Julie Parsons with Baltimore (454 & 459) and
Hudson (459) paintings as presented by Lockheed Martin
International to 454 & 459 Combined RAAF Squadrons' Association
and thence to the Australian War Memorial at a Ceremony at A.W.M.
14 June 1996.
[Julie Parsons is the daughter of
SLdr. Jim
McHale - a 2 tour veteran of 459 Squadron who,
for many years was the mainstay President of the 454 & 459
Combined RAAF Squadrons Association
and who flew both Hudsons and Baltimores with 459]
<<<<<<>>>>>>
E.A.T.S. & W.A.G.S.
Empire Air Training Scheme & Wireless Air Gunners
Written by Ken Stone – 36 Course – 3 WAGS – A.C.A. 14673
World War
II saw Australia produce 10,434 Wireless Air Gunners, (WAGS) and
send to Canada for training as WAGs a further 3,309. These men
were to see service in every major theatre of war, in the Air
Forces of several nations, in many types of operations, and in a
wide variety of aircraft.
When
Australia entered the war on September 3rd, 1939, the
personnel strength of the R.A.A.F. was 310 officers, and 3,179
Airmen, including about 900 aircrew, 450 of whom were in the
U.K. and Middle East serving in the R.A.F. Also included were
10 Squadron crews then in the U.K. to take delivery of
Sunderland flying boats. Aircraft strength was 246, including
164 so called operational aircraft, many of which were obsolete
types such as Ansons, Demons and Seagulls.
Australia
at once offered to make available to Great Britain, an Air
Expeditionary Force of six squadrons. However, the introduction
of the Empire Air Training Scheme (E.A.T.S.) necessitated a
substantial change to the early role of the R.A.A.F.
On
September 26th, 1939, the broad details of a
comprehensive E.A.T.S. envisaged by the British Air Ministry
were communicated to the Dominions. The Australian War Cabinet
approved the scheme in principle on October 5th 1939
and sent a mission to Canada for a meeting with representatives
from Great Britain and the other Dominions to get the scheme
under way. Article XV of the E.A.T.S. agreement made provision
for aircrew contingents to retain their Dominion identity while
serving under the control of the R.A.F. by the formation of
Article XV Squadrons. Australia could form 18 such Squadrons,
and were allocated the Squadron number 450 – 469.
The Four
Party Agreement of November 1939 between the U.K., Canada,
Australia and New Zealand, provided that 7/9th’s of
the Australian Personnel should receive full training in
Australia and 2/9th’s should receive their advanced
training in Canada. Australia then had to set up a training
organisation capable of accepting for training and turning out
every four weeks, 280 pilots, 184 Air Observers and 320 W.A.G.S.
plus 80 pilot trainees to Canada after E.A.T.S. and 42 Air
Observers and 72 Wireless Operator trainees to Canada after
initial training.
The role of
the R.A.A.F. now became twofold; firstly to proceed as far as
possible with the programme of expansion of the Home Defence
Force; and secondly to implement the Aircrew Training Scheme.
The requirements of the latter from its very inception made
severe inroads on both aircrew and ground staff strengths of the
Home Defence.
To meet the
requirements of the E.A.T.S. 49 airfields were necessary, plus
living quarters, instructional buildings, administrative
quarters, hangars, workshops and flight control buildings. A
large recruiting organisation was established. The Educational
Service was expanded to provide education officers for the
instruction of aircrew in a wide range of technical subjects.
Pilot instructors were drawn from the Permanent and Citizens Air
Force, and from instructors at Aero Clubs, as well as some
loaned from the R.A.F. including Air Chief Marshall Burnett
R.A.F. who was appointed to the position of Chief of the Air
Staff R.A.A.F.
