AIR CADETS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 34, 9 August 1943, Page 3

AIR CADETS

CAMPAIGN OPENED

500 RECRUITS WANTED

Officially opened last night by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal L. M. Isitt, the drive for 500 more recruits for the Air Training Corps in Wellington was in full swing today, with the list of new cadets already opened.

The A.T.C. ha? taken over the area behind the Central Public Library in Mercer Street, and features of Air Force training and operations will be on display to the public from noon to 2 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. each day this week. A special effort has been made to make this display as interesting as possible and everything will be explained by Air Force technicians. During the evening session variety programmes will be presented. Though still a comparatively young organisation, the A.T.C. in New Zealand has already proved its immense value as an adjunct to the R.N.Z.A.F., and has developed a prestige commensurate with its importance in the field of air training. It has now a flying formation of its own. The Air Force has been able to spare some training planes and instructors and these are going round the country visiting each A.T.C. unit in turn and giving cadets a proper insight into aviation by actual flying lessons. That is one of several recent deyelopments intended'to make A.T.C. training more interesting and more valuable. Another innovation has been the introduction of badges to denote promotion. A practical' indication of how .the A.T.C. has acted as a "feeder" for the R.N.Z.A.F. will be given on Friday next, when a large number of former A.T.C. trainees will parade through the city. The important part that the Air Training Corps played in helping to build up the Royal New Zealand Air Force was emphasised by Air ViceMarshal Isitt, in a brief address to boys arid their parents at the King's Theatre last evening, when a special preview of the film story of the famous Spitfire, "First of the Few," was shown.

Air Vice-Marshal Isitt said the importance of the A.T.C. could not be overstressed. His responsibility was to ensure the manning and efficiency of the R.N.Z.A.F. In the first place the A.T.C. was the foundation-stone, and from it the Air Force expected to provide two vital war considerations — man-power and time. From the A.T.C. for which an endeavour was always made to get the right kind of youth, they could get the man-power, and by giving them pre-entry training overcome the time factor.

Whatever the future might hold, the training- the boys would get in the A.T.C. would be of great value to them in civil life. The work of the New Zealand airman was second to none. It was on a par with that of the Second N;Z.E.F., and there could be no higher parallel.

Air Vice-Marshal Isitt expressed his pleasure at the interest shown by so many parents in attending the preview, and thanked Mr. J. D. Howitt, chairman of the committee responsible for the Air Training Corps Week programme, and those associated with him.

The invitations to the preview were limited to the parents and guardians of youths from 16 to 20 years, provided they were accompanied by the lads, and there was an attendance of about 800.

The A.T.C. centre, behind the Central Library in Mercer Street, will be opened this evening by the Mayor. The ceremony will take place at 7 o'clock, and will be followed by an entertainment, which will include items by the Air Force Band, Hazel Martin's Air Force ballet, the Air Force Rhythm Band under L.A.C. Walters, entertainment by Gunner Harbord, and a screening of authentic scenes from the present war. Prior to the opening there will be a parade of sections of the Wellington Bands' Association, one from the Railway Station and another from Courtenay Place, marching off at 6.30 p.m.