Royal Air Force
Administrative Apprentices Association
Multum A Parvo
After reading Peter Culley’s excellent article on OAP time travel, I thought it was high time someone put into words, how fortunate most of us have been to belong to the Association. Or, to have been members of the Administrative Apprentices Training School. I was on the London underground in 1960, on my way to Aden, when I bumped into someone who had been an admin apprentice for about 3 days; he had opted out and was working as an apprentice tailor; I felt sorry for him as the thought of travelling into London, 5 or 6 days a week, and being stuck in a back room all day, seemed very dreary and off-putting. And, strangely enough I did enjoy Aden apart from very tiresome explosive dump guard duties; this was as well as being i/c station registry where it was always your fault.
Why is it that the apprentices left such an impression on us all? I still remember friends from the last two years at school but not as well as those in the AATS. Even ex-admin apps who joined before or after me as we had so much in common, talked the same language and remembered the instructors, bed packs nearly every morning and the change from schoolboys to young adults. At the same time most of us (but not all) absorbed a way of life, of belonging and perhaps manners and feelings of not letting one another down. And, for the last part I think our drill instructors (Reg Drinkwater and Joe Salter in my case) played a bigger part than we realised. Obviously the late teens and early twenties are the most impressionable part of our lives setting the tone for the future.
My future was outside the Air Force after 12 years. Life in the RAF seemed to be becoming very like the civil service and with overseas bases a thing of the past, not as exciting. After 2 years in Aden and 3½ years in Cyprus I found the UK weather not to my liking, which is probably why I live in Brisbane, Australia. Perhaps in my next life I can live in Cyprus, and reminisce with other ex apps and bore the hell out of them.
No, no regrets. The fact that you are reading this is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of Steve Day and his fellow Committee Members, over many years, including the very dedicated Dinger Bell. I have only known him for 60 odd years and am still not sure of his first name. They, I think, show some of that sense of belonging and not letting one another down. This, I imagine, may well be one of the last newsletters as age and weariness catches up with us all. If there is anyone out there who can help please do so.
Ted Huntley (24th)
administrator@rafadappassn.org
Great article from Ted Huntley which basically says it all. My time at Hereford gave me the guts and confidence to overcome a rather difficult re- start in civilian life, which occured only twelve months after passing out. However, I came through it all and am still going strong, despite the usual age related handicaps.