Recruiting
then began for aircrew. In the early days, selection was made
on personal characteristics, and the perceived ability to handle
technical training; aptitude testing did not begin till April
1941. Much emphasis was placed on the medical examination which
took a full day. A protracted mercury test was administered to
measure lung and breathing capacity. A1B medical standard was
required to qualify for training as pilots, and A3B the minimum
for other aircrew duties. Successful enlistees were then
inducted into the R.A.A.F. Reserve to await call-up, which could
take months. In November 1940 a course of 21 lessons was
instituted for Reservists to brush up on trigonometry, physics,
and some mathematics. Aircrew trainees had a separate number
scheme, a six figure number, the first two digits of which
indicated the year of the course intake and a separate initial
rank of Aircraftsman II for the period of the initial training.
The first
intake, Number 1 Course, began on the 29th April,
1940. 45 of the first call-up were drafted to No. 1 Wireless
Air Gunners School Ballarat, and there learned that they would
train as W.A.G.S., this was quite unexpected as they, and the
next 40,000 to follow all wanted to become pilots, all
overlooking the statistic that at the most only 35% of those
accepted for aircrew training would have the opportunity to try
for pilot; 24% would train as Navigators and 40% as W.A.G.S. It
is believed that for early courses, mustering was based on
alphabetical order. 1 Course W.A.G.S. included a gentleman from
Perth who was already a licenced pilot.
Those who
protested at not being chosen for pilot training were told not
to worry, you can re-muster later. Later turned out to be at
least one operational tour later.
Number 1
Course W.A.G.S. did 4 weeks initial training, 24 weeks wireless
training, radio theory, D/F loops, radio practical and Morse
code to a minimum standard of 22 words per minute – send and
receive. Then 4 weeks air gunner at Number Bombing and Gunnery
School (B.A.G.S.) Evans Head, graduating as Sergeant Wireless
air Gunners on 11s 6d plus crew pay per day, and sailed for the
Middle East via Bombay on February 2nd 1941. From 3
Course it became the practice to Commission two W.A.G.S. off
course as Pilot Officers.
By January
1941 No. 2 W.A.G.S. Parkes was ready to open. On January 6th,
40 NSW reservists and 40 Queensland reservists reported as 10
Course W.A.G.S. for 4 weeks initial training at Amberley, thence
to Parkes as the first course at 2 W.A.G.S. then to 1 B.A.G.S.
for Air Gunnery. No. 1 W.A.G.S. continued to cater for W.A.G.
trainees from the other States.
In August
1941 a major change to the scheme was the introduction of 8
weeks initial training (I.T.S.) for all air crew trainees. At
the completion of this 8 week course mustering was decided by an
Aircrew Categorisation Board. Trainees were then posted to a
Wireless Air Gunners School, an Air Observers School or to an
Elementary Flying School (E.F.T.S.) according to the mustering
allotted to them by the Board. A white flash in the Forage Cap
was introduced to denote air crew trainee.
To cater
for Queensland trainees and also as part of the planned
expansion of the scheme to 978 inductees every 4 weeks, Number 3
I.T.S. Sandgate Queensland opened in January 1941, later moved
to Kingaroy November 1942. Number 3 W.A.G.S. Maryborough
Queensland opened in September 1941 to cater for all trainees
allocated W.A.G. mustering from 3 I.T.S. plus 3 or 4 W.A.G.
trainees from 2 I.T.S. Bradfield Park. 2 W.A.G.S. trained the
balance of W.A.G. trainees from 2 I.T.S. and 1 W.A.G.S. Ballarat
catered for Southern trainees.
The first
course at 3 W.A.G.S. 19 Course commenced training October 16th,
1941. By now the R.A.A.F. had under the E.A.T.S. 5 Elementary
Flying Schools, 3 Air Navigational Schools, 2 Air Observers
Schools, 3 bombing and Gunnery Schools and 3 Wireless Air
Gunners Schools.
With the
entry of Japan into the war in December 1941, and the perceived
threat to Australia, War Cabinet required the R.A.A.F. to take
stock of the general strategic situation, and of the E.A.T.S.
Sailings of E.A.T.S. drafts was unilaterally suspended.
At this
stage Australia had for Home Defence 29 Hudsons and 4 Catalinas,
some Wirraways, Fairey Battles and Ansons, plus 4 Squadrons in
Singapore and Malaya. Numbers 1 and 8 Squadrons with Hudsons
and 21 and 453 with Brewster Buffaloes.
