ROYAL AIR FORCE RESERVE AND AUXILIARY FORCES ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY 2 The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributors concerned and are not necessarily those held by the Royal Air Force Historical Society. Photographs credited to MAP have been reproduced by kind permission of Military Aircraft Photographs. Copies of these, and of many others, may be obtained via http://www.mar.co.uk Copyright 2003: Royal Air Force Historical Society First published in the UK in 2003 by the Royal Air Force Historical Society All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. ISBN 0-9530345-1-8 Typeset by Creative Associates 115 Magdalen Road Oxford OX4 1RS Printed by Advance Book Printing Unit 9 Northmoor Park Church Road Northmoor OX29 5UH 3 CONTENTS AIR FORCE RESERVES AND AUXILIARIES, 1912 TO 11 MUNICH by Wg Cdr Jeff Jefford THE ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE, 1936-39 27 by Dr Tony Mansell THE AUXILIARY AIR FORCE IN WW II by Christopher 39 Shores MORNING DISCUSSION PERIOD 61 THE UNIVERSITY AIR SQUADRONS IN WW II by Wg Cdr 67 Gerry Margiotta POST-WAR RAF RESERVES TO 1960 by Wg Cdr Jeff Jefford 79 THE RAuxAF TO 1960 by Sqn Ldr Tony Freeman 96 RECOLLECTIONS OF A REGULAR WITH A POST-WAR 110 RAuxAF FIGHTER SQUADRON by Air Cdre Ian Atkinson THE RAuxAF REGIMENT by Flt Lt Shane Guy 117 MEDICS AND MOVERS IN THE GULF WAR by Sqn Ldr Jon 126 Pote AFTERNOON DISCUSSION PERIOD 137 SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS THE DEMISE OF THE AUXILIARY FIGHTER SQUADRONS 144 REVISITED by the Editor MARITIME HEADQUARTERS UNITS OF THE ROYAL 155 AUXILIARY AIR FORCE by Sqn Ldr Bruce Blanche FORTY YEARS IN VOLUNTEER SERVICE by Gp Capt Peter 163 Harris THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE by 173 AVM Geoffrey Cairns RECOLLECTIONS OF CAMBRIDGE UAS AND GLIDING IN 177 THE ATC by Gp Capt Hans Neubroch RESERVE SCHOOL RECOLLECTIONS by C Nepean Bishop 180 4 ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORICAL SOCIETY President Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham GCB CBE DFC AFC Vice-President Air Marshal Sir Frederick Sowrey KCB CBE AFC Committee Chairman Air Vice-Marshal N B Baldwin CB CBE FRAeS Vice-Chairman Group Captain J D Heron OBE Secretary Group Captain K J Dearman Membership Secretary Dr Jack Dunham PhD CPsychol AMRAeS Treasurer J Boyes TD CA Members Air Commodore H A Probert MBE MA *J S Cox Esq BA MA *Dr M A Fopp MA FMA FIMgt *Group Captain C J Finn MPhil RAF *Wing Commander C McDermott RAF Wing Commander C Cummings Editor & Publications Wing Commander C G Jefford MBE BA Manager *Ex Officio 5 ROYAL AIR FORCE RESERVE CLASSES In order to keep up with changing circumstances, the regulations governing reserve personnel have been subject to progressive refinement over time. Thus, for instance, when it became necessary to distinguish between ex-regular (Class A) pilots and direct entrant reservists the latter were categorised as Class AA which then had to be subdivided into Classes AA1 and AA2 to differentiate between those who already knew how to fly and those who would need to be taught. Similarly, the training commitments evolved through time, those noted below generally being those applicable when each Class was first introduced. Auxiliary, Special Reserve, Volunteer Reserve and Reserve forces all had their own sets of regulations, but these arrangements were not exclusive. In the 1930s, for instance, it was possible for an ex-regular Class C reservist to be holding a current commission in the AAF. Class Remarks A Conceived 1918; implemented 1923. Ex-regular commissioned pilots (12 hrs/yr). AA1 Direct entrant officers with some previous flying experience, eg ex-UAS (12 hrs/yr). AA2 Direct entrant officers with no previous flying experience (12 hrs/yr). B Conceived 1918; implemented 1923. Ex-regular technical officers requiring up-to-date knowledge (14 days/yr if required). BB Technical officers with no previous regular service experience requiring up-to-date knowledge (14 days/yr if required). C Conceived 1918; implemented 1923. Ex-regular/wartime technical and other officers, eg accountants, not requiring up- to-date knowledge (no mandatory training but up to 14 days/yr permitted). CC Non-specialist civilians in RAF employ who would be commissioned on mobilisation (no training). D Conceived 1918; implemented 1923. Ex-regular doctors & dentists (no training during mandatory reserve period but up 6 to 14 days/yr if extended). DD Doctors & dentists with no previous regular service experience (no mandatory training). E Conceived 1918; implemented 1923. Ex-regular airmen (up to 14 days/yr if required but 12 hrs/yr mandatory for airmen pilots). F Established circa 1935. Airmen pilots with no previous regular service experience (30 hrs/yr). Entry into Class