Here you will find a brief history of the squadron.
More information and pictures can be found in the Archives.
If you have anything you can add then please contact us.
Past CO's
1941 - 44 Flt Lt Reeve-Bilson
1944 - 45 Flt Lt R H Dilworth
1945 - 67 Flt Lt G W Risley
1967 - 70 Flt Lt L G Porritt
1970 - 79 Flt Lt A P Sargent
1979 - 82 Flt Lt D Edge
1982 - 90 Flt Lt R Bosworth
1990 - 98 Flt Lt J L Standish MBE
1998 - Flt Lt Valerie Smith
Famous Ex Cadets
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Keith Williamson
Milestones in the History
1941
5 Feb
A meeting was held at the Fire Station Hall where it was decided to form the market Harborough & District ATC.
Messrs Bright, Dilworth, Billson and Risley formed the Nucleus Committee.
28 February
A meeting was held in the village hall at Kibworth to discuss the formation of a local ATC. The following were elected.
President Mr J W Illife
Vice President Rev Cannon H J T Eacott
Chairman Mr J E Elliot
Hon Sec Mr J W Martin DSC
Hon Treas Mr J A A Hind
Committee A Baillie BSc, G Carter, W Allen, F Bentley, S H Deighton, W D Evans and Driver (Fleckney).
Mr J W Martin and Mr C T Taylor volunteered as officers and 24 boys gave in their names as members.
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The first Officers |
21 March
A meeting was held at the
23 March
The first parade took place.
1944
18 Feb Since the Sqn was formed 294 cadets had been enrolled and 112 had joined the RAF, 5 the Fleet Air Arm, 8 the Royal navy and 2 the Army
29 Apr
The squadron took possession of its new HQ at 83 St Mary's Rd. The premises previously known as Macgregor's had been converted from stables and now formed a new lecture hall, gymnasium, wireless, engineering rooms, orderly rooms and other offices.
Parade on Opening of new HQ
1952
June - Officer and 4 cadets arrested.
It seems that the squadron had been asked to take part in an exercise testing the police and RAF in combating escapees. The Squadron maintained their brief was the exercise ended at 0300. The police said it was due to end at midnight and they were to treat all suspicious characters in uniform after that time as 'hostile' and so detained the cadets in the cells at the police station.
It wasn't until Plt Off Heighton instructed the cadets to do everything in their power to escape that pressure was brought to bear on the RAF guards and they were released some 3 hours after their capture.
The squadron won the Auster Trophy as the Best Sqn in Leicestershire & Rutland Wing
Sgts M Corney, Collins, FS Read and Cpls Pelos and Marriott attempted a 110 mile marching record but were beaten by foot troubles.
1965
May
1st Silver DofE won by the Squadron - Sgt R Bosworth
1966
Cdt Alex Nixon and Gerald Viccars found a 5 foot long bomb in a pond near Dingley. They took the bomb back to the HQ precariously perched on their bicycle. The Army Bomb Disposal Team removed the detonator and found the device was harmless.
Later that year the cadets entered a float in the carnival with the title 'We Want Our Bomb Back'
1967
16 March
Fg Off Gilbert retired after 15 years service. He joined in 1951 and was commissioned in 1953
18 May
Flt Lt Risley presented with a silver plate by CWO R Bosworth when he retired as CO after 26 years service with the squadron. He helped in forming the squadron in 1941 and became CO in 1946
CWO Bosworth presented with his Gold DofE by Mr R Hall Sqn Chairman.
29 June
CWO Bosworth attended
1969
April
The HQ at St Mary's Rd was modernised and 2 classrooms added. The canteen was renovated by the GVC
1970/1
The Day the Squadron Died (Nearly)
In 1970 cadet numbers had fallen from the usual 30-35 cadets down to attendance of 9. The inevitable happened; the squadron was placed 'under review'.
Not only were numbers below the minimum but the HQ was in need of repair, proving costly to maintain and the lease expired at Christmas. The situation was ripe for closure of the squadron.
However a town meeting including parents together with the efforts of the CO, Flt Lt Sargent, and the untiring work of staff and the civilian committee raised the profile of the unit and it clawed its way back from the dead.
18 Jun 1970
The Squadron President Wg Cdr (Rtd) Robert Hall was presented with the OBE awarded in the Birthday Honours List.
The funeral of Past CO Mr G Risley. He was CO from 1945 to 1967.
1972
Last parade at St Mary's Rd before it moved to new HQ.
The last parade with past CO Mr Dilworth and part of the newly formed band
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The new Spooner hut in what was then the Cattle Market. |
During the late 70's the Squadron represented the Region in two Nijmegen Marches
1980
The Squadron won the Lees Trophy.
The trophy for the most efficient squadron in the ATC was presented to the CO by Air commodore K J Goodwin, AOC Air Cadets.
Being a small squadron that faced closure 10 years ago this was a significant achievement, as the CO put it 'a triumph of team work'
Cadets and staff with the Lees Trophy
CWO Herring appointed Lord Lieutenants Cadet for Leicestershire
The squadron won the Auster Trophy as the Best Squadron in the Wing
1984
February.
