PASSING OUT PARADE AT WIGRAM

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27408, 22 July 1954, Page 6

PASSING OUT PARADE AT WIGRAM

REVIEW OF NATIONAL SERVICEMEN

The second draft of national servicemen to do their training with the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Wigram will complete their 14-week course at the end of this week. To mark the end of their training there will be a parade on Friday, at which they will be reviewed by Squadron Leader F. D. Bitossi, officer commanding No. 2 Trade Training School at Wigram.

There have been 18 national servicemen in the second draft. Five regular personnel, including three members of the Women’s Royal New Zealand Air Force, have been training with them. Five of the national servicemen have trained as signals assistants, four as electrical assistants, and nine as radar plotters and observers. At the end of their training, the men are posted to the central, northern, and southern recruiting and reserve centres, and once a year for three years they will return to an Air Force station to do a further 20 days’ training. Five drafts of national servicemen will pass through Wigram this year. No. 3 draft is already in training, and another draft will begin training soon after the No. 2 group passes out.