Royal Air Force
Administrative Apprentices Association

Multum A Parvo

Member Articles

Enjoy a selection of articles submitted either by, or on behalf of, our members. If you are an ex-RAF Administrative Apprentice, have served as a member of the RAF Administrative Apprentices training staff, are related to or have served with any ex-RAF Administrative Apprentices, you are welcome to submit an article for publication. To do so click the button below:

Submit An Article

Articles are required to be approved by our website manager before posting and those published will be catalogued by name of the contributor and their entry number if appropriate. They can be on any subject so if you have had an interesting experience either during or after your RAF Administrative Apprentice training or later as a civilian, we would be glad to hear from you.

What’s In A Name? – Pat Groombridge 4th Entry

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- by Pat Groombridge

I’m Sent To Be In America – Ben Croucher 29th

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- by Ben Croucheer

A Salutary Tale Of A Cracked Ankle And A Shredded Backside by Alan Bell

I am in discussion with Mike Hamill (40th) who will be shortly submitting an article which will include mention about his time living in Wendover.&nbs ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

A Musican’s Life by Bob Blundell

My father was born on 22 April 1900, the youngest son of William Blundell and Agatha Coutts, Who were respectively, the head gardener and the children ...Read More

- by Bob Blundell

The McCullough Family History – Part 1

I enlisted into the Royal Air Force as an Administrative Apprentice at No 3 School of Technical Training on 9th September 1965.  I wen ...Read More

- by Graham McCullough

An Embarrassing Encounter

In 1961 I took advantage of a 48hour pass from Bircham to my home at R.A.F. Halton, Wendover, Bucks, where my father was an instructor. I was very ...Read More

- by Mike Hamill

A Mercedes Love Affair – Alan Bell (29th)

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- by Alan Bell

Where Is My Medal? – Peter Culley 29th

Now in my 8th decade I find it a little difficult to recall the era of my youth with any great clarity.  It was a very different world then that ...Read More

- by Peter Culley

Loop-the-loop With A Wartime Fighter Ace – Howard Thomas (301st)

Our thanks to the very ‘keen eyed’, Dave Ainsworth (304th) who spotted the following article which appeared in the ‘Peterborough’ C ...Read More

- by Howard Thomas

Flying In The Face Of Adversity – Ben Croucher 29th

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- by Ben Croucher

Some Personal Thoughts – Ron Spurs 320th

I’m sure you will agree fifty years is a long time.  6th January 1971, the swinging sixties had ended and it appears had good mus ...Read More

- by Ron Spurs

My Father’s Story Part 2 – Harry Trumbell 29th

Website Manager Note: The first part of Harry's article can be read here: https://rafadappassn.org/articles/dunkirk-my-fathers-sto ...Read More

- by Harry Trumbell

Summer Camp Porthcawl – Grahame May (25th)

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- by Alan Bell

A Dining-In Night To Remember

When I was eventually allowed to leave Apprentice School in 1960 and let loose on the RAF proper I was posted to HQ 11 Group at RAF Martlesham Heath.& ...Read More

- by Bob Danes

1962 SUMMER CAMP

SUMMER CAMP – DEVON – 1st to 15th JUNE 1962 About three or four times a year I drive across Dartmoor (I live near ...Read More

- by David Tinley

Job Interviews

The Job Interview - Grahame May (25th) ...Read More

- by Grahame May

Pay Parades

Dear Sir, The article in the September 2020 Newsletter by Alan Bell concerning Pay Parades immediately rang a bell in my mind. I well remember a ...Read More

- by Ronald A.L. Muggleton

Memories Of RAF Changi

I came across an excellent colour photograph of the airmen's swimming pool at RAF Changi that was taken from the Changi Hospital in the early 1960s. I ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

School Days And Puberty – Grahame May (25th)

On recently being "under orders" to clear some space in the loft I came across an old rolled up panoramic photo of the whole of Rosebank High School d ...Read More

- by Grahame May

The RAF Regiment – a curse or a blessing?

