307 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets

No 7 FLIGHT, CITY OF BANKSTOWN

Descended from the wartime No 24 Squadron, No 7 was established 21 February 1946. It paraded at Ashfield until 1949, when it transferred to Bankstown Airport; it continued there until 1976, and re-located again to premises at No 2 Stores Depot, RAAF, Regents Park. The December 1959 edition of Reserve Magazine showed a cadet of 7 Flight training with the Crab of the Flight’s Link Trainer at Bankstown. An Amateur Radio Club was also formed at Bankstown at this time, with call-sign VK2-ATJ.

In 1963, the Flight ‘scooped the pool’ in the Squadron’s Annual Drill Competition, winning the sections for Foot Drill, Rifle Drill and Overall Drill, and its NCO winning the prize as the best NCO. It also won the Air Force Association’s Award for the Most Efficient Flight in the Squadron, in 1972.

The first and only MBE awarded in Australia for service with the AIRTC was to FLTLT T G Phillips, its first Flight Commander. Another member, J McPhee, became a LTCOL in the Royal New South Wales Lancers; and J Barassi became a Commanding Officer in the Victorian Squadron AIRTC. Five other members of the Flight proceeded to Flight Commander and/or Staff appointments.

N0 7 moved to joint movement control office in Lidcombe in 2000.

HONOUR ROLL-No. 24 Squadron

The Officer Commanding No. 24 Squadron, A.T.C. Ashfield, Squadron Leader A. Whitehurst, is justly proud of the Squadron’s record of over 300 enlistments into the Royal Austra­lian Air Force, and in the above photograph is seen congratulating the 300th cadet on receiving his call-up.

The massive maple honour board has been provided out of the Squa­dron Welfare Funds at the approxi­mate cost of £ 40, provision being made for 500 names. At the pre­sent rate of enlistments from No. 24 Squadron, A.T.C., .the time is not far distant when the available space will be filled.

The honour board is currently mounted in the spacious headquarters of the squadron at the Lidcombe Multi-User Depot and is a splendid inspiration for all new and prospective recruits on their first acquaintaince with the hub of the unit, and during their training for entry into the R.A.A.F.