wonwinglo

Part 4-14 months of hard work then embarkation.

At this point it is perhaps appropiate to outline the three basic training schemes in operation at this crucial time in history,the CATP Commonwealth Air Training Plan,using bases in Canada;the BFTS British Flying Training Schools in the USA which utilised American bases and equipment;Arnold Scheme,flying training of British cadets undertaken within the structure of the U.S.Army Air Corps,R.A.F cadets were allocated to one of the above schemes before leaving the UK.
There were in fact six BFTS's established initially as a result of an agreement between Roosevelt and Churchill in early 1941,they were-Love Field,Dallas,Terrell,Texas;Glendale,Lancaster,Cali fornia;Tulsa,Miami,Oklahoma;Thunderbird,Mesa,Arizo na;Arcadia,Clewiston,Florida;Albany,Ponca City,Oklahoma,only four of these were in existance at the cessation of hostilities in September 1945.

During mid 1942 my father made a few moves across Canada in order to learn the skills of his forthcoming trade,from Trenton Air Station in Ontario he went to No.5 Air Observer School,Stevenson field,Winnipeg,Manitoba,Canada-



Breathtaking view from the air of the Capital city of the Province of Manitoba,Canada in 1942,the restrictions of carrying cameras were obviously allowed as this was taken on a training flight in an Avro Canada built Anson trainer.

After a brief stay at Trenton Air Station,Ontario,Canada it was on to No.5 Air Observer School,Stevenson field,Winnipeg,Manitoba where he would see a wide variety of training aircraft including this Handley Page Hampden,and a Curtiss Kittyhawk practising circuits-



Handley Page Hampden ( nicknamed the 'Flying Suitcase' ) in the circuit at Stevenson Field.



A Curtiss Kittyhawk practising circuits and bumps at Stevensons field,these were the sights that greeted my father in 1942.

After a few weeks it was time to move on again,this time to No.31 Gunnery School at Picton,Ontario,once again he received intense specialised training on Avro Canada Anson Mk.II aircraft and Bristol Bolingbrokes.



Ansom Mk.II on approach to Picton,Ontario,and a gut wrenching steep bank in a Bristol Bolingbroke with my father in the turret-



From here he went to No.33 Air Navigation School,at Mount Hope,Ontario here he did a lot of flying in more Avro Ansons,take a look at this picture aircraft as far as the eye can see-



And the obligatory group line up picture,LJC is bottom second in from the right,once again he is in his element,he is flying and has comradship,what more could he have wanted ?-



The group lined up for the course photograph,I wonder how many are still around now ? every name is on the reverse of the picture.

Well on 4th February 1943 after a brief visit once again to the R.A.F depot at Moncton he was embarked back to the UK on the Troopship 'Andes'-



Andes-Displacement 25,689 tons,669 x 83 feet,Steam Turbines,twin screws,21 knots,607 passengers ( 403 first class and 204 second class ) Built by Harland & Wolf at Belfast in 1939,originally built for Royal Mail Lines ( British flag ) Southampton-East Coast of America service,she was completed as a troopship in 1939,entered in South American service 1948,converted to a cruise ship in 1959-60 and finally scrapped in Belgium in 1971.

Well try and put yourself in my fathers place back then,on the way back home what would he be thinking of ? probably looking forward to more flying soon,one thing is for sure these were to be the most happy and memorable times of his life,despite the evils of war he was acheiving what he really wanted.

Part 5 will cover and follow his further advanced training in the UK,and he would meet his bride to be,my mother who was serving as a WAAF at Stranraer as an aircraft fitter.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
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