Fairey "Battle" - Rolls Royce "Merlin" Engine
Lockheed "Hudson" Wright "Cyclone" Engine
At December
1941, the Australian Aircraft Industry was producing Tiger
Moths, Wacketts, Wirraways and Beauforts, which were only just
starting to come off line, 10 had been produced by the end of
1941.
Training
courses in Australia were entirely disrupted and intakes
deferred.
On February
24th, 1942, War Cabinet decided to continue to
provide the agreed quota of aircrew under the E.A.T.S. agreement
with minor modifications, mainly to be allowed to retain in
Australia sufficient aircrew to fill R.A.A.F. squadrons at home
to get R.A.A.F. Article XV Squadrons into the Pacific theatre,
and to return to Australia aircrew with operational experience
to R.A.A.F. units at home.
Overseas
embarkment resumed, but the practice of sending Pilot Trainees
to Rhodesia was discontinued.
It was to
be some time before the R.A.A.F. had enough aircraft to retain
in Australia reasonable numbers of E.A.T.S. trained aircrew.
In March
1942 the mustering Observer was changed to Navigator and W.A.G.S.
began to lose their gunnery function. Those going to Bomber
Command would remuster to Wireless Operator Air, and S wing
replacing the AG wing.
By late
1942 E.A.T.S. aircrew were arriving in the U.K. in large
numbers, 670 R.A.A.F. Australian trained every 4 weeks, and of
course a much larger quantity of Canadian trained R.A.F. and
Dominion aircrew. In October 1942 Number 11 Personnel Despatch
and Receiving Centre (PDRC) was set up in Bournemouth U.K. as
the receiving station for the R.A.A.F. aircrew arriving in the
U.K. In May 1943 11 P.D.R.C. moved to Brighton taking over the
Grand and Metropole Hotels on the waterfront. By late 1943
pilots would wait at Brighton 3 to 4 months before getting to an
A.F.U. and there was no call for single engine pilots. At this
stage Fighter Command had 945 more pilots than they had
aircraft, W.A.G.S. would wait 2 months for posting to an A.F.U.
These delays grew longer in early 1944. Bomber Command had a
reserve stock of nearly 7,000 trained aircrew.
Early in
1942 the R.A.F. had decided to dispense with the 2nd
pilot in heavy bombers.
On April 22nd
1944 the R.A.F. asked that dispatch of fully trained aircrew for
March and April be delayed. All courses in Australia were then
extended by 4 weeks. This R.A.F. request was then rescinded
largely because of big losses by Bomber Command in January,
February and March 1944. In those 3 months 80% of all aircrew
on Squadrons at Christmas 1943 did not see the dawn of Good
Friday.
Embarkations resumed, but numbers continued to build up, so in
late April 1944 the R.A.F. requested no more pilots after June
1944 and no more W.A.G.S. and Navigators after December 1944.
As a result of this the Australian intake of aircrew trainees
was reduced in May 1944 to 630 every 4 weeks and in June 1944
the Air Ministry requested the cessation of all overseas
drafts. The R.A.A.F. then started to close down the Empire Air
Training Scheme.
Number 2
W.A.G.S. had already closed. The last course to graduate from
Parkes was 41 Course on the 30th December 1943. 42
Course at Parkes moved to 1 W.A.G.S. to complete their
training. Number 3 W.A.G.S. ceased training in July 1944, the
last course to graduate being 47 Course.
Some
aircrew training continued but not as part of the E.A.T.S. Then
in February 1945 the manpower position in Australia compelled a
further reduction in R.A.A.F. new recruits, and virtually
brought an end to aircrew training.
In all, 17
Article XV Squadrons were formed, 1 short of the agreed 18.
There were 6 Fighter squadrons, two of which, 452 and 457,
returned to Australia in January 1943 with 54 Squadron R.A.F.
and Spitfires. There were 3 squadrons in the Middle East and in
the U.K. one medium Bomber Squadron, later equipped with
Mosquitoes, 1 Coastal Command Squadron joined 10 Squadron, which
of course was not Article XV Squadron and 6 squadrons with
bomber Command.
