - what a wonderful experperience

[Simplythebeast]

There were a couple of Scots on my Halton course. Couldnt understand what they were saying but they seemed fairly capable for third world nationals.

[matkat]

Beast, I would think they could not understand your accent either and marvelled at your legendary 'tightness' was married to a Geordie for 25 years (sorry a yorkie but all the same anyway) so know what I am talking about

[ursa_major]

Training foreign students at Cranwell isn't a new thing by any stretch of the imagination - Iranian & Turkish pilots were trained at Cranwell during WW2. The Turks in particular were sufficient in number to have their own liaison officer and disciplinary processes.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

One of the Iraqis who went through Cranwell and Valley in the 1980's did a bunk after getting his wings, rather than fly a Mirage F1 in another of Saddam's 'Operation Certain Death' raids.

Somebody bumped into him a year later - he was running a chip shop in Hull under a pseudonym.

[airborne_artist]

Dartmouth had plenty of International students in 1978. I remember a Barbadian, a Singaporean, an Irish lad (just as you'd expect, too ), Iranians, Iraquis, several from UAE and more. I'd guess they made up a good 20% of the total.

They varied hugely in motivation - for some it was a one year jolly but others took it very seriously and were clearly going far - the Singaporean I shared a cabin with was a good example.

[smujsmith]

Some of the nicest blokes going through Halton in my time (69- 71) were the Malaysian Air Force chaps. I was led to believe that most would graduate and then proceed to a pilots course at Cranwell. As a Staffordshire farming village lad, spending time chatting with such "exotic" characters was a real eye opener, and they were all great fun to be around. Interesting thread, I know that its thrust is toward Cranwell, but there are links throughout the RAF training system to our former Commonwealth and friendly allies.

Smudge

[NutLoose]

When I was at Saint Athans they had a bunch of African PTI trainees and they we're true Africans in every sense, watching them standing in the gym holding javelins and learning to throw them brought on more than a few giggles.

Likewise there was a course of Arabs at Halton, only one spoke English so had to translate everything for them, including the exam questions surprisingly most of their results were similar.