Soham Grammarians
No. 773 Soham Grammar School Squadron, Air Training Corps
School Year 1943-44

Soham Grammarian Autumn 1943

ATC NOTES

This term has been somewhat uneventful as far as special parades are concerned. The only one was the church parade held on Armistice Sunday, at Soham, when we marched with the Home Guard, Army Cadet Force, NFS, GTC, and other services.

In his report on Speech Day, the Headmaster said: "For the Air Training Corps this has been a most important year, since it has seen the cycle of training completed by the entry of large numbers into the RAF and other services". The Director, Mr WW Wakefield, MP, has paid tribute to the work of the Corps by stressing its national importance and stating that it is doing well the job it set out to do, while others have stressed its high civic function. The School Unit is proud to have played its part in this success. Some eight members have entered the services, 10 wear their coveted brevets, at least one is on air operations, two are Pilot Officers and one is a Sub-Lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm.

The Squadron's work and training has been as busy as ever, and up to the end of the School year, 71 certificates of proficiency had been obtained, and two cadets passed the intensive and more difficult Advanced Training Examination on the ITW Syllabus. As an indication of keenness, it may be mentioned in passing, that several cadets now in the RAF each cycled from 1,200 to 2,000 miles to and from School during their training. Many outside parades, sports and other activities, visits to RAF Stations and the Annual Camp completed a very full year, during which we were inspected by the Director of ATC and Air Marshal Sir Patrick Playfair, the Commandant of the Eastern Region.

At the beginning of the term several cadets, at very short notice, took the 2nd Proficiency Examination, but results have not come through at the time of writing. Cadets have had several opportunities of flying this term at neighbouring aerodromes, in Oxfords, Dominies, and Stirlings, and we hope that these flights will be continued in the future.

The following cadets have gained their 1st Proficiency badge: Air Crew: Cadets RM Ibbott, GJ Alps, H Singer, EJ Price, D Ward, ER Leonard, WL Brazier; Flt Mech: SJ Ball, AR Palmer.

During the summer holidays, one of our NCO's, Cpl Walton, visited a training station in East Anglia, where he took a course in navigation. Three NCO's, have now attended this station.

The following promotions, from the beginning of the term, have been announced:

No.1 Flight

No.2 Flight
Sgt AJ Thompson to be Flt-Sgt
Cpl J Cook to be Sgt
Cpl HB Walton to be Sgt
Cpl BN Webster to be Sgt

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ATC CAMP

No.773 Squadron spent its third Summer Camp this year at its parent RAF Station. The Camp lasted one week, and we were joined by No.158 Squadron from Essex. This Camp differed from the others in that we lived under canvas, an experience new to the great majority of us. Our officers were F/O S Stubbs, who was Camp Adjutant, and P/O's CC Copland and CW Crouch.

The programme was very varied, consisting of visits to the Armoury and Bomb Dump, the Link and Dome Trainers, the Control Tower and Briefing Room, and the Navigation, Bombing, Engines and Photographic Sections, together with the inspection of the aircraft, and an exciting afternoon on the Assault Course.

We were also shown Instructional Films, and given talks by the Intelligence Officer, the Padre, the MO, the Security Officer, and a Squadron Leader Pilot who outlined for us the story of a bombing raid over Germany from start to finish. The sections were visited in squads of some half-dozen cadets and an NCO Unfortunately there was very little flying to be had, on account of the weather.

We had a set timetable each day. Reveille was at 0700 hrs and was followed by breakfast at 0715 hrs in the Airmen's Mess. A kit inspection was held at 0830 hrs and PT from 0900 hrs to 0945 hrs. The morning instructional period began at 1000 hrs, lasting until 1145 hrs when we had dinner in the Mess. Another period of instruction began at 1400 hrs and tea followed at 1630 hrs. After instruction from 1730 hrs to 1930 hrs we had supper, and from 2000 hrs to 2200 hrs we carried out camp activities. Lights Out was at 2215 hrs.#

A Church Parade was held with the RAF on the Sunday morning at the Station Church. One night we were permitted to watch aircraft taking off for a raid on Germany. Towards the end of the week, both Squadrons were inspected by the Station Commander, and the Commandant of the ATC Eastern Command also paid us a visit. We were glad to see our own Padre, the Rev PF Boughey, on Thursday.