F (the NCO equivalent of Class AA2) ceased following establishment of RAFVR in 1937. G Established 1945. Released ex-regular and reserve airmen engaged to serve ‘for the present emergency’ (the Army equivalent was Class Z). No routine training commitment but liable for recall while in reserve. Last intake 31 December 48; liability to recall terminated 30 June 59. H Established 1 January 49 for ex-airmen subject to the 1948 National Service Act. Originally 6, later 3½, year’s reserve training liability (not more than 21 days in any one year up to a total of 60); this obligation terminated 30 June 64. J Established circa 1948. Similar to Class CC in that it comprised civilians who might be required to exercise executive authority and/or wear uniform on mobilisation, but only in a specific locality, ie they could not be posted (without their consent). NOTE: The regulations relating to reserve service in general, and to obligations in particular, over a period of roughly half-a-century are far too complex to summarise comprehensively here. While essentially accurate, therefore, the above can be regarded only as an aide memoir and it should not be quoted as a definitive reference. 7 SELECTED ABBREVIATIONS A&SD Administrative and Special Duties (Branch) AAF Auxiliary Air Force AASF Advanced Air Striking Force ACAS Assistant Chief of the Air Staff ADCC Air Defence Cadet Corps AFRes (US) Air Force Reserve AFU Advanced Flying Unit AID Aeronautical Inspection Directorate ALBE Air League of the British Empire AMP Air Member for Personnel ANG (US) Air National Guard ATC Air Training Corps BALPA British Air Line Pilots Association CCF Combined Cadet Force DGT Director General of Training EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal ERFTS Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School FCU Fighter Control Unit FRG Federal Republic of Germany GCA Ground Controlled Approach IOT Initial Officer Training JMC Joint Maritime Course JMOTS Joint Maritime Operations Training Staff KIA Killed in Action LAA Light Anti-Aircraft LAW Light Anti-tank Weapon MAMS Mobile Air Movements Squadron MC (NATO) Military Committee (as in MC 14/3) MHQ Maritime Headquarters MHU Maritime Headquarters Unit NLA National League of Airmen PFB Preliminary Flying Badge PRO Public Record Office RAuxAF Royal Auxiliary Air Force RAFO Reserve of Air Force Officers RAFRO Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers RAFSC RAF Support Command RAFVR Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 8 RFS Reserve Flying School RMP Recognised Maritime Picture SAR Search And Rescue SERE Special Entrant and Re-Entrant (Course) SHORAD SHOrt Range Air Defence SOP Standard Operational Procedure(s) STC Strike Command TAF Tactical Air Force TAFA Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association TAVRA Territorial, Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Association TTW Transition To War UAS University Air Squadron VFR Visual Flight Rules VR Volunteer Reserve Halcyon days. A Wapiti of No 605 Sqn 9 RAF RESERVE FORCES RAF MUSEUM, HENDON, 23rd OCTOBER 2002 WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE SOCIETY’S CHAIRMAN Air Vice-Marshal Nigel Baldwin CB CBE FRAeS Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the Society’s autumn seminar at which we are going to address a very important subject; a distinct, but perhaps unsung, aspect of the Royal Air Force’s history. It is a fact, one that we often tend to lose sight of, that most of the fighting in WW II was done by ‘reservists’ of one kind or another, so today we are going to trace the contribution made by various reserve and auxiliary air forces from 1912 onwards. Before I introduce our Chairman for the day, let me express my usual thanks to Dr Michael Fopp and his staff here at the Museum, for allowing us to use their excellent facilities and for helping us so much with the production of the day. I must also thank Tony Freeman, who provided the inspiration for this project, and Jeff Jefford, who has done a great deal behind the scenes to ensure that we have a full and comprehensive programme. There is a great deal of experience in the room and I take particular pleasure in welcoming a galaxy of former Inspector Generals. Lord Monro, known to many of you as Sir Hector Monro, is a former Honorary Inspector General as is Air Chf Mshl Sir John Barraclough. I also welcome Gp Capts Robins and Harris, both of whom are former Inspectors of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. To oversee the day’s events, I am grateful to the present, and youngest, Honorary Inspector General, AVM Barry Newton. An instructor of mine when I was a flight cadet at Cranwell, Barry has spent much of the last few years on reserve business and has just the experience we need to guide us through the day.