7th
February 1941
Pontefract Squadron of A.T.C.
New Work for Youth in Preparing to Help Their Country
The
first step was taken in Pontefract on Tuesday to form a Pontefract
Squadron of the new Air Training Corps, which may be described as a
cadet corps of the Royal Air Force. At a public meeting in the Municipal
Offices, attended by more boys than adults, the nucleus was formed of a
local committee, which will administer the squadron. The Mayor of
Pontefract, Councillor T.W. Hill, presided over the meeting, and was
accompanied by Squadron Leader Stonehouse and Flying Officer Marshall of
the R.A.F.
The
Town Clerk, Mr. G. Wilkinson, read a letter from the Commandant of the
Corps, Air Commodore J.A. Chamier, pointing out that before the aim
could be realised of a unit of 100 to 200 boys, of 16 to 18 year-old,
for every town of 20,000 people, a local committee must be formed to
administer the unit. Once that was formed, said the letter, the unit
quickly followed, for the boys were eager to join.
Squadron
Leader Stonehouse declared that the war would be won or lost in the air,
and we must provide, if we were to come through, a succession for the
young men so gallantly holding the pass at the moment. He pointed out
that, while every boy was passionately eager to undertake some kind of
work or service to which he could give himself whole-heartedly, even to
the point of sacrifice, the war had made no call on young men of 16-18.
They had acquired more liberty, and greater financial independence,
without having to face the full burden of work and anxiety that had
fallen to the lot of older civilians. The Air Training Corps offered
them the magnificent opportunity for service of a kind which, he was
sure, was very near to their hearts. He enumerated the provision made
for financing and equipping units of the Corps, as given in detail in
the report in ‘The Express’ last week of a similar meeting at
Castleford.
Flying
Officer Marshall, who explained that he had been training youths in
Doncaster for fourteen months, urged that Pontefract should make itself
an Air Force town, "and proud of it," as it had been for so
many years a military town, "and proud of it." He offered, if
the proposed committee agreed, to relinquish his appointment with the
Doncaster Squadron and take charge of the Pontefract unity. Marshall
explained that instruction would be given in navigation, engines,
mathematics, signalling and physical training.
1941 INDEX