During our spare time we had a wide choice of entertainments-the Station Cinema, Ensa Concerts, the Social Centre, NAAFI, the Reading Room and Library, and indoor or outdoor games. A sports meeting was held, the majority of the events being won by our Squadron, but a cricket match had to be cancelled because of rain. We also won the Aircraft Recognition competition, L/Cadets Thorby, Fox and Palmer heading the list. One cadet from each squad was detailed each day for duties as adjutant's orderly or cookhouse assistant, and one squad took over the duties of Fire Picquet each day.

The end of the Camp came all too quickly. We all enjoyed ourselves - the only grouse was the lack of flying. We got on well with the other Squadron and with the RAF and our thanks are due to our own officers, to those of the Station for the interest they took in us, and to the Station Commander for making the visit possible.

CORPORAL


Soham Grammarian Spring 1944

ATC NOTES

There is little to record this term about such occasions as aerodrome visits and special parades. No.773 Squadron has carried on with its routine subjects and the cadets have been preparing themselves for the examinations.

We have received the results of the Advanced Training Examination, taken last October by 7 Air-Crew cadets; of these the following must be congratulated on passing successfully in all subjects: Leading Cadet LS Hitch, Corporal EW Cox, Sergeant HB Walton, Sergeant BN Webster. The others failed in only one or two papers and have since taken them again. Results are awaited.

Certain papers were also successfully taken by 5 Ground Crew Cadets. The following have passed Proficiency Part I since the last list was published: L/Cadet ID Brown, L/C DEM Cranwell. The total is now 73.

This somewhat monotonous course of events has been relieved recently by the re-introduction of ATC Standards for Athletics and "Strong man acts," such as heaving a 12 lb weight thirty feet. For these, cadets can gain a maximum of 120 points, followed by 100 and a pass 80. 900 points must be attained henceforth before the cadet can take his Proficiency.

On Saturday, March 4th, we held a social evening and on Saturday March 11th, our Squadron was one of twelve teams competing in the Eastern Counties Cross-Country Championship at Newmarket. Owing to transport difficulties and accidents we had to run two men short, but, even so, we succeeded in gaining eighth place.

Our representatives were Walton (who did very well to run eighth in a field of over a hundred), Collard (12th), Cox, Heywood, Thorby, Sneesby and Hitch.

On Saturday, March 18th, we ran in our Area Eliminating Heat for ATC Eastern Command Championship. Walton was first man home, but we narrowly lost the event.

An Inter-Flight Football Match was held during the term, which No. l Flight won by 3 goals to 2. L/Cadet Ball scored both of No.2 Flight's goals before going off injured.

We have received several visits this term from Army Signallers who have given us valuable assistance in morse.

The following promotions, dating from the beginning of term, have been announced:

No.1 Flight


No.2 Flight
Cpl EW Cox to be Sgt
L/Cadet LS Hitch to be Cpl
L/Cadet D Thorby to be Cpl
Sgt HB Walton to be Flt-Sgt

Finally, we must apologise for inadvertently omitting from the last issue the promotions of P/Os Crouch and Copland to Acting F/Os.

CORPORAL


Soham Grammarian Summer 1944

ATC NOTES

In addition to routine work there are various items of interest to note in this term's report.

On May 8th a Youth Sports combined with ATC Sports Meeting was held. Its main purpose was to choose an Athletics Team, representing the area, to compete in the County Youth Sports at Cambridge. L/C Collard was outstanding, winning the Hurdles and High jump, both here and in Cambridge.

There has been an excellent chance for flying this term, and most of the cadets have had a flight in a DH Dominie from a local airfield.

Sergeants BN Webster and EW Cox went for an Easter Course in Combat Training at a training station in the Midlands, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The following promotions were announced during the term:
L/C GJ Alps to be Corporal.
L/C PW Knight to be Corporal
L/C EW Fordham to be Corporal

All these are from No.2 Flight.

Cpls NJ Sneesby and DS Thorby completed their Advanced Training Part II. Examination and thirteen other cadets successfully took parts of this examination. On June 30th Squadron-Leader B Shore from the Air Ministry came and gave an interesting lecture on "Entry into the RAF, and particular jobs of the Air Crew Team."

Soham's "Salute the Soldier Week" started with a parade on Sunday, July 9th. Both Flights of the Squadron attended and there was a march with Home Guard and Civil Defence Units to the Recreation Ground, where a service was held. Major-General Griffin took the salute, and afterwards made a speech.

The Flight Mechanics have been particularly pleased to receive a Gipsy engine this term. It will be most useful for their practical work.

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