TECHNICIANS FOR AIR FORCE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 228, 23 June 1941, Page 6

TECHNICIANS FOR AIR FORCE

Mechanics And Riggers

PASSING-OUT CEREMONY AT RONGOTAI

Having completed six months’ technical training at Rongotai Air Force Station, 200 jnen ceremoniously passed out yesterday. They are all flight mechanics and flight riggers, and they will be posted to various stations in New Zealand to gain experience before going overseas. The passing-out ceremony was held on the para'de ground of the station in fine, though fresh, weather, ami there was a large attendance of visitors. The parade began with a review of all the 'men under training by the officer commanding the station, Wing Commander T. W. White. Then followed the ceremonial parade by the two squadrons passing out, the inspecting officer being Group Captain S. Wallingford, air member for personnel. The parade was commanded by Squadron Leader A. M. Manhire, officer commanding the Technical Training School. Music was provided by the Caledonian Society’s Pipe Band, the Air Force Band being on tour in the South Island. At the end of the parade, rhe men who have completed their training were formed into a hollow square and addressed briefly by Group Captain Wallingford. He congratulated them on their drill, which, seeing that they had had only six months’ training, and that mostly technical, wag of a high order, he said. Technical men were necessary to the Air Force, but it must be remembered that they must do a certain amount of drill, not only so that they could move about as bodies of men, but also because it had beeu proved in the theatres of war that men whose standard of drill was high withstood enemy action best.

As technical men they would be (doing work equal in value to that done by the men who were behind weapons, but the time might come when they would have to handle weapons themselves. They were primarily technical men, but were expected to be fighting men if the occasion arose.

After the parade the visitors were allowed to see through the Technical Training School. Airframes and motors of a variety of types, assembled and unassembled, on which the men ha'd been learning their work, were on view. One of the Harvard trainer machines which have been recently imported from America specially attracted attention. (Picture on Page 5).