ATC Cadets collecting funds in my local ASDA (Walmart).
[b]History of the Air Training Corps (ATC) [/b]
The Air Training Corps has its origins in the Air Defence Cadet Corps which was formed under the auspices of the Air League of the British Empire. The earliest squadrons paraded in October 1938. The administration of each squadron was in the hands of a committee of local citizens, thus establishing the twin military and civilian streams of support which make up the present day organisation. In 1941, in order to provide the means of giving part-time air training to young men destined for the Royal Air Force, the Air Defence Cadet Corps was formally established as the Air Training Corps by Royal Warrant. It subsequently achieved a wartime peak of 210,000 cadets. At a conservative estimate, some 170,000 trained ex-cadets had entered the Services by the end of the war. After the war, the requirement for so large a number of potential RAF recruits diminished and the ceiling for the cadet strength of the ATC was accordingly lowered. In subsequent reassessments of the purpose of the ATC greater emphasis was given to general youth and citizenship training.
Further Royal Warrants were issued on 30 September 1944, 12 November 1946, 23 June 1947 and 9 August 1968. Regulations contained in these were reviewed by a more recent Royal Warrant dated 19 February 1990.
The distinguishing characteristics of the Corps remain its special relationship with the Royal Air Force and its involvement in flying activities. HRH, the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is Air Commodore-in-Chief. In 2005 the Air Training Corps numbers some 33,000 cadets and over 9000 Adult Volunteeers.
