2403 Squadron serves the communities of Aldermaston, Tadley and the surrounding areas. The Squadron has a strong community ethos and promotes the behaviours and values of its parent service.
RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire was the location for the first training course of 2011 when 8 new members of adult staff were given an introduction to the structure, roles and policies of the Air Training Corps and Thames Valley Wing. Continue reading
The Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, Mrs Mary Bayliss JP has presented awards to over 30 Thames Valley volunteer staff and cadets at a glittering ceremony held at Edward Brooks Barracks near Abingdon.
The Lord Lieutenant presented commendations from both Commandant Air Cadets and the South West Regional Commandant in addition to Cadet Forces Medals and clasps. Continue reading
An Aldermaston cadet has been on a once in a lifetime visit to Hong Kong as part of the International Air Cadet Exchange programme.
Cadet Flight Sergeant Gibbons from 2403 (Aldermaston) Squadron was selected from hundreds of hopeful candidates to take part in the IACE visit to Hong Kong. Flight Sergeant Gibbons says “although I have been a cadet for many years I never thought I would end up in a different country with cadets from all over the world. It has been an experience of a life time and I have made friends from many countries and from different cultures. Knowing how few spaces there are when applying I still never thought I would be in with a chance of going”. Continue reading
211 (Newbury) Squadron reigned supreme at the Thames Valley Wing Field Weekend held at Bicester.
The activities held over the two day competition were designed to test all of the cadets skills. Together with drill, aircraft recognition, the cadets from 26 different Squadrons also had to undertake outdoor activities on the nearby Piddington Training Area such as a first aid scenario, patrol lane and a Duke of Edinburgh Award challenge. Continue reading
The 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain has been commemorated in Burghfield by a parade of over 40 Air Cadets and their staff.
Under clearing skies the immaculately turned out parade, formed by cadets of 2402 (Burghfield), 2403 (Aldermaston) and 381 (Reading) Squadrons headed off with the Union Flag in the lead, closely followed by the banners of the Royal British Legion, the Air Cadets and the Army Cadets. After a short march the formation arrived at St Mary’s church where wreaths were laid at the war memorial and also at the grave of a Battle of Britain pilot, Pilot Officer Eric Burgoyne of 19 Squadron who was killed when his Spitfire aircraft was shot down on the 27th September 1940. Continue reading
How do you reward a cadet for their excellent performance and turnout over a period of seven years? Simple, you give them a commercial aircraft to fly.
Actually this isn’t quite as risky as it sounds as the aircraft never left the ground even though it flew a series of approaches into New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport. It was the multi million pound Boeing 777 simulator located at the British Airways training centre at Heathrow Airport and was made available courtesy of the son of one of Aldermaston’s CIs who is a First Officer on that aircraft type. Continue reading
WO Jim Palmer of 2403 (Aldermaston) Squadron was amongst 22 Air Cadet Instructors from all over the UK were recognised for their community based learning achievements by Admiral the Lord West of Spithead who presented the awards at the recent CVQO graduation ceremony, at the prestigious Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, in front of colleagues, families and friends.
They were presented with a City and Guilds Senior Award in Youth Management and Training, comparable to Foundation, Honours and Master’s degrees and achieved through their work as a Cadet Force Adult Volunteers. Continue reading
Royal Air Force blue met Army green recently when cadets from 2403 (Aldermaston) Squadron, Air Training Corps spend the day at the Army Air Corps home base at Middle Wallop in Hampshire.
The group of staff and cadets were shown the full extent of the helicopter operations of the Army Air Corps from engineering and maintenance through to armament and the methods by which the helicopters themselves are supported when operating away from their home base. As part of the visit the cadets were able to explore the lynx battlefield utility helicopter and also managed to get close up to the awesome Apache attack helicopter which made a lasting impression on the entire group. Continue reading
Cadets from 2403 (Aldermaston) and 1391 (Romsey) Squadrons, Air Training Corps have spent the weekend experiencing life in the Royal Navy and seeing the work of the police elements of both the Royal Air Force and the Army.
The 14 cadets and 4 staff were accommodated aboard the National Cadet Forces Training and Accommodation Ship HMS Bristol and from there undertook a series of visits which encompassed all three of the UK armed forces. The first of these visits was to the Historic Dockyard complex in Portsmouth where the cadets were able to see the equipment and role of the modern Royal Navy through their interactive “Action Stations” exhibit. Continue reading
Over 20 Thames Valley Wing cadets and staff have been honoured at a glittering awards ceremony held at Falklands House in Oxford for their work by Commandant of the Air Cadet Organisation; Air Commodore Ian Stewart.
Amongst the haul of awards were 16 Commandant Air Cadets Commendations, 3 South West Regional Commandants Certificates of Merit, a long service award, 4 Cadet Forces Medals and Clasps:– Continue reading