Hi, Not sure quite where to post this one so apologies if it's in the wrong place. Shortly after being posted to 119 Detail Issue Depot, RASC in December 1943, my father (a corporal clerk) was sent on "Type C Airborne Supplies Course N°6" at Amesbury - duration 5 days. At the end he was awarded "Special Qualification A/C Loading" according to his Service Record. Can anyone tell me please where I might be able to find out a bit more about the scope of the course anf what he might have been doing in the build up to D-Day. (He would never discuss matters like this). Alan
Alan My experience is a lot more recent than your father's, but RASC were responsible for loading aeroplanes (under the supervision of RAF), and for chucking airborne supplies out of the door. From what you say, I would guess that your father's course covered the correct method of getting supply containers into the aeroplane and how to lash various types of containers down safely once inside the plane. I also guess that there was a different Airborne Supplies course that covered how to undo the lashings of the containers, get them to the door of the plane, ensure that the static lines were attached properly, and tip the containers out. Chris
Hi Chris, I think you may be right there as what you have said triggered something of a memory of talk of material being 'hard landed' from aircraft in flight but since this was something they practised using Beverleys at Sandown Airport when I was growing up on the Isle of Wight in the Fifties I can't be sure of the context. I'm still open to reading up on the actual courses if anyone has any knowledge. I have assumed that as his service record shows that officially Dad landed in France at Arromanches on D+5 that his loading expertise was not put to use. It might have been a contingency strategy if Overlord had not gone as well as it did. Alan BTW Chris I thing i recognise your name from modelling days in mafva? Thanks again Alan
Hello Alan, This may be entirely coincidental but the Airborne Forces Development Centre (AFDC) was established in 1943 and had their HQ for a time at the Amesbury Abbey. From what I can see the AFDC was an off shoot of the AFEE, if you can sort all those developments and name changes out. Army Air Transport Training & Development Centre - ParaData It looks like a likely candidate to conduct that kind of course. The only other mention I've come across of "119 Detail Issue Depot" is in a RootsChat thread which I suspect was started by you ...? Sorry not much to go on there ... Regards
Love flying - on a short course at Thorney Island - few beers in the sgts' mess - and an invitation to fly on the HS Andover - the air despatchers RCT did not tell me that the flight was piloted by the station commander doing his currency flight with several circuits land and off again several times. Half a gallon of beer slopping around with a row of despatchers looking at a green passenger wondering if the technicolour yawn was nigh . When we stopped playing they suggested a trip on the Herky bird - I needed a beer and a fag.
Hi guys I am well aware of the AATDC as my father commanded it in 1958/59; you can see his name about halfway down the list. I realised that it must have descended from a similar outfit of wartime origin but did not know the name of it. I also did a course - at JATE, then at RAF Abingdon - but much later, and which was more involved with planning unit moves by air, though we had to learn lashing too, and were then treated to a white knuckle ride in a C130, in the company of the Landrover and trailer which we had just lashed down! Alan - seems likely. I'm still modelling and still a member of MAFVA! Chris
Cee, Thanks for all the 'outfit' names and the link which are all noted for investigation. Your suggestion seems a good possibility. And yes I did post a photograph of what I think was the course members on RootsChat. Chris, I enjoyed perusing your drawings but never built from one of 'em. Too modern for me! I dropped out of Mafva some years ago afte 23 years a member. Alan P.S. Wills - take care mate!