Shortly after coming to Canada I enlisted in the Army Reserves (RCASC), being at a loose end and becoming bored with the constant boozing and high liv ...Read More

- by Colin Mount

AATS RAF BIRCHAM NEWTON HOCKEY TEAM

The team comprises members from the 38th to 41st entries and would have been taken in the 1960-61 hockey season - probably 1961. If anyone can identif ...Read More

- by Dixie Dean

An Absorbing Hobby

I retired 12 years ago and although loved the times of year when you could go walking or do gardening or were fit enough for all those projects put of ...Read More

- by David Tinley

From Charles (Jimmy James) – 24th Entry

Submitted May 2020 Website Manager Comment: Charles posted the following as a comment on a Notice but I thought it worth adding as ...Read More

- by Charles James

Halcyon Days – Grahame May 25th Entry

A few months after my medical discharge in November 1957, I joined a local medium sized company as an Accounts Clerk. I was just nineteen and thought ...Read More

- by grahame may

Kindness

On Remembrance Day last year I attended the service at our local war memorial as I usually do. After the parade I went to a nearby tea room wearing "b ...Read More

- by Bob Blundell

Music – We all wanted to be Tony Blackburn

Dear Ex Apps, 1971, 16 years old, cold January day, attested and required to take a shower.  Shown to our new home in Malcolm Block first floo ...Read More

- by RONALD SPURS

GHOST STATIONS

Many  years ago I read a number of paperbacks by Bruce Halpenny, which listed numerous strange happenings at many of the old existing RAF and USA ...Read More

- by grahame may

Hereford Gates

There has been some discussion on RAF Hereford Face Book Page Re the Station Gates. i have done some quick research and came up wi ...Read More

- by Bryan Hoare

50th Anniversary of 311

A Happy New Year to you “Admin” & fellow group members . If I may please, to all 311th Entry AA’s (Supp’ Gens & Clerk Secs) RAF Her ...Read More

- by Bryan Hoare on behalf of Jim Hawkins

RAF Hereford Cinema

I found a programme for July 1967, interesting to see what was playing. ...Read More

- by Bryan Hoare

310th New Boy

From Brian BC Croft off FB RAF Hereford September 7th 1968.......50 years ago today a 15 and a half year old boy straight out of school got on a tr ...Read More

- by Bryan Hoare

My First And Only Posting – 11 Weeks

After passing out as a J/T from Hereford in December 1956, I was posted to RAF Middleton St George, Co. Durham just 9 miles from home. My welcome to t ...Read More

- by Grahame May

Passchendaele centenary

Earlier this year the Commonwealth War Graves Commission  stated that it would hold a commemoration ceremony at Tyne Cot military cemetery in Fla ...Read More

- by Bob Blundell

Dunkirk – My Father’s Story

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- by Harry Trumbell

592810 N V O Healey 18th Entry

Whilst searing through the British Newspaper Archives web site I came across this Article from the Portsmouth Evening News from August 1954. S ...Read More

- by David Johnson

POSTINGS

I recently read some back copies of 'The Apprentice' magazine from the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was interesting  to see the variety of post ...Read More

- by DIXIE DEAN

RAF Apprentice Training Schemes

The RAF apprentice and flight cadet training schemes were the backbone of the Royal Air Force in the years leading up to, and during and immediately a ...Read More

- by Bryan Clark 27th Entry

David Anker 40th Entry

David John Anker 1944-1994 Aged 49 Years - Dixie Deane 40th David Anker, aged 15 years and 8 months, arrived at RAF Bircham Newton on 17 May 1960 a ...Read More

- by William Dixie Dean

Herbert Bunting

HERBERT VICTOR BUNTING (590328) – 17TH ENTRY RAF RUISLIP APPRENTICE CLERKS   Herbert (Harry) Bunting was born on ...Read More

- by Jim Wilcox

Hat Badges/Bands – Bryan Hoare

19th November 2016 I noticed this on Face Book about Hat bands Cosford, however all stations are included. After the discussions I had with ...Read More

- by Bryan Hoare

316th Face Book Page

Hi Everyone, I am reposting this from the @rafadappassn page on Face Book for Phil Evans. He wishes to let anyone who was 316th entry that he has a FB ...Read More

