8F ATC Squadron, Frederick Bird School

Blueleader, another post that gave me a jolt, post 72 on the slough topic, the second time I looked at that picture. The Rose family lived in one of those huts, there is a small boy playing - my cousin. With the date of the picture that has to be the eldest son of the Rose family. If we jump to around 1943, he was visiting my grandparents and our family, we lived next door. He was on leave, Aircrew bomber command, about a dozen trips over Germany, under his belt, and that was the last time I saw him.

Hi Norman, yes in the 60's and 70's the test beds were fully occupied and running 24 hours a day. The big olympus's made some noise when on full chat. Mind you the little Viper engines were noisy too. Sadly all will be gone over the next few years. That's a lot of jobs gone eh?

Amazing how you can remember these things. I wonder what happened to him, eh?

Blueleader, because I was around sixteen, 8F a cadet, he was the real thing, I wanted to be him, we all did, especially Coventry kids, I remember him saying the ground crew wrote things on the bombs they dropped, 'Present from Coventry' or whatever the crew asked for, every time they went they knew they had less than a 1 in 10 chance of coming back, these things don't go away, I have no idea who I met last week, or what I did, but that just leapt out at me. How can you forget your sister's face when she hears her boyfriend has lost an arm or much worse. As someone once said, memory is like a bucket, so much crammed in when you was young, no room for recent things.

The photo in front of the helicopter was taken at RAF Leconfield in the 70s. I am the second cadet from the left, and my brother Stef is also in the back row. The squadron is flanked by two WO's, Smith on the left and Bill Duffin on the right. some faces I can put a name to are Kevin Sumner, Jeffries, Ainsworth, Williams. If anybody has any other photo's from this era, would be greatly appreciated.

This is not a subject I know anything about but if I see anything with Coventry on I am tempted to buy it. Therefore I picked up an interesting little booklet at the weekend about the Air Training Corps, City of Coventry No 84 Squadron. Dated 1946. Interesting it gives the address as Cow Lane. It was written by John Parbury who is listed as the Band President, but he also has an advert for J E Parbury Limited, Stationery House, Cow Lane, commercial stationers who also printed the booklet. The book has a list of squadron personnel and information about ATC.

Hello Ann, I remember the Cow Lane 84 Squadron, I was a member of 8f and remember them, from what I remember they were still there about 1964ish, not sure on that one but do remember them, also I knew a couple of cadets from that Squadron so I will have a look at that publication when I return from Gibraltar. On holiday just now. Look forward to seeing that. Thanks for sharing. Colin.

It was the winter of 1939 when I first saw the Tiger Moths displaying their skills over the fields near the airfield of Ansty. I had been evacuated to a lonely house out in the country, right under where they practised, but imagine my surprise when one of them flew under the high bridge that spanned the canal and railway, I thought he had waved a fist at me but later thought it was a salute to his achievement. But I believe it was that display that made me join 8f sometime in 1942. A further surprise was in store when I found that 8f had an attachment with the airfield and cadets where allotted flying experience, but few people had cars in those days, and as one had to make their own way there, it gave me an advantage. On the Sunday morning I reported to the gatehouse, who instructed me to an office. I gave all the smartest salutes I knew, I was collected by a young officer and was shown over to one of the Tiger Moths, an open cockpit bi-plane. He tapped my shoulder, "you'll need helmet and goggles young man", handing me such, he helped me to adjust them, advised me to put loose change into a safe pocket, he then helped me into the front seat, Checked my belt was secure, I believe he may have had a raised seat behind me, the plane seemed to rock and twist with each movement, 'nice and snug?' or some such words, I cleared my throat and answered 'yes', there was a pause, then the propeller seemed to stutter, the plane started forward and rolled across the grass. If a ground crew removed chocks I can't remember, the plane took on a more noise as the speed increased, I gripped the edge of the fuselage as the juddering and rumbling stopped and we lifted in to the air. Parts of the wing fabric seemed to ripple and sway in the slipstream. I felt my mouth dry as I peeked over the side and saw the fields way down below like postage stamps. Cloud shadows across the land, we flew around for about ten minutes. A childish excitement flooded through me as my aerial courage increased, we spoke a few times but can't remember what was said but I felt he had not tried to scare me too much, but as he dropped the nose I felt my insides push up through my body. The landing seemed slow, and as we taxied back across the airfield a rush of adrenaline coursed through me, how many 15 year olds had this experience. This happened a number of times. I felt in 8f I was in an elite band.

When I was 13 I joined the Air Training Corps. We started as a Flight from 8F Coventry at Frederick Birds School. Later we formed 2438 (Ullathorne) Squadron with our own hut etc. We paraded Friday evening and Sunday morning. I have a few photos to display. The first from a Summer Camp at South Cerney.

dpmorgan. Yes a great photo. There is more people in that photograph than in the squadron of my days, I believe we only had two officers, and we wore forage caps not berets. But it did teach me the basics of military life.

My recollection of Clive's death was as you described. It was a great tragedy and affected us all. His father was also a W/O and ran the stores at Ullathorne, which became 2438 Sqdn. OC was, I believe, Flt lieutenant Turner. He died after having heart attack and crashing car. I have put up a photo of summer camp in South Cerney in 1969.

84 Squadron moved up to Baginton by the end of the 60s. I was a civilian instructor for a short while before joining the Army. We were guests of the flying club there.

Bit of a gap since your post, Tom. I remember Mick Kennedy and George Fair. I sure it was Mick that got me enthused about ATC. I think joining age was 13 1/2 in those days but I was impatient. I got in not long after 13th birthday. I was on the trip to RAF Leuchars. For some reason we went via Derby and Nuneaton I think. We took about 14 hours mainly in a corridor carriage. Spent time wandering up and down train to find somewhere to sit. I joined late 1962 and left about 1970 when I went for a short while to 84 Squadron at Baginton as CI. I finished at 2438 as F/Sgt Staff Cadet. I learned a lot while I was there particularly from P/O Brock who taught us how to look after tools. Managed to get on Summer Camp to Germany in 1966, took DofE to Silver with trips to Lake District and visits to Hampton Lucy with Terry Carey. We used to canoe into Stratford for shopping.

I'm on this photo just behind Colin with the big grin! Clive Menary. I was in the Squadron from about 1958 until 1963 when I joined the Royal Navy!

Me on the left age 14. I know this is a bad photo but it's the only photo you will see with 8F in forage cap (1941). Before the war it was known as the Air Defence Corp, but in 1941 was changed to the Air Training Corp, 8F being one of the first.