AIR TRAINING FOR BOYS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 5, Issue 115, 5 September 1941, Page 3

AIR TRAINING FOR BOYS

Radio To Assist Recruiting A CAMPAIGN to recruit boys for an Air Training Corps was begun with a broadcast from 1YA last Monday (September 1), It will be continued as far as the NBS is concerned with periodical broadcasts at New Plymouth (September 29), Napier (October 7), Wellington (November 1), Christchurch (November 17), and Dunedin (December 1). The Corps is intended as a preliminary training organisation for prospece tive Air Force personnel, Boys not less than 1642 years of age at June 30 in the year of enlistment and not more than 18 years of age at the same date, will be eligible for training in subjects related to the duties of air crews, flight mechanics, riggers, radio mechanics and operators. Units will be formed in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill, and at Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Hastings, Napier, Gisborne, and Timaru, College units will also be formed in these centres where a sufficient number of recruits is available at the schools (with a minimum age limit of 15), and also at Whangarei, Dannevirke, Feilding, Hawera, Stratford, Levin, Mastere ton, Nelson, Blenheim, Ashburton, Waitaki, Gore, and Greymouth. For the town units, uniforms with special badges, patches, and buttons will be issued. The school unit members will have special badges, and badges will also be available for members keeping up membership by correse pondence. The training will not make entry into the Air Force obligatory, and the Air force will not necessarily accept every recruit from the Air Training Corps, but it is anticipated that the Corps will provide basic training for Air Force personnel with its combination of the characteristics of High School Cadets, Technical Night School, and some features of the Air Force’s preliminary education scheme.