Recruit Training Squadron at Royal Air Force Halton graduated their latest intake this week on a cold and wet spring day. The parade was held in the Burton Drill Facility due to inclement weather however, the standard of the parade was first class.
Image by: RAF Halton Photographic Section
Thompson Intake 629 marched into the Drill Facility behind Flight Commander, Flight Lieutenant Clarke, to the sound of The Central Band of the Royal Air Force, under direction from Bandmaster Warrant Officer Terrence Gardner. The Colour Bearer was Flying Officer Kyle Sugden with Colour Warrant Officer Andrew Cashmore and escorts Sergeant Deacon and Sergeant Martin.
The Reviewing Officer was Group Captain Jason Sutton OBE, Commanding Officer of Northwood HQ.
He presented Trophies and Awards to:
AC O’Neil who was presented with three trophies - The Rothschild Trophy. Awarded to the Recruit who shows the highest overall standard in Initial Force Protection Training. The Dusty Millar Memorial Trophy. Awarded to the Recruit who has shown the greatest willingness to help others as voted for by their fellow Recruits. The Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire Trophy. Awarded for the best overall performance in all aspects of training on No. 10 Flight.
AC Bullock - The Halton Apprentice Trophy. Awarded to the Recruit who achieves the highest overall standard in drill and deportment.
SAC Greasley - The Halton Apprentice Shield. Awarded to the Recruit who has displayed the highest overall standard of effort, determination and achievement in Physical Education.
AC Dickie - The RAF Benevolent Fund Trophy. Awarded for displaying the greatest effort and determination on No. 9 Flight.
AC Crossley - The Station Commander’s Cup. Awarded for displaying the greatest effort and determination on No. 10 Flight.
AC Buckley - The Mayor of Aylesbury Trophy. Awarded for the best overall performance in all aspects of training on No. 9 Flight.
Finally, The Lord Trenchard Trophy is awarded to the Flight that has been the best overall in training. It was awarded to No. 10 Flight and collected on their behalf by AC Bullock.
Image by: RAF Halton Photographic Section
The parade comprised of 92 males and 14 females, with 362 family and friends spectating noisily in the stands.
Thompson Intake is named after Flight Sergeant (FS) George Thompson (23 October 1920 – 23 January 1945) who was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
On 1 January 1945 in an attack on the Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany, Lancaster bomber serial PD377, after releasing its bombs, was hit by two shells and a raging fire broke out. Flight Sergeant Thompson who was the wireless operator, seeing that the mid-upper gun turret was ablaze, went at once through the smoke-filled fuselage into the fire and exploding ammunition in the turret to help the gunner to a place of relative safety. He extinguished his burning clothing with his bare hands and in doing so sustained serious burns to his legs, hands and face. He then went to the rear turret which was also ablaze and again used his already burnt bare hands to beat out flames on the gunner's clothing. Then, despite his shocking state of burns and charred clothing, he returned through the burning fuselage to report to the pilot. The crippled aircraft finally crash-landed; the rear gunner survived and made a full recovery, but the mid-upper gunner died. Flight Sergeant Thompson began to recover from his injuries in hospital but died of pneumonia three weeks later.
