Passing Out Review
26th April 1966


 
©The Daily Mirror
 
Passing Out Review
School Appointments
Prizewinners
Distinguished Passes
No. 303 Entry Notes
Reviewing Officer’s Address
The Daily Mirror 27th April 1966
 
 

The Passing Out Review

The passing out parade of the 303rd Entry of Craft Apprentices took place on Tuesday 26th April, 1966. The Reviewing Officer was Air Vice-Marshall E. M.T. Howell, C.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., Senior Air Staff Officer Technical Training Command. He was accompanied by Air Vice-Marshall B. Robinson, C.B.E., Air Officer Commanding No. 24 Group and Group Captain H. Durkin, M.A., Commandant No 2 School of Technical Training. The review consisted of an inspection by the Reviewing Officer followed by ceremonial drill and march past with the Craft Apprentices Band in support.

 

The parade was entirely under the command of the following apprentices:-

Parade Commander Sgt.App. Patterson, A.
Parade Adjutant Cpl.App. Shatford, W. F.
No 1 Squadron Commander Cpl.App. Robinson, L.
No 1 Flight Commander L.App. Farquharson, I. R.W
No 2 Flight Commander L.App. Morris, R.
No 2 Squadron Commander Cpl.App. McGrath, W.J.
No 1 Flight Commander Cpl.App. Scott, A.G.
No 2 Flight Commander L.App. Burgess, K.J.
No 3 Squadron Commander App.Rudge, I.D.
No 1 Flight Commander App.Wright, N.L.
No 2 Flight Commander App.McClelland, P.
Drum Major L.App. Linstead, G.
Trumpet Major L.App. Jacobs, C.A
Standard Bearers App. Newbold, J.
App.Thomas, D.A.
School Appointments
Head Boy of the School Sgt.App. Patterson, A.
Deputy Head Boy of the School Cpl.App. Shatford, W. F.
Prizewinners
Awarded the Victor Groom Ceremonial Stick Sgt.App. Patterson, A
First in Order of Merit App.Hart, D.
First Telegraphist App.Hart, D.
First Photographer App.Luck, R. G.
First in Education App.Hart, D.
First in General Service Training Cpl.App. Shatford, W. F.
Distinguished Passes
Distinguished Passes are awarded to those Apprentices obtaining:-
a. 80% in Part I and,
b. 80% in Part II and,
c. An overall S.A.C. pass in the examination.
Distinguished Passes are awarded to the following Apprentices:-
Telegraphist Photographer
653 App. D. Hart. 637 App. R. G. Luck.
660 App. D. R. Mace. 684 L./App. A Renshaw.
672 App. T. P. Robertson.
683 App. R. H. Spink.
678 App. A. Williams
No. 303 Entry Notes

No. 303 Entry consisted of boys under training in the trades of Photographers and Telegraphists. It was formed in May, 1965. The Entry was the first in the recent history of Cosford to complete the course of training with all the original intake passing out. They had the benefit of the experience gained with the two previous craft apprentice entries, and seized their opportunities to show what a good entry they were. They were the first entry of craft apprentices to spend their summer camp in September in Wales. Frosty mornings alternated with torrential downpours and added to the rigours of camp life. There was plenty of scope for initiative in such activities as canoeing, bridgebuilding and mountain-rescue and most of the entry qualified for the Duke of Edinburgh Award (Silver Standard) during their two day cross country treck. Although there were no really outstanding sportsman amongst the 303rd Entry they had 53 representatives in 13 station sporting activities.

The following apprentices represented Junior R.A.F. Teams:-
Athletics Apps. Robinson and Williams
Shooting Apps. Cadwallader, Morris, Atkins and McDonagh
Rugby App. Reece
The following apprentices have been awarded their School Colours for sport:-
Athletics Cpl.App. Robinson
Rugby Cpl.App. Robinson and Apps. Reece, Hart, Lydon and Anstis.
Swimming Cpl.App. Robinson App. Rampton
Table Tennis Apps. Atha, Jones(357) and Williams(639).
Hockey Cpl.App. Shatford, Apps. Mutch and Lydon.
Soccer Apps. Clegg and Johnson.
They were, of course, the first entry of apprentices to be assisted in their passing out parade by Ben the newly joined Squadron Mascot. The 303rd Entry in the years to come will be able to look back with pride at their Cosford days and know that they did more than was asked of them.

 

Reviewing Officer’s Address to the 303rd Entry

Air Vice Marshal E. M. T. Howell, C.B.E. welcomed parents, thanked them for their interest and support and congratulated the 303rd Entry on a fine parade. In a reference to the new mascot, he recommended that Ben should be taken on strength as an Apprentice. The Air Vice-Marshall went on to stress the importance of hobbies, sports and social activities as a means of character building, and urged the Apprentices to avoid boredom and idleness by taking part in voluntary activities. The trades of photographer and telegraphists are important links in providing information and communication. The Reviewing Officer hoped that the 303rd Entry would continue to pass trade and education examinations in the future in order to prepare for promotion. He concluded by saying that it was not easy for him as an armament officer to forget the Entry because, to him, 303 meant "good calibre"

 

 

 

The Daily Mirror 27th April 1966
 
BEN THE MASCOT IS SO BORED BY THE BIG PARADE
 
©The Daily Mirror
 

Every rookie knows the feeling. There is so much standing around to do that even the biggest parade can be a bore. And what recruit has not longed for a spot of shut-eye while the reviewing officer is making his rounds? There is not much you can do about it when you are an R.A.F. apprentice. But if you are the mascot, anything goes - even sleeping on parade. And that is just what Ben, Pyrenean Mountain dog mascot of the Apprentices’ Squadron at R.A.F. Cosford, Shropshire, did on Tuesday (26-4-66). The occasion was a passing-out review for boys of No.2 School of Technical Training. Ben enjoyed leading out the band.Who wouldn’t? But when the reviewing officer, Air Vice-Marshal E.M.T. Howell, started inspecting the parade, Ben soon got tired of just standing around doing nothing. First he yawned - and a real jaw-cracker it was. Then he sat down in the middle of the parade ground. Finally, he shut his eyes and dozed until the boring part was all over. Ben’s handler, Apprentice Howard Barnes, had nothing but praise for him after the parade. "I was very proud of Ben" he said. "The band didn’t get him excited - he was great." And that spot of unmilitary shut-eye? Well, it was supposed to be a passing-out parade, after all.

 

 
©The Daily Mirror

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