petet Posted 13 August , 2016 Share Posted 13 August , 2016 I was just typing up some notes on "aircrew" training during WW1 and my mind turned to the ground trades and I was wondering what training personnel received in the various ground trades (including aeroplane repairs, wireless repairs, photography etc). Is there a list of RFC ground trades and is there any information available on the training process for these? Your usual thoughts and feedback on this would be much appreciated. Regards Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 13 August , 2016 Share Posted 13 August , 2016 1 hour ago, petet said: I was just typing up some notes on "aircrew" training during WW1 and my mind turned to the ground trades and I was wondering what training personnel received in the various ground trades (including aeroplane repairs, wireless repairs, photography etc). Is there a list of RFC ground trades and is there any information available on the training process for these? Your usual thoughts and feedback on this would be much appreciated. Regards Pete Hi I have some notes I have made on this subject but it is too long to put on the forum. I will have to send it by e-mail. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loader Posted 13 August , 2016 Share Posted 13 August , 2016 Mazny yrs ago I talked to a man who h ad joined the RFC in late 1914. He was a wood worker & he was given a test involving working with some wood, can't recall now. But he passed it very well & found himself in France in early 1915. He said only training he recd was in drill & marching & none in his trade. I think he was a rigger but worked repairing wooden parts of aircraft. He said same applied to others in his section, all skilled wood workers off to France fast. He laughed as he said their lack of formal training beyond basic marching & standing at attention got his group out of many parades & formations & they were allowed to keep working & pretty much left alone most of the time. He ended the war as a Sjt., RAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petet Posted 13 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 13 August , 2016 Thanks as usual to all for your invaluable feedback. Would there have been a poster or newspaper article which listed the ground trades that the RFC were looking for? Regards Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMeech Posted 13 August , 2016 Share Posted 13 August , 2016 1 hour ago, petet said: Thanks as usual to all for your invaluable feedback. Would there have been a poster or newspaper article which listed the ground trades that the RFC were looking for? Regards Pete Hi There are a couple of posters displayed in the RAF Museum's WW1 Exhibition. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICM - RAF Retd Posted 13 August , 2016 Share Posted 13 August , 2016 In case it helps - 10 Squadron formed at Farnborough on 1 January 1915 and moved to Brooklands a week later to start a work-up. A letter in the Squadron archives from Gavin Dunn, a Rigger, describes some initial drill and military training there, followed by 3 months detachment to a location in Chelmsford for trade training, His friend, Louis Gray, an Engine Fitter, was there too, it appears. He relates that they had no drill or parades during that detachment, something their Sgt Major took care of once they rejoined the unit at Brooklands! I have no detail on where in Chelmsford they went but it doesn't sound like a regular military establishment, although it was reported as having a 'large hangar' with a BE2b to work on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 13 August , 2016 Share Posted 13 August , 2016 My grandfather (who sadly died nearly ten years before I was born) was a joiner to trade and enlisted as "ground crew" in the RFC. The dates in his record are interesting. His date of engagement is 28 October 1915. He went to France on 18 December 1915. Roger M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 13 August , 2016 Share Posted 13 August , 2016 What would boilermakers and boilersmiths have done with aircraft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quemerford Posted 14 August , 2016 Share Posted 14 August , 2016 6 hours ago, johnboy said: What would boilermakers and boilersmiths have done with aircraft? Making & repairing fuel tanks, oil tanks etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 14 August , 2016 Share Posted 14 August , 2016 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petet Posted 14 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 14 August , 2016 Thanks again to everyone for your feedback and interest in the subject matter. Additional nuggets of information always welcome. Regards Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 14 August , 2016 Share Posted 14 August , 2016 In 1961 I was befriended by an RAF Warrant Officer i/c Mechanical Transport. He spoke of a colleague who had two trades: Rigger [Airship] and Driver [Steam]. Almost a Goon Show scenario. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlight Posted 15 August , 2016 Share Posted 15 August , 2016 My grandfather enlisted as a wireless mechanic (he had a diploma in watchmaking at the time, so it's surprising he wasn't made an instrument mechanic) in the Royal Flying Corps on 1st October 1915 and board a boat at Southampton for France only three weeks later (11th November 1915). During his brief period of training at Farnborough, he spent eight days initial army training learning drills etc and then twelve days 'across the road' at the Aircraft park where he was taught the principles of flight, basic aeroplane mechanics and the operation of various cockpit instruments. He also trained in a fully equiped workshop lorry (there is a recreation of a workshop lorry at Duxford if you are interested) as that would be where he would carry out a lot of his duties when he was stationed at the squadron in Belgium. I thoroughly recommend F J Adkin's book "From the Ground Up" - A History of RAF Ground Crew, if you want more detailed information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petet Posted 15 August , 2016 Author Share Posted 15 August , 2016 Thanks again to all contributors for your ongoing interest in this thread Regards Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 16 August , 2016 Share Posted 16 August , 2016 My grandfather spent his RFC war service at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough (medically classified as not fit for overseas service) - he was a tailor by profession. Whether he was stitching aircraft or uniforms we shall never know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlight Posted 16 August , 2016 Share Posted 16 August , 2016 5 hours ago, squirrel said: My grandfather spent his RFC war service at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough (medically classified as not fit for overseas service) - he was a tailor by profession. Whether he was stitching aircraft or uniforms we shall never know... One of the Royal Flying Corps trades was that of Sailmaker and many of the men who were recruited for that job were tailors by profession. I'm not aware that the Royal Aircraft Factory ever had a uniform department (see attached link to a photo of the Royal Aircraft Factory departmental structure as at 1916 - on the Aerodrome Forum), so your grandfather would most likely have been a sailmaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errol Martyn Posted 17 August , 2016 Share Posted 17 August , 2016 A list of abbreviations accompanying the RAF Muster Roll includes 'Miscellaneous (Tailor) - Misc. (Tailor)'. Further down the list is 'Sailmaker Upholsterer - Slmkr. Uphstr.' This seems to be the only reference to sailmakers. Errol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Bird Posted 18 August , 2016 Share Posted 18 August , 2016 If you go onto the RAF Museum Site there is a link to airmen's trades on the Museum Story Vault. http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/pages/raf_vault.php?&&RAF-cluster=Muster+Roll+-+see+Addenda&van=1 Reading Technical Training: "At the end of 1917 and beginning of 1918 a large number of men were being obtained from the Armies, a rough calculation points to a figure of 300 men having been transferred during the last winter of the war. These men covered a whole range of trades much needed in the Flying Corps." Memo to Sefton Brancker and David Henderson. - Brancker Archive IWM. First four chapters are done for "Fur Goggles Full Throttle" Men of 1 School of Aeronautics Reading 1915 - 1918. Andy Bird http://andrewdbird.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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