N.Z. AIR TRAINING

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1941, Page 4

N.Z. AIR TRAINING

CORPS COMMANDANT appointed. P.A. WELLINGTON. October 6. The apnointment of Wing-Com-mander G. A. Nicholls as Commandant of the Air Training Corps was announced to-day bv the Minister of Defence. This follows the announcement made recently of the decision to form the Air Trainng Corps in New Zealand as nart of the orI ganisation of the Royal New Zealland Air Force. A recruiting campaign is at present being held in each (centre in New Zealand for the enrolment of vouths between the ages of 16?. and 18 years for training in the corps. Wing-Commander Nicholls is a Gisborne man, who served with the Royal Air Force in the last war. He since then has been closely associated with both service and civil aviation. As a member of the Territorial Air Force. Wing-Command-er Nicholls attended regular training courses until posted to the Reserve of Officers in 1936. He took a I orominent nart in the develonment of civil aviation on the East Coast, i with the eventual establishment of |an aerodrome at Gisborne and the (inauguration of the Gisborne-Napier air service. On the outbreak of the war, Wing-Commander Nicholls was called up for service from the Reserve, and served as Adjutant at, Rongotai, where a ground trainme | I school was ’ first formed. On thei establishment of the R.N.Z.A.F. station at Levin he held the appointment of Officer Commanding the ground training school until August, 1940. when he was apoointed administrative officer at the R.N.Z.A.F. station, Wioodbourne (Blenheim). He relinquishes this aooointment to take over the duties of Commandant of the Air Training Corps at the Air Force Headquarters.