AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 85, 4 January 1941, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN

First Draft In Southern Rhodesia

The Australian Alinister for the Air, Mr. AfeEwen. has announced that the first draft of Australian airmen selected for training in Southern Rhodesia has disembarked at a South African port. “The addition of Southern Rhodesian training schools to those already available to Australians is a development of great importance in the Empire Air Scheme.” lie said. “Regular drafts of Australians enlisted under the scheme will bo reaching Rhodesia from now onward. but this development will not affect training programmes in Australia and Canada. Quotas for Canada have actually been increased, and Australian training progress has been such that the intake rate is now consider ably higher than originally expected. “The trainees sent to Africa will receive the whole of their flying training outside the Commonwealth. Rhodesia has the facilities to train additional drafts, whereas there would have been some interference with the original programme if Australia had had to cope with increased numbers of elementary trainees. Instruction in Rhodesia will be similar to that in Australia and Canada. Trainees sent to Rhodesian schools will retain their Identity and Hie usual R.A.A.F. rights and privileges.”