NEW STATUS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27296, 24 January 1950, Page 4

NEW STATUS

TAIERI RNZAF STATION OPERATION NEXT MONTH INDEPENDENT COMMAND Special to the Daily Times PA WELLINGTON, Jan. 23. Air Force Headquarters announced today that the RNZAF station at Taieri, the future training school for compulsory military training entrants into the RNZAF, will become an independent command on February 1. At present it is a satellite airfield of Wigram, its activities confined principally to the support of No. 4 Otago Squadron, Territorial Air Force, and to the maintenance of stored RNZAF aircraft. The first course of the compulsory entrants will begin at Taieri during the first week in May. Distinguished Career Wing Commander C. A. Turner, of New Plymouth, will be the commanding officer at Taieri. Until recently Wins Commander Turner was representative of the RNZAF on the New Zealand Joint Services Liaison Staff, Melbourne. Wing Commander Turner qualified as a p3ot in 1933 at the New Plymouth Aero Club, and entered the RAF on a short-service commission in 1936. In 1938, at the age of 22, .he was made navigation and signals' instructor m ■the RNZAF, transferring from the RAF and taking a specialist signals course at Cranwell. He commanded a radar unit in Scotland before he returned to New Zealand in 1940. Appointments held by Wing Commander Turner during the war included director of signals (Air Department) and commanding officer of the RNZAF stations at Nausori (Fiji) and Guadalcanal He completed an RAF staff college course in the United Kingdom in 1947, and was appointed RNZAF liaison officer at Melbourne in 1948. Wing Commander Turner was awarded the 0.8. E. in the King’s Birthday honours in 1947, and in October last year was elected an associate fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is an old boy of New Plymouth Boys’ High School. Main Objectives An air force spokesman said today that the “new Taieri” would provide (1) general service and trade training for compulsory military training entrants; (2) general service and basic flying training for selected compulsory military training air crew; (3) support for No. 4 Squadron of the Territorial Air Force; and (4) maintenance of stored RNZAF aircraft. He said each course, of 14 weeks, would comprise 50 pilot trainees, 12 navigator trainees, and 120 trainees for ground trades. Three such intakes would be made each year, but in 1950 only two courses would be held, as the year would be well advanced when the training began.

The staffing at Taieri will be begun in about a week, and it will continue until the end of May, when the station should be fully manned. Although the implementing of post-war planning in the air force has been hampered by a shortage of man-power in certain skilled ground trades, the manning of Taieri should be completed without undue depletion of existing units. When at full strength, Taieri will have 21 officers and 350 other ranks. This includes the regular cadre of No. 4- Territorial Squadron and 182 compulsory trainees. Arrangements are now being made to provide motor transport, medical and dental services, fire-fighting equipment and communications, together with amenities such as a post office, the YMCA, and a dry canteen.