Rifle Practice with Live Ammunition
Lee on Solent Camp 1944

Standing on left: Harry Rothera
Foreground: Second in, with beret: Jim Mayger
 

 

Dinghy Drill at Lee on Solent Camp, 1944

Right of Sail: Peter Smith with Harry Rothera in front of him
At Back - next to Peter Smith - is Don Payne.
Noel Sylvester is tall chap on right of picture.

When I first saw the photo I thought the boy crouching on the extreme left was a boy called Wheway. Then I panned right and the boy sixth from the right with a boy kneeling behind him looks even more like Wheway. I'm afraid you'll have to take your pick! On the second row, eighth from the right, with a boy with crossed arms on his left is, I believe called Noel Sylvester. That's the rather poor best I can do re the photo, but have you tried Past President Norman Tomkins? He has an incredible memory of those times and I'd be very surprised if he couldn't do a lot better than me.(Says John Clubb)

I can throw some light on the Burton members in the photo, says Don Payne:
Back Row: Looking at the photo:  4th left Harry Rothera, kneeling in front of officer 8th left Don Payne, 9th left Noel Sylvester,11th left Pete W Smith,14th left Langley, 2nd in from right Frank (Pancake) Mayger.  Front Row:4th from left Jim Mayger,6th left Pim Berry,8th left John Wheway. 
The aircraft behind was I think a Spitfire Mark 9. At this camp we saw a Gloster Meteor Jet fighter flying over.Regular air accidences occured as Corsair Fighter /Bombers attempted simulated carrier landings on the runway; they generally stalled comming in to land.On another occasion a flight of Spitfires ran off the end of the runway.   We had instruction in inflating dinghies, firing 303 rifles,and a flight each in a Reliant light aircraft.     
Again from Don Payne:
The trip was organised by Mr. Leighton (Skip) one of the Masters after he had attended the annual get together of the National Air Scouts Association. It took place during the Autumn Half Term and was arranged in collaboration with the Navy and Fleet Air Arm. It covers a few days; there was a brief note in the Winter edition of the Cygnet1944.This would seem to indicate that the trip was not a very mind blowing event during those momentous times.
I'm pretty sure the Burton contingent travelled by train as this mode of transport was used by our sporting teams probably due to the shortage of petrol. The scouts came from all over the country and, out of the thirty-odd present, the Burton group made up at least one-third. We stayed in service quarters because I cannot remember going offsite, probably for security reasons.
It was certainly exciting during the day as there was plenty of activity on the airfield. The sight of our first Gloster Meteor Jet fighter streaking across the without any propellers was fascinating. The first operational Meteor was only delivered to 616 Squadron at Culmhead Somerset on 12 July 1944. Every day there seemed to be some form of air accident. The American built Corsair fighter/bomber practiced aircraft carrier landings on the runway, which I believe was marked out to represent a carrier deck. A number of aircraft stalled on approach and crashed. One bounced down the runway from one inverted wing to another.  Later a flight of Spitfires landed too fast and ended up in the hedge at the end of the runway.
During the stay we were divided up into groups of say ten and given instruction in how to inflate a fighter pilots dinghy pack and on another occasion a course in rifle drill with Lee Enfield 303 s. There were probably lectures but I cannot remember them. One of the highlights was a flight in the four-seater Stinson Reliant navigation/radio training aircraft. It was a very light high winged monoplane and bounced around during the flight. The officers and ratings really put us at ease and I'm sure all the scouts must have been aware of the demands made on the young men who were training to become operational pilots during that period. (from.donaldpayne@whsmithnet.co.uk.)

Could someone do a name list?

Two photos of the dreaded Annual Inspection of the ACF (Probably about 1967/68) with Sgt Frank Airey and Captain Playl hoping that no one would let them down !
Front Row furthest away - Corporal Pete Topliss , next to him Lance Corporal James (Jes) Simnett. Second Row furthest away - Lance Corporal Frank ("F") Burrows , next to him Roger Bird. Sadly Frank Burrows died a couple of years ago (recorded in the Old Boys Newsletter)  From David Clarke, 1964 - 69