I was 17 years old in 1938 and joined the forerunner of the ATC, the Air Defence Cadet Corps. I lived at Harringay, Tottenham, North London, and our HQ was a hut in the grounds of Alexandra Palace. I remember being taught drill,
aircraft recognition, the internal combustion engine, four-strokes, ‘suck, squeeze, bang, blow’ (induction, compression, power, exhaust) among other aircraft-related items. I was lucky enough to be chosen to learn to fly at the London Gliding Club at Dunstable.
Some years after the war I went back into the now ATC as a civvy instructor, and on leaving that I joined the Royal Observer Corps and was a member for 17 years.
Reg Redford, Irthlingborough, Northants