Arson destroyed the HQ,
Flt Lt Bosworth, Fg Off Standish, Wg Cdr Wilkins and Wg Cdr Hall stand in what was once the main hall and two classrooms. The offices were relatively undamaged but over £10,000 of damage was caused including band instruments and irreplaceable records.
The local ACF detachment came to the rescue and offered the use of its building for a night a week until a new HQ was built.
1985
On 13 October Air Chief Marshall Sir Keith Williamson opened the new headquarters following the fire which destroyed the old HQ.
Female Cadets were enrolled into the Squadron for the first time - Cdts Sally Marshall and Debra Hendry both from Desborough.
1986
The Chairman of the Squadron, Wg Cdr Robert Hall OBE RAF (Rtd) died in April. He had been Chariman for 28 years.
1990
Band entered first contest at Burton Latimer. The 12 strong band finished 6th and last.
Flt Lt Bosworth leaves to join South Midlands Wing Staff. Flt Lt Standish took over command of the Squadron.
1991
Sponsored 24 hour 'march to nowhere' on a rolling road raised £400
Squadron formed guard of honour for Princess Ann when she opened the new Leisure Centre
50th anniversary dinner held 6 April.
New bus (ex RAF 35 seat coach) took its first journey to RAF Cosford.
1992
Won Wing aircraft recognition competition for second year running
First year Squadron band led Oakham's RBL Remembrance Day Parade
November moved to new HQ at Leisure Centre
CWO Phillip Standish awarded Gold DofE
3rd in Wing Lees Trophy competition
Band lead a parade to open re-furbished Leicester Market. Bruce Forsyth took over the role of drum major leading the band round the market. He later accepted the post of Honorary Drum Major.
1993
Detached Flight set up at Rothwell
Fund raising appeal set up to raise £25,000 for new extension at HQ, first event a sponsored shoe clean in the town square
Sgt David Standish awarded flying scholarship for 30 hours flying tuition at
Limited edition print goes on sale and charity auction follows, both to raise money for extension to HQ
2nd in Wing Lees Trophy Competition
Cpl Linda Tetley is Wing Sportswomen of Year and FS D Standish nominated for IACE (
1994
3rd in Wing Lees Trophy Competition
Work starts on new extension
Ex CWO David Standish received his Gold DofE
1995
21 May
New extension opened by Sir Keith Williamson. This included a fly past of 3 Bulldog aircraft from East Midlands University Air Squadron (courtesy of ex CWO David Standish and then a member of EMUAS)
Cpl Scott Alvey and
Squadron receives letter of commendation from Air Vice Marshall May following an aircraft crash while at summer camp. Cadets from the squadron helped service personnel form a secure area round the crash site (the pilot ejected and suffered minor injuries)
Cadets are part of the Wing Band that were runners up in the Corps Band Championship
Flt Lt Standish leaves to join South Midlands Wing Staff and Flt Lt Valerie Smith took over the command of the squadron
2000
CI Michael Standish collected his Gold DofE at Buckingham Palace
2003
The Squadron won the Corps Band Championships at RAF Halton
2004
The band played at Euro Disney - perhaps the first ATC Band to do so?
2007
Winners of Wing full band, percussion and fanfare.
Winners of Region percussion and full band
5th in Full band, 4th in Percrcussion, 3rd in Drum Major at Corps Band Championships
2009
Winners of Region Fanfare (for the 1st time) and full band for the fourth time.
Annual Camps
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1941 1942 1943 1944 RAF Husbands Bosworth 1945 1946 1947 1948 RAF Driffield 1949 RAF Binbrooke 1950 1951 RAF Leconfield 1952 1953 RAF Leconfield 1954 1955 RAF Hawarden 1956 1957 RAF Woodvale 1958 RAF Chivenor 1959 RAF Binbrooke 1960 RAF Thorney island 1961 RAF Watton 1962 RAF Mamby 1963 RAF Leeming 1964 Church Fenton 1965 Cosford 1966 Waddington 1967 Marham |
1968 RAF Shawbury 1969 RAF St Mawgan 1970 RAF Northolt 1971 RAF Turnhill 1972 1973 RAF Locking 1974 RAF Abingdon 1975 RAF Brawdy 1976 RAF Stanbridge 1977 RAF Brize Norton 1978 RAF Conningsby 1979 RAF Leeming 1980 1981 RAF 1982 1983 1984 RAF Wattisham 1985 RAF Stafford 1986 RAF Northolt 1987 RAF Abingdon 1988 RAF Shawbury 1989 RAF Coltishall 1990 RAF Finningley 1991 RAF Chivenor 1992 1993 RAF Leeming and Cosford |
1994 RAF Swanton Morley 1995 RAF Valley 1996 1997 RAF Locking 1998 RAF Coltishall 1999 RAF Linton on Ouse 2000 2001 RAF Leuchars 2002 RAF Sealand 2003 RAF Stafford 2004 RAF Linton on Ouse 2005 RAF Stafford 2006 RAF Kinloss |