Qualification, Graduation · Passing Out Parade · Celebrations and Postings
The 100th Entry of Aircraft Apprentices graduated from No 1 Radio School at RAF Locking on Tuesday 15th December 1964, having completed 3 years’ training.
Relatives from all around the country attended to see their boys march past ready to enter the world of “man’s service”. A list of postings is contained in the Locking Review below. The Passing Out parade (see programme below) was held in thick fog and was reviewed by the Air Member for Personnel Air Chief Marshall Sir Walter G. Cheshire, KCB, CBE, ADC, BA. The Entry marched on to the Parade Ground at 10:35 and were inspected by the Reviewing Officer (see photos below), then marched off again around 11:20.
At 11:30, coffee was provided for hosts and guests in No 3 NAAFI, except for prize-winning apprentices and relatives who were served in the Reference Library, No 3 Training Block. Then, at around 12:15, in the Assembly Hall of No 3 Block, the apprentices and their relatives were addressed by the Reviewing Officer who commented on the weather, thus “…..and I suggest, in future, that you have a special radar for the Reviewing Officer so that he can see the parade.”. He may not have heard one of the Flight Commanders say “It’s a good job the Parade Commander has a voice like a fog-horn.”
This was followed by the presentation of prizes and then on to lunch in the Apprentice Dining Hall. During the afternoon, the domestic accommodation and training blocks were open for viewing by the apprentices’ guests and the instructors were available to meet the parents.
A Passing Out Dinner and Dance was held at the Winter Gardens Pavilion, Weston Super Mare that evening.
See the Passing Out Parade programme (PDF) for the order of service and list of postings. (The Locking Review referenced above has not survived in the site archive.)
Practice
More Graduation Photographs
