The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a youth organisation with a lot of history.......
The birth of the ATC can be traced back to 1938 when an Air Commodore by the name Chamier decided that the male youth of the country needed some encouragement to join the RAF. He formed a national network of volunteer groups that became known as the Air Defence Cadet Corps (ADCC). On the 5th of February 1941 this organisation was succeeded by the ATC. The original aims of the Corps was to help in the war effort and to have young men trained and ready so the RAF had a steady supply of pilots.
At the end of WWII the aims of the Corps had to be changed. The emphasis was more towards fostering a spirit of adventure and an interest in the RAF.
Since this point the ATC has gone from strength to strength and is now a well established member of the community in towns and cities around the world. The ATC can boast squadrons not only in the UK but also in destinations such as Cyprus and Germany.
The ATC now serves as an organisation that allows normal teenagers the chance to experience something slightly out of the ordinary. If you would like more information on some of the activities that 511 (Ramsey) take part in then please click HERE. The Corps is run by volunteers who take on the roles that you would find in the RAF squadron. These members of staff who maybe teachers, millionaires or dustbin men give up their time for free. They do it for many reasons some were cadets in their youth, some may have a son or daughter at the squadron or it may just be because they enjoy helping the youth of the UK get a better start in life. The squadron is run to a strict pattern of discipline with the senior cadets taking on the role of Non Commissioned Officers (NCO's) e.g Corporals, Sergeants, Flight Sergeants and Cadet Warrant Officers. The ATC is a uniformed organisation and each cadet is expected to look after and maintain their uniform. One thing that should be made clear is that membership of the Corps does not mean that you have join the RAF, you are not forced into anything. But what membership does help with if a cadet is interested in joining the RAF is that it lets them get a head start. Activities such as Annual Camp, Wing field Day or Drill Competitions help the cadet see if that style of life is suited to them or vice versa!
The ATC is a great starting point for both teenagers who have an interest in joining the Armed Services and for those who are just curious. If you have read this and you think that the ATC is for you then please click HERE and take down the contact details.
That is not to say that we are just after teenagers oh no!. If you are over the age of 21 and have an interest in joining the Corps as an officer,civilian instructor, a member of our fund raising committee or you feel you are an expert on a subject that would interest the cadets and wish to tell us about it then please click HERE and take down the contact details
