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Some Questions on Pilot Training and Postings


mhaselden

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Hi Folks,

 

I'm still ploughing through the records of my RFC relative but am having little joy with other fora: RFC-related questions on GWF don't seem to generate much interest, while the Cross and Cockade Society forum shows precious little participation.  So...I'm coming back to my Britmodeller friends for your knowledgeable insights and sage advice that has served me so well in the past.

 

As the title indicates, I have a few questions about postings.  After selection for pilot training, my relative was sent to No.1 School of Aeronautics at Reading and then to 24 Training Squadron at Netheravon on 21 Jan 1918.  He was then posted to 8 Training Squadron on 13 Feb 1918.  I know his time at Reading was initial ground school but what about 24 TS?  His first flight took place on the very day he joined 8 TS.  Was 24 TS an advanced ground school for pilots?  If it was just a regular TS, why would he be moved to 8 TS?  Perhaps an effort at capacity levelling or just a clerical error (since both 24 and 8 TSs were at Netheravon)?

 

My next conundrum arises after the award of his wings (he's listed as being remustered as pilot on 30 Jun 1918).  He was posted to No.1 School of Fighting, Turnberry, on 3 Jul 1918 but he was only there for 12 days.  It's my understanding that the course at Turnberry was 3 weeks and included actual flying.  My relative was only there 12 days and never flew during that period.  I can imagine a number of reasons for this: the posting was a clerical error; he was chopped from the course, or; the course was cancelled; (unlikely).  Any other ideas as to why he never flew at Turnberry or why he was there for less than the 3 weeks required of the course?

 

Finally (at last, I hear you say!), after Turnberry he was posted to 109 Sqn on 15 Jul 1918 but that posting was changed on the same day to No.1 (Observers) School of Aerial Gunnery at Hythe, Kent, where he appears to have been part of Z Sqn.  I think the 109 Sqn posting is a clerical error because he'd never flown DH9s with which that unit was to be equipped.  Also, 109 Sqn was disbanded in Aug 1918.  Presumably his role at Hythe was to fly the trainee air gunners so they could practice aerial gunnery.  If this is the case, perhaps he was removed form the course at Turnberry to give him more experience (but if that's the case, why no record of flights at Turnberry...unless the school simply refused to take him on because he was so fresh out of training?    

 

I know there are a lot of questions in this posting...but any ideas would be most welcome.

 

Kind regards,
Mark

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I don't think anyone will be able to answer those questions definitively as the ones who made the decisions are long gone.  In wartime, postings are made as the need arises, so it could simply be that needs and requirements changed and your relative was unlucky (or lucky, as he didn't get sent to France!) enough to be on the wrong end of numerous personnel requirement changes.

 

Ian

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Hi Ian,

 

I agree that determining the cause of the decisions is impossible but identifying the possible factors is certainly achievable.  That said, my main questions should be discoverable.  Was No.24 Training Sqn a full-up training unit or did it only provide ground training?  Did the No.1 Fighting School syllabus include flying hours or was it ground theoretical only? 

 

My other questions are purely speculative and all I'm seeking is input on whether I've scoped the potential options adequately.  

 

Cheers,
Mark

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1 hour ago, Graham Boak said:

Looking in Air Britain's Flying training etc,, both units have aircraft allocated to them.  They could have course have run ground-only courses

 

Thanks Graham.  I suspected that 24 TS was a full-blown training unit, but the confirmation is nice to have.  

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