In April
1945 the plan was for 2 Article XV Squadrons and 10 R.A.F.
squadrons from bomber Command to go to Okinawa to join the
offensive against Japan. The atom bomb ended the “Tiger Force”
plan.
By the end
of 1941 Australia had 5 R.A.A.F. squadrons, as distinct from
Article XV squadrons, serving overseas. By the end of 1943 the
number of squadrons had grown to 37 R.A.A.F. operational in the
Pacific area, and two still overseas, two N.E.I. squadrons and 6
R.A.A.F. transport squadrons. The gradual availability of
quality aircraft allowed the R.A.A.F. to steadily build up
aircrew numbers at Home so that by August 1945 the R.A.A.F. had
14,500 aircrew in the S.W.P. area, and 15,000 in Europe, plus
1,091 in the India-Burma theatre.
The E.A.T.S.
trained in Australia 27,387 aircrew; 10,882 pilots, 6,071
navigators, and 10,434 Wireless Air Gunners and sent to Canada
for training 10,351 trainees. In all some 40,000 Australians
enlisted as aircrew, the failure rate was high, and of course
many did not complete the course due to the early close-down.
Almost two
thirds of all E.A.T.S. aircrew served time in Europe or the
Middle East.
There were
3,486 Australians killed while serving in the R.A.F. Bomber
Command, nearly 32% of the total R.A.A.F. aircrew casualties.
The total casualties for Bomber Command at 58,378 represents 60%
of the total R.A.F. casualties.
Some 27,000
R.A.A.F. E.A.T.S. personnel served with the R.A.F. most with
R.A.F. squadrons. In April, 1945 there were 1,488 serving with
the R.A.A.F. Article XV squadrons and 10,532 with R.A.F.
squadrons.
Nearly 25%
of those who got to squadrons lost their lives, in all 9,874
aircrew were killed or missing, approximately 30% of all
Australian war deaths in all services, and in all campaigns of
World War II.
The Empire
Air Training Scheme was about providing Air Crew for the Royal
Air Force. Air Gunners, Wireless Operators, Navigators, Bomb
Aimers, Engineers and Pilots. During the Battle of Britain,
August, September, October 1940, 537 pilots were killed. Over
Nuremberg on 31-3-1944, 545 Aircrew were killed in one night.
Bibliography
A.C.M. Jones Report to the Minister for Air.
Odger, G Pictorial History of the R.A.A.F.
McCarthy, J. A Last Call of Empire
Others sources Air Force Office – Department of Defence
<<<<<<>>>>>>
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training)
The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training) Branch,
often abbreviated to RAFVR(T) is a voluntary element of
the British Royal Air Force. Members of the RAFVR(T) have no
call-up liability and often operate part time in the local
structure of the Air Cadet Organisation - either the RAF
sections of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), or the Air Training
Corps (ATC).
Contrary to the requirements for joining the regular armed
forces, applicants for RAFVR(T) positions are not required to
posses educational or other qualifications. Instead, selection
is based upon considerable relevant experience, followed by a
number of interviews, then culminating in a Board chaired by
retired senior RAF officer, usually a Group Captain serving in
the RAFR in the capacity of ATC Regional Commandant. Since
RAFVR(T) officers will generally be responsible for running
either a CCF(RAF) section or an Air Training Corps
squadron/detached flight, successful applicants are required to
demonstrate qualities of commitment, motivation, extensive
knowledge of the RAF and military/civil aviation, all
underpinned by a willingness and aptitude to work with young
people in an instructional environment. Candidates for
commissions in CCF(RAF) sections are initially selected by the
head teacher, although HQAC (Headquarters Air Cadets) has the
right to impose a veto. Other members of the RAFVR(T) serve as
flying instructors on the Volunteer Gliding Squadrons or as
pilots on Air Experience Flights - the latter are often former
military pilots who have left the regular service and are
commissioned into the RAFVR(T) on appointment to the AEF.
<<<<<<>>>>>> |
