| Page 1 - Birth of the Air Cadets |  | Page 2 - Formation of the ATC |

By 1938 the activities of the ADCC were severely restricted because of the approach of World War II. Many ADCC instructors and squadron officers were called up into regular Service. Buildings were commandeered by either the Service or by local government for war work and cadets went to work on RAF stations.

Cadets were used to carry messages, they helped with clerical duties, in providing extra muscle in handling aircraft and in the movement of stores and equipment. They filled thousands of sandbags and loaded miles of belts of ammunition.

Early flying lessons

Throughout the early stages of war, the government received good reports as to the quality of cadets entering the RAF and Fleet Air Arm. It was so impressed that it asked the ADCC to begin training young men who were waiting to be called into Service. The ADCC willingly took on this very responsible job and in a very short space of time produced thousands of well qualified individuals who went to pass quickly through basic training.

Towards the end of 1940 the government realised the true value of the work done by the ADCC and agreed to take over its control. This meant a number of changes to the corps, and in fact brought about the birth of a completely new organisation, called the Air Training Corps. So on the 5 February 1941 the Air Training Corps (ATC) was officially established, with King George VI very kindly agreeing to be the Air Commodore-in-Chief, and issuing a Royal Warrant setting out the Corps' aims.

The ATC Badge

The number of young men responding to this new ATC was spectacular. Within the first month the size of the old ADCC had virtually doubled to more than 400 squadrons and after 12 months it was about 8 times as big. The new ATC badge was designed and once approved by the King, it was published in August 1941. The motto VENTURE ADVENTURE, devised by Air Commodore Chamier, was adopted by the ATC and incorporated into the badge.

The New ATC squadrons adapted their training programmes to prepare young men for entry to the RAF. Squadrons arranged visits to RAF and Fleet Air Arm stations as part of the cadets' training and to let them fly as much as possible. Everybody wanted to fly but with so few flights available, many cadets were disappointed. One solution designed to get cadets airborne was to introduce them to gliding. This would give cadets a chance to get the feel of an aircraft in flight and allow them to handle the controls. This obviously could not happen over night. It would be many years before this dream could be realised.

A Bulldog Trainer, of the type used until recently replaced by the Grob Tutor

The government did improve the flying situation, in 1943 they set up a special ATC Flight. It consisted of 10 aircraft, Oxfords and Dominies, for the sole purpose of giving cadets air experience flights. They also allowed cadets to go flying in RAF aircraft on normal Service flying activities.

| Page 1 - Birth of the Air Cadets |  | Page 2 - Formation of the ATC |