Remembering Wings & Wheels 2, June 20 & 21, 2009!
Dedicated to the Memory of Kaitlin Vanderhoek!
RCAF No.1 TTS St. Thomas
The urgent requirement for technicians early in the war had begun to exceed the capacity of the small RCAF technical schools at Trenton and Camp Borden. The government seconded the brand new Ontario Mental Hospital on Highway 4 and formed No.1 Technical Training School there. Opening date was 1 November 1939.
Students came from RCAF Manning Depots across Canada with trade assignment based on aptitude testing and experience. The first walking-out parade was on 13 April 1940. 132 Aero-Engine Technicians (Fitters), 123 Air Frame Technicians (Riggers), 33 Sheet Metal Workers and 28 Fabric Workers graduated.
Trades training was subsequently expanded to include Electricians, Armourers, Propeller Specialists, Parachute Riggers, Carpenters, Instrument Technicians and Flight Engineers. In 1941, when the RCAF added the Women's Division (WD), classes were held for Hospital Assistants.
The initial planned graduate output called for 2000 graduates every 18 weeks, or 5800 yearly. This quickly expanded to 10,000 per year and by disbandment on 30 April 1945, over 50,000 graduates had been produced.
Copyright Paul Ozorak
(from the Spooner Memorial at 427
Wing, Air
Force Association of Canada)