- by Phil Evans

Happy Anniversary To The 319th Entry, RAF Hereford 1970 -71

Today, 2nd September 2016 marks the 46th anniversary of the day a group of young lads, aged 15 -17, arrived in Hereford to begin our training as memb ...Read More

- by Brian (Chip) Porter

Medmenham And 249 Squadron Akrotiri

I was interested in Harry Trumbell's recent article on his time at RAF Medmenham and with 249 Squadron Akrotiri. Why I hear you cry! Well, first of al ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

305th Entry 50th Anniversary Reunion and Photo

 Jim Parker, Keith Finter, Ray Parfitt, John Lawrence, Brian & Pat Steenson, Dave & Elaine Steenson and Tony & Sylvia Hammonds enj ...Read More

- by Tony Hammonds

Memories Of My First Overseas Posting

In 1960 I was stationed at RAF Medmenham (HQ Signals Command) when I received notification of my posting to 249 Sqn. RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus.   The jou ...Read More

- by Harry Trumbell - 29th

Far East Adventire

Memories of Our Far East Adventure by Harry Trumbell and Brian Morrison Brian has provided me with comprehensive details of his memories of Borneo ...Read More

- by Harry Trumbell

Alan Bell (29th Entry)

I was looking at Entry photo taken either late ’57 or early ’58 and it made me think of how athletically slim and trim we all were in those days. ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Ken Cameron (4th Entry)

Reading the first part of Joe’s article on his trip to Christmas Island stirred old memories of 1958. Although my posting was to the Staging Post a ...Read More

- by Ken Cameron

Brian Newman (17th Entry)

The scene was set, all was prepared, latrine buckets were all empty, the parade was well rehearsed, large and impressive with 9 Wings of 3 Squadrons o ...Read More

- by Brian Newman

Pete Harris (20th Entry)

Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry to the auto industry saying, "If General Motors kept up with technology like the computer industr ...Read More

- by Pete Harris

Rick Owens (312 Entry)

Hi to you and all our mates, I have to admit to not being much of a joiner and if I did join your association I'm not sure I could contribute to it. ...Read More

- by Rick Owens

Pete Stapleton (31st Entry)

I am enclosing a photo of myself and Ken Baldock (32nd), taken in September 2008 whilst walking the South West Coastal Path with our wives. We met at ...Read More

- by Pete Stapleton

Ian Baldie (322nd Entry)

I left Secondary School at the age of 16 in the summer of 1970. After nine months as an apprentice storeman in my hometown in the South West of Scotl ...Read More

- by Ian Baldie

Derek Pitman (3rd Entry)

It was with amusement and a significant flood of memories that I read Derek Gould's account of Iraq in revolutionary times and about his posting foul- ...Read More

- by Derek Pitman

Reg Drinkwater (Cpl Drill Instructor AATS Hereford)

In those days you joined an elite part of the RAF and I thought then and still do think that you subsequently formed a substantial part of the backbon ...Read More

- by Reg Drinkwater

Derek Gould (23rd Entry)

In March 1958,at the age of 20, I was posted to RAF Nicosia. After about three weeks I was called to the admin office and told that because of my exp ...Read More

- by Derek Gould

Trevor Hicks (23rd Entry)

After passing out on 12th April 1956 I was posted to RAF Thorney Island in Hampshire as a Junior Technician (J/T) – where on arrival Flt. Sgt Lewis ...Read More

- by Trevor Hicks

Reg Drinkwater (Cpl Drill Instructor AATS Hereford)

Does any Apprentice who paraded under my instruction near to lunchtime on a drill lesson, remember my son (Michael) 4 to 5 years of age at the time, c ...Read More

- by Reg Drinkwater

Bryan Clark (27th Entry)

In essential details, Brian Morrison is right in his story [I know because I was there - Newsletter no 59] about the ‘liberation’ of a Phantom air ...Read More

- by Bryan Clark

Dave Ainsworth (304th Entry)

This trip, organised by Terry May (17th), offered members (and wives, girlfriends etc) an event packed day at this well-established Station in the Suf ...Read More

- by Dave Ainsworth